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The paper presents a methodology for describing in generative terms the structure of urban fabrics: the objective is to transfer conceptually the knowledge about the domain of urban space into a hierarchical and interrelated semantic structure with relevant concepts, elements and their mutual relationships, providing explicit and unambiguous definitions. The conceptual and operational instrument adopted for this purpose is the ontology, a method of knowledge representation and management coming from the Artificial Intelligence. This approach aims to create a customisable digital design tool, to support the designer in the early stages of urban design process, such as street pattern and massing definition, by generating in real time a number of design scenarios, starting from a large number of constraints and requests. This paper focuses on the knowledge formalisation aspects of the research that is the basis for the generative modelling of urban space.

The paper presents the ongoing experimentation of a Computer Supported Design Studio (CSDS). CSDS is part of our continuing effort to integrate computers and networks in the design studio. We recognise three corner stones to CSDS: memory, process and collaboration. They offer a framework for the interpretation of the pedagogical aspects of the teaching of architectural design in relation to the innovations produced by information and communication technologies. The theme of the 1998 CSDS is a railway station in Turin, Italy, to be incorporated in a reorganised rail transport system. The choice of this theme emphasises the realistic simulation aspects of the studio, where technical problems need to be interpreted from an architectural point of view.

This chapter begins with the recent history of mass production, looking for a parallel with the contemporary development of prefabrication in construction and comparing developments in the United States with those in Germany. The United States pursued interchangeability of parts and standardisation in manufacturing from the time of its foundation onwards. This promoted and supported the initial stages of development and industrialisation, ultimately including mass production. Consideration is given to the driving role played by automotive manufacturing in developing the methodologies and the technologies of mass production and their role in the construction industry; and to the impetus given by the Second World War, which brought to fruition the process innovations developed by each country in response to the demands of the war and which played an important part in the outcomes of the conflict. While mass production tremendously increases the quantity of products and decreases their cost, the market was not particularly inclined to allow the mass production of housing. In the 1920s, when customers began to value other aspects apart from price, industries began to consider new manufacturing strategies—Ford himself for instance introduced the concept of flexible mass production. The construction industry stressed flexibility in design and manufacturing systems.

Computer-Integrated Construction (CIC) is the capability of a computer system to create models of certain aspects of the design and construction processes and consequently to direct them into reality. The premise of CIC is that the clear-cut separation between the competencies, know-how and responsibilities has now been turned upside down by the introduction of information technology in the design and construction processes. The designers can now model the physical, technological, and organisational aspects of a building or infrastructure in a seamless way. And they can do so rather creatively. The model of the physical system provides the designer an intuitive understanding and appreciation of static and dynamic interaction between the building and its environment early during design. The model of the technological system opens the capability to precisely model the building parts "as-constructed" by means of quantitative and qualitative-visual evaluation before any manufacturing process really takes place. The paper briefly introduces CIC in four construction technologies, respectively concrete, stone, wood and steel. The model of the construction organization is the process of configuring an organisational structure to accomplish a given high-level task while attempting to satisfy stated performance objectives. An organization model represents people supported by information-processing and communication tools. The CIC implementation and on-field experimentation is considered in a case project.

Incubators of Public Spaces is a funded JPI Urban Europe project aiming to support the self-organization of places by enhancing the factors that motivate, encourage, and enable the urban actors to reach common understandings in order to coordinate their actions by reasoned argument, consensus, and cooperation rather than strategic thinking only. By catalyzing citizens’ willingness to ‘do their bit’ for improving spaces, it provides the means to grow and care for places. The paper is organized into three main sections. The first section offers a theoretical underpinning on the roots of self-organization and co-creation in urban interventions. After a brief introduction about the project’s aims, the second section deals with incubators’ co-creative process and system. It describes the running of the scenario workshops and provides an overview of the web platform and its inherent features. The third section presents the results of the application of the incubators method in the regeneration of an Italian neighborhood. It provides some general information about the area, and foresees a set of interventions for both built and open spaces. Conclusions offer early remarks concerning the ongoing experimentation in Incubators.