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dt_faul_2018_garcia

A computational study on form

A grammar-based tool for multipurpose chair design

Name: Sara Garcia
Year: 2018
Institution: Lisbon School of Architecture Universidade de Lisboa
Supervisors: Luis Romão
Discipline: Product Design
Scope: Computational design
Taxonomy: Praxiology
Type: Theoretical
Language: English
Wordcount / Pagecount: 93,800 / 268
Joint supervision: No

Computational design in the context of multipurpose chair design

Research Process (14 methods)

1. Literature review N = x

Exploratory Qualitative

2. Artefact analysis N = 46

Exploratory/Generative Both

Modern multipurpose chairs

3. Database development N = 46

Generative Quantitative

Modern multipurpose chairs

4. Tool development N = 1

Generative Qualitative

Multipurpose chair grammar tool

5. Tool testing N = 1

Evaluative Qualitative

Analytical, descriptive and synthetic dimensions

6. Tool development N = 1

Generative Qualitative

Multipurpose chair grammar tool - ChairDNA Design Tool

7. Tool testing N = 1

Evaluative Qualitative

Analytical, descriptive and synthetic dimensions

8. Usability test N = 19

Evaluative Qualitative Participatory

Undergraduate design students using the tool

9. Interview N = 19

Evaluative Qualitative

Undergraduate design students

10. Questionnaire N = 19

Evaluative Qualitative

Undergraduate design students

11. Interview N = 10

Evaluative Qualitative

Group of professional designers

12. Usability test N = 10

Evaluative Qualitative Participatory

Professional designers using the tool

13. Think-aloud protocols N = 10

Evaluative Qualitative Participatory

Group of professional designers

14. Questionnaire N = 10

Evaluative Qualitative

Group of professional designers

#	Name of Method	Research Phase	Research Approach	Researcher Role	Object of Study / Participants	N
1	Literature review	Exploratory	Qualitative	x	x	x
2	Artefact analysis	Exploratory/Generative	Both	x	Modern multipurpose chairs	46
3	Database development	Generative	Quantitative	x	Modern multipurpose chairs	46
4	Tool development	Generative	Qualitative	x	Multipurpose chair grammar tool	1
5	Tool testing	Evaluative	Qualitative	x	Analytical, descriptive and synthetic dimensions	1
6	Tool development	Generative	Qualitative	x	Multipurpose chair grammar tool - ChairDNA Design Tool	1
7	Tool testing	Evaluative	Qualitative	x	Analytical, descriptive and synthetic dimensions	1
8	Usability test	Evaluative	Qualitative	Participatory	Undergraduate design students using the tool	19
9	Interview	Evaluative	Qualitative	x	Undergraduate design students	19
10	Questionnaire	Evaluative	Qualitative	x	Undergraduate design students	19
11	Interview	Evaluative	Qualitative	x	Group of professional designers	10
12	Usability test	Evaluative	Qualitative	Participatory	Professional designers using the tool	10
13	Think-aloud protocols	Evaluative	Qualitative	Participatory	Group of professional designers	10
14	Questionnaire	Evaluative	Qualitative	x	Group of professional designers	10

Knowledge Transfer & Exchange

Knowledge Exchange (PhD Process): Produced with input

IK&T	Academia	Design Practice	Society
Context	No	No	No
Vision	No	No	No
Means	No	Yes	No

Recommendations (6)

R469 Methodological Evaluation, Monitoring & Impact Priority: Medium-High

Extend the multipurpose-chair sample into an accessible, editable database that incorporates new chair classes and additional chairs, so the descriptive base evolves together with the ontology and supports broader retrieval and comparison.

Scope:: Meso
Time Horizon:: Medium
Evidence Strength:: Indicative
Feasibility:: High

R470 Methodological Theoretical & Conceptual Priority: High

Formalize, extend, and implement the ontology so that functions, materials, part connections, higher shape detail, and additional generation processes are systematically represented and shareable.

Scope:: Meso
Time Horizon:: Medium → Long
Evidence Strength:: Indicative
Feasibility:: Medium-High

R471 Artifact, System & Service Design Methodological Priority: High

Extend the Multipurpose Chair Grammar with rules and parameters for greater shape detail, explicit part connections, solid-part positioning, material descriptions, and languages that go beyond multipurpose chairs.

Scope:: Meso
Time Horizon:: Medium → Long
Evidence Strength:: Indicative
Feasibility:: Medium

R472 Evaluation, Monitoring & Impact Methodological Priority: Medium-High

Undertake broader analytic and synthetic tests on the MCG and Meta-Grammar by incorporating other existing specific grammars, generating new specific grammars, and applying the meta-grammar to other product classes.

Scope:: Meso → Macro
Time Horizon:: Medium
Evidence Strength:: Indicative
Feasibility:: Medium

R473 Artifact, System & Service Design Methodological Priority: High

Expand ChairDNA so it can generate additional multipurpose-chair variants (such as asymmetric chairs), other chair and seat types (such as longue chairs and benches), other furniture types (such as dining tables), and reusable templates for materials and design types.

Scope:: Meso
Time Horizon:: Short → Medium
Evidence Strength:: Indicative
Feasibility:: Medium-High

R474 Artifact, System & Service Design Evaluation, Monitoring & Impact Priority: High

Refine ChairDNA with higher shape detail and automatic modes: constrain random generation, automate collections/styles/hybrid generation, and add optimization routines that select solutions against goals such as lower material use, higher resistance, or lower cost.

Scope:: Meso
Time Horizon:: Medium → Long
Evidence Strength:: Indicative
Feasibility:: Medium