Web - based Collaborative Design Environment

This thesis explores the collaborative design process facing the challenge of the new era of information technology. Architecture design is often a tremendous collaboration process participated by multi-professions. Successful communication of requirement and intent are critical factors that could determine the overall success of the project both in concept and detailed design. In the information technology revolution, communication becomes the center of this new movement. We now possess much more powerful communication tools and methods than ever before. Computer is not just about computation anymore. It is about communication and interaction. Many CAD software packages have appeared to be very helpful in architecture drafting, documentation and even representation. However, we demand more in design thinking, in idea sharing, and in collaboration. Thus, it is natural to bring up the issue of effective communication within the context of architecture design process. This thesis anticipates the emergence of virtual reality modeling language (VRML) as an economical alternative not just to architectural presentation as many have already demonstrated, but also as an effective tool in architectural design process to help designers express their own idea, and understand other's as well. As a major practice of this thesis project, I will describe a prototype system VirtualBlock that I have built to illustrate the possibility to allow designers interact with each other mediated by computer network easily and efficiently. Thesis Advisor: William J. Mitchell Title: Dean, School of Architecture and Planning, Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Science