This is a summary of the development of the BARCODE HOUSING SYSTEM, a project carried out by the research group ARC Engineering and Architecture La Salle, from 2002 to 2009. The purpose of the research has been the creation of an Internet-based environment which facilitates the interaction of the different actors (architects, builders, manufacturers, occupants, facilities managers) involved in the design, construction and use of affordable housing built with industrialized methods. This research project began in 2002, when we started to develop a rule-based system to automatically generate housing units and buildings resulting from their aggregation, by means of user-friendly interfaces. This system, which was completed in 2005, was stand-alone and limited to single users. We then proceeded to develop a new environment to overcome these limitations, facilitating the participation and interaction of different agents in the process of designing, building and using the housing generated with the support of the system. This second version of the system was carried out with a research grant of the Spanish National RDI plan, from 2005 to 2009. It is a modular environment which supports the decision-making process in an open and distributed fashion, allowing inputs from different users at any stage of the design and building process. A poster of the first version of the system can be accessed here: http://www.slideshare.net/lmadrazo/barcode-housing-systemprototype

1. BARCODE HOUSING SYSTEM
A computer-aided design system to support open and
participatory building processes in mass housing
ARC Engineering and Architecture La Salle
Universitat Ramon Llull
Barcelona, Spain
www.salleurl.edu/arc

2. BARCODE HOUSING SYSTEM
-This is a research project carried out by ARC Engineering and
Architecture La Salle, Ramon Llull University, in two stages:
-2002-2005, development of a stand-alone prototype system
- 2005-2009, design and implementation of an open,
participative, modular system which supports the decision-making
process in an open and distributed fashion, allowing inputs from
different users at different stages of the process

3. PROTOTYPE SYSTEM (2002-2005)
www.barcodehousing.net

4. U N I T: S P A C E: M O D U L E

5. superficie construida : 75,6 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

6. superficie construida : 75,6 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

7. superficie construida : 75,6 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

8. superficie construida : 75,6 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

9. superficie construida : 64,8 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

10. superficie construida : 54,0 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

11. superficie construida : 86,4 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

12. superficie construida : 97,2 m2
U N I T : S P A C E : F L E X I B I L I T Y

13. .
U N I T : G E N E R A T I O N

19. G E N E R A T I O N : G R A P H I C O U T P U T

20. V I S U A L I Z A T I O N : W E B E N V I R O N M E N T

21. U N I T : C O N S T R U C T I O N
6’00
7’20
9’60
8’40
3’00
1’20
4’80 -

22. U N I T : C O N S T R U C T I O N

23. www.barcodehousing.net

24. OPEN SYSTEM (2005-2009)
With the support of the grant BIA BIA2005-08707-
C02-01 from the Spanish National RDI Plan

25. BAR_CODE HOUSING SYSTEM
ARCHITECTURAL /
BUILDING SYSTEM
COMPUTER SYSTEM
- open spatial/formal
composition: versatile,
adaptable housing
- open building:
exchangeable systems
- industrialized
construction: dry
construction, integrated
building systems
- social housing: mass
housing, with high quality
standards
-generation of spatial /
formal variations (rule-
based system)
-web-based collaborative
design and construction
processes (non-linear
processes)
-integration of computer-
aided design, building and
manufacturing (knowledge
based systems)

27. SPACE STRUCTURE SERVICES ENVELOPES
SYSTEM STRUCTURE
SYSTEM
SUBSYSTEMSUBSYSTEM SUBSYSTEM SUBSYSTEM
S1
SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
VARIABLE
V1
GENERIC PRINCIPLES:
- Spatial structure (zones/bars, cells,
rooms)
- Modular grid
- Dimensional coordination
- Assembly rules (connectors)
BUILDING SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES:
- A subsystem is characterized by a
type of component (spaces, columns,
ducts) and their rules of assembly
BUILDING COMPONENTS:
-Descriptions of their properties, and
constraints.

28. GENERATIVE PROCEDURE BASED ON THE RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT ZONES
SPATIAL LAYOUT CONFIGRUATION

29. TIPOLOGÍAS DE VIVIENDA SEGÚN FONDO EDIFICATORIO
HOUSING TYPES

30. HOUSING UNITS

31. TIPOLOGÍAS DE BLOQUE SEGÚN TIPO DE ACCESO/ALTURA/DENSIDAD

32. TIPOLOGÍAS DE BLOQUE SEGÚN TIPO DE ACCESO/ALTURA/DENSIDAD

33. AGRUPACIÓN PERPENDICULAR
BLOCK AGGREGATIONS

34. STRUCTURE

35. CASE 1C

36. SOPORTE: BASTIDOR METÁLICO ELABORADO EN TALLER FORMADO POR PERFILES
METÁLICOS TUBULARES
FORJADO: PANELES LIGEROS FORMADOS POR BASTIDOR Y CHAPA PLEGADA
EL ALZADO Y LA
DISTRIBUCIÓN INTERIOR SE
VERAN AFECTADOS POR
LA DIMENSION DE LAS
CAJAS DE PASO DE LAS
INSTALACIONES
INSTALACIONES:
OPCIÓN A: RESERVA DE ESPACIO HECHA EN FORJADO Y CERRAMIENTO DEL
CAJÓN CON PLADUR
OPCIÓN B: CAJÓN HECHO EN TALLER A BASE DE MONTANTES Y CHAPA
PLEGADA
CASO 3C
EST INS CNS ESP

37. EST INS CoNS ESP
SOPORTE: BASTIDOR METÁLICO ELABORADO EN TALLER FORMADO POR PERFILES
METÁLICOS TUBULARES
FORJADO: PANELES LIGEROS FORMADOS POR BASTIDOR Y CHAPA PLEGADA
EL ALZADO Y LA
DISTRIBUCIÓN INTERIOR SE
VERAN AFECTADOS POR
LA DIMENSION DE LAS
CAJAS DE PASO DE LAS
INSTALACIONES
INSTALACIONES:
OPCIÓN A: RESERVA DE ESPACIO HECHA EN FORJADO Y CERRAMIENTO DEL
CAJÓN CON PLADUR
OPCIÓN B: CAJÓN HECHO EN TALLER A BASE DE MONTANTES Y CHAPA
PLEGADA

38. EST INS CoNS ESP

39. HOUSING TYPES
GRAPH 1B -3 BARS + GALLERY
5 BARS
CONSTRAINTS
DIMENSIONS
BARS
STRIPES
2MT + (5.00 A 7.00)MT + 1.2MT
BATHROOMS LIMITATION TO 1 BATHROOM, 3 BARS
KITCHENS LIMITATION OF 1 KITCHEN, 2 BARS IN ZONE 1, POSSIBLE APPROPRIATION OF ADJACENT
SPACE IN ZONE 1.
GALLERIES LIMITATION OF THE NUMBER OF OCCUPIED BARS. MINIMUM OF TWO VOID SPACES OR
BALCONY AT EACH FACADE.
ROOMS IT IS ONLY POSSIBLE THE DIVISION 2+3 OR 3+3 OR 5 OR 6.
CIRCULATION
GRAPH 1 -3 BARS
* BUILDING CODE CAN BE OPTIONALLY APPLIED
6 BARS

40. -Tabiques móviles
-Paneles correderos
-Mobiliario
-Divisiones interiores
-Módulos baños/cocinas
TRANSFORMACIONES
TEMPORALES PERIODO
CORTO
TRANSFORMACIONES
TEMPORALES PERIODO
LARGO
TRANSFORMACIONES
TEMPORALES PERIODO
MEDIO

41. FLEXIBILIDAD EN GRADOS

42. CONNECTORS

43. CONNECTORS
Validations
• Spatial connectors
[ accesibility] to housing unit
• Structural connectors
[ load capacity of columns and beams]
• Services connectors
[ number of ducts for the available space]

44. HOUSING UNIT
CONFIGURATION
HOUSING UNITS
ASSEMBLY
PRODUCTS’
CATALOGUES
HOUSING UNIT
LAYOUTS

46. HOUSING UNIT GENERATIVE PROCESS
backtracking flooding
best first search

47. More than 10.000 housing units generated…..
HOUSING UNIT GENERATION ENVIRONMENT

48. HOUSING UNIT CONFIGURATION

49. OCCUPANTS AND SPACES

50. VISUAL PERCEPTION OF THE LIVING SPACE

51. ROOM RELATIONSHIPS AND POSITIONING

52. CUSTOMIZATION OF THE LIVING UNIT

55. Housing unit selection
Volumetric envelope
Circulation layout
Attribute rating
GENERATIVE PROCESS OF A HOUSING BLOCK
User input interfaces
1. Initial population
2. Crossover function
x
x
x
x
x
x
3. Mutation function
4. Evaluation & replacement
Generative process: Genetic Algorithm
Architectural system input: Connectors
- Morphology
- Circulation
- Facade levels
- Compactness
- Structure
- Efficiency
- Flexibility
- Density
- Homogeneity
- Tributary areas
- Building services
- Optimization
- Flexibility
- Concentration levels
- Supplies length
Evaluating attributes Individuals
Abstract space
Candidate solutions
Real space
Evaluated solutions
Abstract space

56. BUILDING COMPONENTS CATALOGUE

57. CREATION OF A BULDING COMPONENT

58. BARCODE HOUSING SYSTEM
©2002-2009 ARC Engineering and Architecture La Salle
www.salleurl.edu/arc
If you would like to have more information about the content
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