Generative Urban Design: A Collaboration Between Autodesk Research and Van Wijnen

Autodesk Research’s in-house architectural studio, The Living, is a pioneer in the application of generative-design technology. They have completed successful projects for Airbus—the famous bionic partition for the A320—and internal to Autodesk, including both the design of the new office in Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District and the exhibit hall layout for last year’s Autodesk University. In late 2016, The Living was approached by Van Wijnen, an innovative Dutch construction company interested in reinventing the way the firm built homes. Van Wijnen wanted to apply generative design at the urban scale, exploring possibilities around the layout of residential areas based on financial, sociological, or environmental metrics. Speakers from Autodesk Research will present the concept behind the project and details of the Dynamo-based tool that Van Wijnen uses for new layouts. Additionally, a speaker from Van Wijnen will talk about how the tool is used and has changed the way the firm approaches urban planning projects.