Algorithm-Aided BIM Harri Humppi 1 , Toni Österlund 2 1 Tampere University of Technology 2 University of Oulu 1 harri.humppi@gmail.com 2 toni.osterlund@oulu.fi This paper investigates the relationship of Building Information Modeling (BIM), Algorithm-Aided Design (AAD) and general Computer-Aided Design (CAD). As a result of the developments in CAD, new tools have recently emerged that enable designers to utilize some of the main aspects of BIM and AAD. With this new modeling approach, called Algorithm-Aided Building Information Modeling (AAB), designers can use algorithms to generate parametric object models. The geometric objects contain embedded metadata that can be further utilized in the design and construction processes. This paper investigates how the new approach to modeling positions itself in the field CAD. The main result of the investigation is that the new modeling approach can be seen as a part of larger assembly that connects two design approaches of Object-Oriented Design and Algorithm-Aided Design. Keywords: Algorithm-Aided Design, Building Information Modeling, Digital Design methodologies INTRODUCTION New design methods have emerged through the transition from analog to digital design. This tran- sition has started only some decades ago and un- doubtedly there are still many significant reforms to come. At the moment, Building Information Model- ing (BIM) is one of the most used digital design ap- proaches within the building industry. In BIM ap- proach, design commences by modeling geomet- ric building components with their embedded meta- data. The data contained in the objects can be used during the design process but also through the whole life cycle of a building. On the other hand, the use of Algorithm-Aided Design (AAD) methods are also becoming more common and integrated into the workflows of design studios. In algorithmic processes the form generation is controlled by user- defined scripts composed in either textual or graph- ical syntax. Scripts allow designers to generate and control outcomes that would otherwise be too com- plex to handle by manual modeling. These two design approaches have been devel- oping rather separately until recent years. Currently, new tools have been developed that combine as- pects of them both. They enable designers to gener- ate and control object models through scripting and exchange them with BIM tools (e.g. Mirtschin 2011). These new tools affirm that advantages of BIM and AAD can be used in the same design and modeling processes. At the moment, there are only few investigations in to the integration of BIM and AAD on the theo- retical level. Most of the research done in this area focuses only on a certain narrow field related to the BIM | Concepts - Volume 2 - eCAADe 34 | 601