Space - Time Navigator for Architectural Projects

This paper describes a prototype that assists in the reading of various versions of a 3D model within an architectural design context. Our research is based on the problem that in architecture, the final object is represented but the design process remains hidden. 3D software, like other programs, is built according to a model in which each file relates to the saving of a state at a precise time. We propose bypassing this model by using a software tool which follows the various versions of a project, creating a new set of files that are interconnected and producing a 4D interface to navigate through these files. The interface, like chronophotography, juxtaposes and superimposes the various steps of a project in the same space-time. This makes it possible to have an overall picture of the design process or to highlight the modifications between different versions.