Automated design and modeling for mass-customized housing. A web-based design space catalog for timber structures

The research proposes a model for mass-customized housing in the emerging context of Industry 4.0 promoted by the European Union as a mean for technological and industrial innovation. With the aim to develop a cross-laminated timber (CLT) model for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, the study deepens the possibility of using generative models and evolutionary principles to inform the customization process in the early stage of design. By trying to bring the latest innovation in the field of computer science and information technology to customers who typically are not proficient with algorithmic design and computation, the research builds up an intuitive interface that allows customers to explore different design solutions. Related to the scale of a single-family house, this model is intended to be used as a decision support system for the design of residential and emergency homes in central Italy.