Title : Early Building Design using Computers

Author(s): Kene Meniru, Claude Bédard and Hugues Rivard Institution(s): Center for Building Studies, Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Canada H3G 1M8 E-mail(s): KeMen@illom.net, cbedard@vax2.concordia.ca and rivard@concordia.ca Abstract: Computers and software can be fashioned into multipurpose tools with interactive and efficient storage and retrieval processes that are useful to the early building designer. We seek to provide a tool for the early stages of building design, specifically architectural design. Earlier research and protocol analysis have shown the actions that occur on the design workspace concerning how the architect creates and manages early design data. Drawing specifications from this work, this paper presents functions and implementations that can support the early design process using computers.