PUBLICATIONS

Research Publications

Johnson, Scott, Peter von Buelow, and Patrick Tripeny. 2004.

Linking structural analyses and architectural data: Why it’s harder than we thought. In Fabrication: Examining the digital practice of architecture [ACADIA 2004 conference proceedings], eds. Phillip Beesley, Nancy Yen-Wen Cheng, and R. Shane Williamson, 230-243. Waterloo, Canada: University of Waterloo Press.

• A rigorously reviewed proceedings paper and conference presentation describing the difficulties of performing a structural analysis based on information in a Building Information Model. The paper described why structural elements can not be analyzed in series, detailing flaws in numerous element ordering schemes. The paper then explained difficulties in mapping BIM elements to structural Finite Elements, and how some of these difficulties can be algorithmically overcome.

Johnson, Scott. 2004.

An exploration of protean elements as representations in a computer aid for design. Ph.D. diss., Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan.

• Ph.D. dissertation proposing a representation for use in architectural CAD systems and examining the proposed representation based on its performance in a test implmentation. Issues examined include the handling of joints between elements, the handling of idiosyncratic elements, de-emphasis of model correctness, and the ability to include both conceptual level (e.g., "wall") and product-level (e.g., "stud") elements.

Johnson, Scott. 1998(a).

Making models architectural: Protean representations to fit architects' minds. In Digital design studios: Do computers make a difference? [ACADIA 1998 conference proceedings], eds. Thomas Seebohm, and Skip Van Wyk, 354-365. Quebec City, Canada: Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture.

• October 24, 1998 conference presentation and paper detailing preliminary implementation of a system based on architectural elements.

Johnson, Scott. 1998(b).

Toward making the language of CAAD match the language of architecture: A protean elements approach . In Computerised craftsmanship [eCAADe 1998 conference proceedings], 93-100. Paris, France: Education in Computer-Aided Architectural Design in Europe.

• September 22, 1998 conference presentation and paper describing, in both psychological and practical terms, how architectural elements function like terms in a language, and how this is influencing research I am undertaking at the U of M.

Johnson, Scott. 1998(c).

What's in a representation, why do we care, and what does it mean? Examining evidence from psychology. Automation in construction, 8, no. 1: 15-24.

• A reprint of my 1997 ACADIA paper (see below), selected by the AiC editors (Yehuda Kalay, Anton Harfmann, and J. Peter Jordan) for inclusion in the "ACADIA '97" special issue of Automation in Construction.

Johnson, Scott. 1997.

What's in a representation, why do we care, and what does it mean? Examining evidence from psychology. In Representation and Design[ACADIA 1997 conference proceedings], eds. J. Peter Jordan, Bettina Mehnert, and Anton Harfmann, 5-15. Cincinnati, Ohio: Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture.

• October 4, 1997 conference presentation and paper reviewing cognitive psychology findings, and examining their implications for CAD systems and the representations used therein.

Jones, James, Kurt Brandle, Scott Johnson, and Craig Zehnder. 1993.

A hypermedia based energy management tool. In Conference proceedings for the international solar energy society annual meeting. Washington, D.C.

• Description of a software tool developed for a building manager to help track equipment, lighting, utility consumption, and room scheduling and provide predictions for boiler and chiller demand based on date, weather information, and other factors. More information about the tool is available, though to the best of my knowledge, neither the abstract nor the full paper can be found on the Web.

Johnson, Scott. 1990.

Demonstration of an abstract data type for gradual definition, refinement, and computer-graphic representation of architectural elements. M.Arch. thesis, Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University.

• Master's thesis documenting a test implementation I developed in AutoLisp. The program implemented a method of representing high-level architectural elements. Elements consisted of bookkeeping information, plus lists of components and other dependent AutoCAD entities.

Columns and Other Publications

[Johnson, Scott]. 2006(a).

A tip for 3d novices: Producing birdseye views with the ORBIT command in AutoCAD. AEC CADCON Newsletter, May 2006: Tips and Tricks Section. Available on the World-Wide Web at .

• This "Tips and Tricks" article described how to set up a bird's-eye view in AutoCAD 2006 and before by specifying a Z-rotation followed by an X-rotation. The article then described how the same task could be accomplished more easily using AutoCAD 2007 tools.

[Johnson, Scott]. 2006(b).

Tabulating area data in AutoCAD. AEC CADCON Newsletter article, formerly available from the AEC CADCON website, now available from the author.

• This "Tips and Tricks" article described how to link the areas of polygons or hatches in a drawing to fields in tables, and use this data in automated computations for numbers of bricks, cost of sod, amount of paint required, etc.

[Johnson, Scott]. 2006(c).

Using DVIEW to get interior perspectives. AEC CADCON Newsletter article, formerly available from the AEC CADCON website, now available from the author.

• This "Tips and Tricks" article, written before AutoCAD 2007 was released, described how to use the DVIEW command to specify a look-from (camera) point, a look-at (target) point, and a cone of vision for an interior perspective.

[Johnson, Scott]. 2005.

The importance of building information. White paper, formerly available from the AEC CADCON website, now available from the author.

• This white paper described what Building Information Models are, and the cognitive and collaborative benefits of using them.

Johnson, Scott. 2002.

The slow and incremental 'revolution.' Journal of architectural education, 56, no. 2: 49-54.

• An article, geared toward those unfamiliar with CAAD research, briefly describing and commenting on various research trends (rule-based systems, genetic algorithms, various analyses, etc.). In the article, I explain why I feel that technical hurdles and fundamental characteristics of cognition and design mean that many lines of research are, at best, still years or decades from fruition, and why many changes to the architecture profession that others predict will happen slowly and incrementally.

Johnson, Scott, and Glenn Goldman. 2001.

Binary oppositions: Should an introduction to computing in architecture be taught as a separate course? ACADIA Quarterly, 20, no. 1: 3-5.

• Fifth in a series of debate articles I organized for a recurring column in the ACADIA Quarterly. In this article, I debated with Glenn Goldman about whether CAD topics deserved separate courses in the curriculum, or thether they should be integrated fully into design studio classes with no separate CAD courses. I argued for distinct CAD courses.

Johnson, Scott, and Brian Johnson. 2000.

Binary oppositions: Should designers learn to think differently in order to better utilize digital design tools? ACADIA Quarterly, 19, no. 4: 2-4.

• Fourth in a series of debate articles I organized for a recurring column in the ACADIA Quarterly. In this article, I debated with Brian Johnson about whether architects should change their thinking and methods in order to better utilize computers. I argued that architects generally should not; instead, software should adapt to how architects think.

Johnson, Scott, and Volker Mueller. 2000.

Binary oppositions: Are computers yet aids for design? ACADIA Quarterly, 19, no. 3: 4-6.

• Third in a series of debate articles I organized for a recurring column in the ACADIA Quarterly. In this article, I debated with Volker Mueller about whether computers were yet aids for design. I argued that they still fall short of what we want.

Johnson, Scott, and Ganapathy Mahalingam. 2000.

Binary oppositions: Will computers be able to design as well as human designers in the foreseeable future? ACADIA Quarterly, 19, no. 2: 21-23.

• Second in a series of debate articles I organized for a recurring column in the ACADIA Quarterly. In this article, I debated with Ganapathy Mahalingam about whether computers can create architectural designs as well as humans, or will in the foreseeable future. I argued that what computers are capable of still falls short of what we mean by "designing," and that this will not soon change.

Johnson, Scott, and Mark Clayton. 2000.

Binary oppositions: Should buildings designed with a computer "look like" they were designed with a computer? ACADIA Quarterly, 19, no. 1: 19-21.

• First in a series of debate articles I organized for a recurring column in the ACADIA Quarterly. In this article, I debated with Mark Clayton about whether architectural form should reflect the tools used in architectural design. I argued that design should be based on aesthetic principles, user needs, and other more sources, rather than the architect's tools.

Johnson, Scott. 1999.

The argument against mandatory computer ownership. In Education column, ed. Murali Paranandi. ACADIA Quarterly 18, no. 1: 20.

• This essay, together with an essay by Lamar Henderson arguing in favor of mandatory computer ownership for architecture students, appeared in Murali Paranandi's "Education column," in the March 1999 ACADIA Quarterly. The printed essay was actually an abridged version of a longer essay originally intended for the debate article.