TAD: The Architects Desktop
- Premise
- Why is it Important?
- What needs to be represented?
- How can it be represented?
- Why would it actually work?
- Who is behind this project?
- Where has this project reached?
- More questions?
The premise of the project
“Problems are solved twice. Once in the mind and once out there in the world”1.
More the minds that work on a problem, better would be its solution… provided there was a clear exchange of what is going on in the minds of the interested parties.
The open source movement of the software industry brings this clarity by opening out the source code2 for scrutiny and co-operative development. This is explained more in detail on another page.
The premise of this project is as follows:
- Architecture possibly also has a source code which is closely aligned to how it is represented in the architect’s mind.
- This source code can be objectively exchanged and discussed with interested parties and so an open-source movement can be started.
- An open-source movement in architecture should also bring in seminal improvements to our world and safeguard all our concerns3.
Objectives of the project
- The highest objective of this project is to develop a system of practising architecture so that it is more accurate, socially responsible and the intention is clear to everyone — even after the decision makers are long gone.
To reach that objective the following milestones are identified:
- Identify a suitable representation system that can act as the source-code for the architectural problem as represented in the mind. The representation should cover not just architecture but also people and resource issues.
- Set up a framework for such an open source movement using the representation system.
- Get all stakeholders and decision makers to use the framework.
Background
In 1989, Mr. Sabu Francis; a practising architect in India, discovered a fractal mathematical system that topologically represents architectural elements. He was awarded the JIIA (Journal of Indian Institute of Architects) special award for research in 1991 for this work. That award did not carry any prize money but provided sufficient impetus to start this project. His representation system and software was used in practically all of his work from 1989 onwards — approximately three million squarefoot. Here is a presentation of a project* done using his system; a row-house for a doctor in Navi Mumbai, India.
It is now possible that a big part of the source code with which architecture can be discussed among interested parties can be using the system discovered by Mr. Sabu Francis. The system is called TAD; an acronym for The Architect’s Desktop. A framework using this system has been started at the website called TeamTAD. However, that website is open to other architectural representation systems also. For further details on this project, do take a look at the wiki at TeamTAD.
Important Downloads
- A presentation of a project done using TAD*
- Details of the taxonomy discovered by Sabu Francis (Zip File format)
- The main design tool which allows architects to expose the source code of their projects. (Windows Installer. For Windows XP or better.) This program contains many models of actual projects done using this system A free registration at http://www.teamtad.com is required. The registration is only to track serious users
- The documentation as a Windows .CHM help file is modified every night, so please download this and overwrite the one in your computer.
References
- Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
- The Open Source Initiative defines all the various interpretations of the term “Open source”
- Richard Stallman explains the four freedoms that we need. The Wiki at TeamTAD explains how in architecture also we need the four freedoms.
- Presentation is in Macromedia Flash Format. If it is not visible here, please download it to your disk, download the Flash player for your system and view the presentation offline
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