Symmetry and Variance. Generative Parametric Modelling of Historical Brick Wall Patterns

Abstract

This study integrates artificial intelligence and computational design tools to extract in- formation from architectural heritage. Photogrammetry-based point cloud models of brick walls from the Anatolian Seljuk period are analysed in terms of the interrelated units of construction, simultaneously considering both the inherent symmetries and irregularities. The real-world data is used as input for acquiring the stochastic parameters of spatial relations and a set of parametric shape rules to recreate designs of existing and hypothetical brick walls within the style. The motiva- tion is to be able to generate large data sets for machine learning of the style and to devise proce- dures for robotic production of such designs with repetitive units.