About the Symposium
The symposium Spatial Cognition for Architectural Design addresses the theoretical and methodological achievements of the cognitive and computational disciplines in the domain of architectural design. A dialogue between scientists from design research and educational disciplines as well as professional architectural design practitioners is sought with the aim to identify how such interdisciplinary application of knowledge may provide real benefit for the theory and professional practice of architecture design. Principal issues to be highlighted for this workshop include:
  • cognitive systems. current topics in spatial cognition, e.g., guided by cognitively-driven approaches to user-centered building design
  • artificial intelligence. state-of-the-art in spatial computing for design, e.g., emphasizing the role of specialised spatial representation and reasoning in design in particular, and knowledge representation and reasoning and artificial intelligence artificial intelligence in general
  • intelligence-based design. architecture design education and professional practice focussing on paradigm shifts such as intelligence based design
  • assistive technologies. fundamental questions concerning next-generation design assistance systems, e.g., focussing on multi-modal design analysis, and behavioural & functional simulation, and interaction design issues
The symposium emphasizes interdisciplinary exchange and aims to address questions concerning the translation of cognitive and computational research and theories into professional architecture design practice and education.
Symposium dates: November 16 - 19, 2011 (attn: change of date)
Venue: DFG New York Office
Objectives
The symposium strives to:
  • Initiate communication between cognitive scientists, computer scientists, and designers & architects
  • Identify which scientific results / knowledge from disciplines such as spatial cognition and computation might have an impact or relevance for designers
  • Serve as a platform for cognitive and computer scientists to:
    • present / translate basic discourse to an applied field
    • perform a reality check, as this interaction with designers and architects may challenge cognitive science assumptions about the usefulness of tools, and analytical theories
  • Provide an opportunity to professional architects / designers to:
    • present contemporary design challenges, paradigms, and case-studies
    • learn about state-of-the-art research on space in computer and cognitive science, psychology etc.
    • opportunity to shape research questions and influence development of assistive technologies for design analytics
    • get involved with opportunities for research at the intersection of social science and technology
Symposium Organisation
The symposium is an initiative of the Spatial Cognition Research Center (SFB/TR 8; Universities of Bremen and Freiburg, Germany), and the Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center (SILC, USA). The symposium is organized under the auspices of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The main symposium will be held as a 2.5 day event in New York, USA.

The symposium features tutorials, invited presentations, and will seek and enable a balanced participation of researchers and practitioners across disciplines, and at diverse stages in their respective professions.

Contributions and participation in the workshop are primarily by invitation. Limited places are also available for participation by explicit expression of interest. In both cases, participants are requested to follow the attendance and dissemination guidelines.
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SFB/TR 8 Spatial Cognition
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University of Bremen
University of Bremen
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