Testing and Defining a Complex Design Through Digital and Physical Models

This article presents the methodology employed in an application of shape optimisation and digital fabrication in the domain of double-curved wooden furniture design. The study offers a comprehensive definition of the various models, both digital and physical, that facilitate the creative process and their contribution to the design and experimentation process. The process is not solely focused on defining the optimal form; it also represents and simulates the interplay between the stylistic requirements of the designed form and the technical needs of the constructed form. The integration of these models enables the delineation of the design project, thereby reducing the discrepancy between design and construction through the incorporation of digital simulation and physical verification. The theoretical assumptions and the methodology applied for the discretisation of the form, as well as the proposed algorithmic procedure, are discussed and presented for reproducibility. The methodology was successfully applied to the furnishing of the lounge bar and restaurant area of the Oasis Skyview hotel in Doha (Qatar), a project which required the engineering of almost 26,000 wooden laths, identified by unique codes for installation on site.