Geometry and Computational Design

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KAUST

An important stream of research in computational design aims at digital tools which support users in realizing their design intent in a simple and intuitive way, while simultaneously taking care of key aspects of function and fabrication. Such tools are expected to shorten the product development cycle through a reduction of costly feedback loops between design, engineering and fabrication. The strong coupling between shape generation, function and fabrication is a rich source for the development of new geometric concepts, with an impact to the original applications as well as to geometric theory. This will be illustrated at hand of applications in architecture and fabrication with a mathematical focus on discrete differential geometry and geometric optimization problems.

Abstract

An important stream of research in computational design aims at digital tools which support users in realizing their design intent in a simple and intuitive way, while simultaneously taking care of key aspects of function and fabrication. Such tools are expected to shorten the product development cycle through a reduction of costly feedback loops between design, engineering and fabrication. The strong coupling between shape generation, function and fabrication is a rich source for the development of new geometric concepts, with an impact to the original applications as well as to geometric theory. This will be illustrated at hand of applications in architecture and fabrication with a mathematical focus on discrete differential geometry and geometric optimization problems.

Brief Biography

Helmut Pottmann is a professor of AMCS and CS at KAUST and founding director of the Visual Computing Center (formerly Geometric Modeling and Scientific Visualization Center). He has had faculty positions in the US and in Germany and has been a Professor of Applied geometry at TU Vienna since 1992. His research interests are in Applied Geometry, Visual Computing and most recently in Geometric Computing for Architecture and Manufacturing. He is a Fellow of SIAM and received a number of awards including the Eurographics Outstanding Technical Contributions Award, the Bezier Award of the Solid Modeling Association and the John Gregory Award for fundamental contributions to geometric modeling.
 

Presenters