Reinhard Koenig

Bauhaus-University-Weimar, Architecture and Urban Planning, Jun.-Prof.

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Smart and Resilient Cities, Faculty Member

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Future Cities Laboratory, Co-PI

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Reinhard König studied architecture and urban planning. He completed his PhD thesis in 2009 at the University of Karlsruhe. From 2007 - 2012 Dr. König has worked as a research assistant and ap-pointed Interim Professor of the Chair for Computer Science in Architecture at Bauhaus-University Weimar. He heads research projects on the complexity of urban systems and societies, the under-standing of cities by means of urban simulation and analysis techniques as well as the development of evolutionary design methods. From 2013 - 2016 Reinhard König worked at the Chair of Infor-mation Architecture, ETH Zurich. In 2014 Dr. König was guest professor at the Technical University Munich. From 2015 he is Junior-Professor for Computational Architecture at Bauhaus-University Weimar and from 2016 he is Senior Researcher at the Center for Energy at the Sustainable Build-ings and Cities unit at the Austrian Institute of Technology in Vienna. In addition, he acts as Co-PI in the Big Data Informed Urban Design group at the Future Cities Lab at the Singapore ETH Centre. His current research interests are applicability of multi-criteria optimisation techniques for planning synthesis, cognitive design computing and correlations of computed measures of spatial configura-tions with human cognition and usage of space.
Address: Principal Scientist
Sustainable Buildings and Cities
Center for Energy
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Giefinggasse 6 | 1210 Vienna | Austria
T +43 50550-6316 | M +43 664 2105897
reinhard.koenig@ait.ac.at | http://www.ait.ac.at/city
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Junior-Professor for Computational Architecture
Bauhaus-University Weimar
www.uni-weimar.de/computational-architecture
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Co-PI at the Future Cities Lab | Singapore ETH Centre
http://www.fcl.ethz.ch/people/CoreTeam/ReinhardKoenig.html
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Papers by Reinhard Koenig

Analysing the relations between spatial structures and action patterns

The thematic framework of this contribution is the general assumption that where we can find stab... more The thematic framework of this contribution is the general assumption that where we can find stable spatial structures, the related action-patterns are also stable and vice versa . Cities are permanent as spatial structures because they contain action-patterns with extraordinary stable rhythms. The classification of processes according to the degree of the stability of their rhythms is suitable as a new and promising attempt to characterize the effects of changing structures. This paper proposes a research method to examine this complex interplay of spatial structures and actionpatterns. We introduce cellular automata and agent-based models to simulate abstract mechanisms as simply as possible. These basic simulation models can be used as a kind of building blocks to find answers for more complex questions. Our intention is to propose a virtual laboratory to investigate spatial processes and analyse the results visually with the help of graphic output from simulation programs. 'What constitutes an explanation of an observed social phenomenon? Perhaps one day people will interpret the question, "Can you explain it?" as asking "Can you grow it?"'

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Wege, Graphen und Verkehr

Simulation und Visualisierung der Dynamik räumlicher Prozesse, 2010

In Abbildung 10 sind die Wirkungszusammenhange der in diesem Kapitel zu behandelnden Modelle darg... more In Abbildung 10 sind die Wirkungszusammenhange der in diesem Kapitel zu behandelnden Modelle dargestellt. In der linken Spalte sind mit dem Gravitations- (3.1) und Verkehrsmodell (3.4) Uni-direktionale Modelle abgebildet, bei denen es keine Ruckkoppelung von den erzeugten Strukturen und Phanomenen zu den auslosenden Prozessen gibt. Das Verhalten der Akteure orientiert sich ausschlieslich an den auseren (Kontroll-) Parametern (Massen und Distanzen beim Gravitationsmodell und Abfahrtszeiten beim Verkehrsmodell). Bei dem Gravitationsmodell handelt es sich um ein klassisches Top-Down-Modell, da die Austauschraten von den Strukturen auf der Makroebene abhangen. Das Verkehrsmodell stellt dagegen ein Bottom-Up-Modell dar, bei dem das Verkehrsaufkommen auf der Makroebene durch die individuellen Abfahrtszeiten auf der Mikroebene erklart werden.

Wachstumsmodell urbaner Strukturen

Simulation und Visualisierung der Dynamik räumlicher Prozesse, 2010

Fur die Beschreibung der Entwicklung von Siedlungsflachen existieren bereits gut ausgearbeitete M... more Fur die Beschreibung der Entwicklung von Siedlungsflachen existieren bereits gut ausgearbeitete Modelle (vgl. 6.1). Allerdings wurde den Wechselwirkungen zwischen Siedlungsausbreitung und Erschliesungssystem sowie der Integration feingliedriger innerstadtischer Strukturen bisher wenig Aufmerksamkeit gewidmet. Im Folgenden stellen wir eine Methode vor, die auf einem Dielectric Breakdown Modell in Verbindung mit einem Zellularen Automaten beruht und zur Generierung detaillierter stadtischer Strukturen herangezogen werden kann. Durch die Verwendung eines Potentialfelds (2.7.1), welches die Besiedlungsdichte in der Nachbarschaft angibt, kann die Standortwahl unter Berucksichtigung individueller Zentralitatspraferenzen simuliert werden (Abbildung 84). Nach der Darstellung des Stands der Forschung (6.1) und der Stadtentwicklungstheorie (6.2) steht eine Auseinandersetzung mit der wechselseitigen Abhangigkeit vom Wegesystem und Flachenentwicklung (6.4). Die Verwendung des Modells zur Generierung eines Erschliesungsgraphen (3.4.1) erlaubt die prazise Steuerung der Vernetzung des Erschliesungssystems, dessen Erweiterung von der Siedlungsstruktur abhangt

Mapping Design Process into Process Design: Implementing Collaborative Design from Social Psychological Approaches

Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe)

In this paper we view the process of collaboration as a social setting, rather than a problem of ... more In this paper we view the process of collaboration as a social setting, rather than a problem of communication. It involves and is impacted by social, nontechnical aspects, such as lack of shared understanding, conflict, availability and motivation of the participants, and other factors that can facilitate or impede the goals of the collaborative enterprise. We propose to use a social and psychological approach. The ideal model should be a collaborative design system that can facilitate the socially constructed interactions among participants, as well as the communication of information. The proposed system should enable participants to assess the typical problems of collaboration. We build up our effort towards this goal by developing a representation system of collaborative design process. In this research we attempt to map collaborative design process into process design by using our proposed representation system. Our intention is to enable the existing system visually representing the integration of design stage to the whole construction process: since project planning until building operation.

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New Methods for Urban Analysis and Simulation with Grasshopper - Using DeCodingSpaces-Toolbox

This workshop presents a collection of methods that supports the creation of urban masterplans. T... more This workshop presents a collection of methods that supports the creation of urban masterplans. These methods are also used for evaluating the performance of the generated plans using advanced performance analysis tools as well as design exploration tools. During a one-day-workshop, the participants will practice using these tools in three parts; Street Network Generation, Synthesis of urban morphology, and Design-Space-Exploration. All the tools are integrated in one library called DeCodingSpaces-Toolbox for the parametric modelling environment Grasshopper.

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Integrated Data Analysis for Parametric Design Environment - mineR: a Grasshopper plugin based on R

eCAADe proceedings, 2018

In this paper we introduce mineR-a tool that integrates statistical data analysis inside the para... more In this paper we introduce mineR-a tool that integrates statistical data analysis inside the parametric design environment Grasshopper. We first discuss how the integration of statistical data analysis would improve the parametric modelling workflow. Then we present the statistical programming language R. Thereafter, we show how mineR is built to facilitate the use of R in the context of parametric modelling. Using two example cases, we demonstrate the potential of implementing mineR in the context of urban design and analysis. Finally, we discuss the results and possible further developments.

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Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Urban Assemblages

Technische Einführung in FREAC: A Framework for Enhancing Research in Architectural Design and Communication

Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Framework für ein verteiltes dynamisches Produktmodell (FREAC) v... more Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Framework für ein verteiltes dynamisches Produktmodell (FREAC) vorgestellt, welches der experimentellen Softwareentwicklung dient. Bei der Entwicklung von FREAC wurde versucht, folgende Eigenschaften umzusetzen, die bei herkömmlichen Systemen weitgehend fehlen: Erstens eine hohe Flexibilität, also eine möglichst hohe Anpassbarkeit für unterschiedliche Fachdisziplinen; Zweitens die Möglichkeit, verschiedene Tools nahtlos miteinander zu verknüpfen; Drittens die verteilte Modellbearbeitung in Echtzeit; Viertens das Abspeichern des gesamten Modell-Bearbeitungsprozesses; Fünftens eine dynamische Erweiterbarkeit sowohl für Softwareentwickler, als auch für die Nutzer der Tools. Die Bezeichnung FREAC umfasst sowohl das Framework zur Entwicklung und Pflege eines Produktmodells (FREAC-Development) als auch die entwickelten Tools selbst (FREAC-Tools).

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Urban Elements: Advanced Studies in Urban Design

What is the role of architects in the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)? With their architectur... more What is the role of architects in the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)? With their architectural training, they are in a good stead to carry out Urban Design work in the URA. We place a lot of emphasis on urban design to shape our city into a distinctive, dynamic and delightful place that is people-centric. In 2014, URA put in place a Competency Framework that sets out a 3-year training roadmap for our planners and architects to ensure that our professional staff have good theoretical foundation in urban planning and urban design and are competent in carrying out planning and urban design work. All young planners and architects would have attained foundational urban design skills and appreciation by the end of the 3-year programme which also includes on-the-job training. The training roadmap also covers our more experienced professionals who have worked in URA for more than 3 years. Given the huge advancement in digital technology, it is also timely to develop a programme in urban design that would also build up the competency in developing appropriate digital tools and work processes using parametric Building Competencies Siew Leng Fun

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New Methods in Urban Analysis and Simulation: Documentation of the Teaching Results, Spring Semester 2015: documentation of the teaching results, spring semester 2015

A web-based prototype survey method exemplarily applied on activity allocations in apartment floor plans and their spatial properties

Floor plan retrieval for supporting design by suppliance of reference objects requires comparable... more Floor plan retrieval for supporting design by suppliance of reference objects requires comparable information in understandable categories. Spatial properties of floor plans are objectively comparable, but hard to relate to subjectively perceived verbal demands toward a searched-for spatial configuration in a digital reference repository. In this paper, we will sketch a comprehensive methodological approach on filling this gap by presenting a prototype framework, which combines databases, responsive web interfaces, analysis measures and aggregation methods of all kinds, in order to conduct online surveys about icon allocations in floor plans. Participants allocate these icons, which are adjustable to any examined verbally stated meaning in floor plans. We aim at supporting previous studies like, e.g., Güney (2007), Hanson (1999), Seo (2004) and Monteiro (1997), by using a floor plan database that contains information about multiple local (e.g. ‘daylight factor’, ‘isovist properties’, ‘visibility graph’, ‘exterior view’) and relational (‘euclidian distance’, ‘walking distance’, ‘visual step depth’) spatial properties grid cell-wise for the usable interior area of floor plans. We developed this prototype framework in order to gain knowledge about (1) the behaviour, while participants operate on allocating icons in floor plans using the framework, (2) approaches towards the exploration of relationships between the assumed allocations and their spatial properties and (3) the method itself regarding its applicability and enhancements for future studies. As a use case, we exemplarily study how people allocate activities (‘Cooking’, ‘Eating’, ‘Hygiene’, ‘Leisure’, ‘Sleeping’, ‘Working’) in single-floored apartment units and whether certain patterns can be Proceedings of the 11th Space Syntax Symposium A WEB-BASED PROTOTYPE SURVEY METHOD EXEMPLARILY APPLIED ON ACTIVITY ALLOCATIONS IN APARTMENT FLOOR PLANS AND THEIR SPATIAL PROPERTIES 29.2 detected, in order to show potential for the database application framework that we seek to develop. We asked 154 participants online to allocate expected user activities (represented by icons) in floor plan drawings of apartments (without furniture) via drag and drop, in order to determine afterwards, by which degree which kinds of spatial configurations meet the participants’ expectations towards the cultural code transported by the icon. Participants were advised to mark exactly the location where in their opinion the user would be situated ‘best’ while acting on an activity. Each participant saw three floor plans that were a priori categorized as (1) closed structured, (2) open structured, and (3) not supplying a separated space for each activity. In addition to the final allocations of the activity placements, the drag events done on the icons were stored and analysed. We concluded that the framework meets the expectations well, yet enhancements can be identified. The gathered data reflects on the expectations towards its characteristics well; and thus there is strong potential in implementing ‘fuzzy’ matching algorithms based on comparable studies in anticipation of the future environment of a casebased reasoning approach. Our long term objective is to fill a floor plan database containing geometries and analysis measures of floor plans, in order to supply a reference repository with ‘fuzzy’ retrieval approaches based on participants’ input data regarding allocations. Additional use cases can be found for design automatisation, support and decision making.

Digital Urban Simulation: Documentation of the teaching results from the fall semester 2015

The main topic for this semester is ATMOSPHERE. Although generally in any project factors as tran... more The main topic for this semester is ATMOSPHERE. Although generally in any project factors as transit and sun light are basic, in the attempt to convey a particular feeling to a user, these become crucial. Furthermore, the program to develop is a MUSEUM, making the search for a correct atmosphere even tougher. There are 4 different sites and 5 different collections; each team is assigned a single combination that won't be repeated. The ultimate goal is to generate the most adequate solution for each team's specific site and collection. The following analysis tries to prove the level of understanding of the project and its surrounding area achieved throughout the semester. Just as the semester, the analysis develops from a very wide perspective into the way of moving through the building, and lastly, the influence of the openings in the rooms. Motivation The generation of a good architectural solution in regards with a particular topic is already a difficult accomplishment; when combined with very particular needs to be fulfilled, it is always helpful to complement the ideas with other tools. Right now, the project is already set into an architectural floor plan that will not be modified anymore. In regards with this, the attempt is to check if the changes that the floor plan underwent were an improvement according to the concept being developed. During the resting weeks of the semester the goal is to reach the closest state to an optimal atmosphere in each room according to what is required by the project itself and the concept being developed by each team. Currently, the windows are the main and most difficult part of the spaces to be correctly placed; with this analysis, it is expected to get have a better understanding of what the best place to locate the windows could be.

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Lightweight urban computation interchange (LUCI) system

Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) Conference Proceedings, 2015

In this paper we introduce LUCI, a Lightweight Urban Calculation Interchange system, designed to ... more In this paper we introduce LUCI, a Lightweight Urban Calculation Interchange system, designed to bring the advantages of a calculation and content coordination system to small planning and design groups by the means of an open source middle-ware. The middle-ware focuses on problems typical to urban planning and therefore features a geo-data repository as well as a job runtime administration, to coordinate simulation models and its multiple views. The described system architecture is accompanied by two exemplary use cases that have been used to test and further develop our concepts and implementations.

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Open Architectural Design

ESUM - Examining trade-offs between Social, Psychological and Ecological potential of urban form

This data set contains complementary materials to the ESUM study on examining trade-offs between ... more This data set contains complementary materials to the ESUM study on examining trade-offs between Social, Psychological and Ecological potential of urban form. This research was conducted on two case studies in Weimar, Germany and Zurich Switzerland. The social Social potential section contains the 3d models used for the social accessibility calculation as well as the results The ecological potential section contains the complete analysis workflow with 3d models and analysis settings The psychological potential section contains the 360 degree videos as well as the study log capturing the environmental variables as well as the physiological response of participants

Big Data-Informed Urban Design

Graphical Smalltalk with My Optimization System for Urban Planning Tasks

eCAADe proceedings, 2013

Based on the description of a conceptual framework for the representation of planning problems on... more Based on the description of a conceptual framework for the representation of planning problems on various scales, we introduce an evolutionary design optimization system. This system is exemplified by means of the generation of street networks with locally defined properties for centrality. We show three different scenarios for planning requirements and evaluate the resulting structures with respect to the requirements of our framework. Finally the potentials and challenges of the presented approach are discussed in detail.

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Computer-aided approach to public buildings floor plan generation. Magnetizing Floor Plan Generator

Procedia Manufacturing, 2020

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Exploring the Generative Potential of Isovist Fields: The Evolutionary Generation of Urban Layouts based on Isovist Field Properties

Isovists and isovist fields can be used to numerically capture the visual properties of spatial c... more Isovists and isovist fields can be used to numerically capture the visual properties of spatial configurations (e.g. floor plans or urban layouts). To a certain degree these properties allow one to make statements about how spaces affect people. The question that serves as the starting point of this study is to examine whether spatial configurations ca n generated on the basis of these properties. This question is explored using an experimental approach for the computer-based generation of two-dimensional urban layouts. The spatial arrangements of two-dimensional elements (building-footprints) within a given boundary is optimised in terms of the desired isovist field properties by means of an evolutionary strategy. The paper presents the results of this optimisation and discusses the advantages of this method compared with pattern books as commonly used in architecture.

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A complexity perspective on collaborative decision making in organizations: The ecology of group-performance

Information & Management, May 1, 2011

''What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence... more ''What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.'' Herbert Simon (Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics)

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Reinhard Koenig

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