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Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong, PhD
Assistant Professor of Architecture
Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong, PhDSchool of Architecture and Design
University of Kansas, Lawrence KS
kurt.hong@ku.edu
k9krnd.net
Dr. Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong is the assistant professor of the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Kansas teaching courses in design studios, algorithmic modeling, parametric design, digital fabrication and computer programming in design studies, as well as the founder of K9K Research & Design. His
research focuses on the areas of shape grammars, visual computing, generative modeling,
parametric design, and computer-aided design. From 2016 to 2022, Kurt was a research scientist
at the Shape Computation Lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology working with Dr. Athanassios Economou on the Shape
Machine, a new shape-rewrite computational technology, designing and
implementing its geometry kernel, data representation and system architecture.
Before entering the Shape Computation Lab, Kurt was a research scientist at the
Digital Building Lab working with Dr. Dennis Shelden, and his main contribution
to Digital Building Lab included the implementation of an automatic routing systemin architecture and an interactive web-based data visualization platform, Smart
3D Atlanta. Kurt received his Ph.D. degree in Architecture (Design Computation) from the Georgia Institute of Technology;
a Master of Science degree in Architecture and Design (MS.Arch) from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor); a Master of Architecture (M.Arch); a Master degree in Electronics Engineering (MSEE) and
a Bachelor degree in Electronics Engineering (BSEE)from the National Chiao Tung
University (Taiwan).
Appointments
Assistant Professor (2022-Now)
School of Architecture and Design
University of Kansas
PhD Instructotr (2019-2021)
School of Architecture
Georgia Institute of Technology
Lecturer (2014-2015)
Transdisciplinary Design Innovation Shop (TDIS)
National Chiao Tung University
Digital Circuit Designer (2009-2011), Agilogic Co., Taiwan
Digital Circuit Designer (2008-2009), Synerchip Co., Taiwan
Education
PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
MS-Arch, University of Michigan
MArch, National Chiao Tung University
MSEE, National Chiao Tung University
BSEE, National Chiao Tung University
Selected Publications
Hong TK (forthcoming) Unsharpened Pencils: Fabrication of a NURB Surface with Standard Materials by Re-Allocating Complexity.
Hong TK, Economou A (forthcoming) Revisit Alberti: Geometric Derivation of Transformations in Shape Machine.
Hong TK (forthcoming) DrawScripts: Non-Classical Programming Language.
Hong TK (forthcoming) From Lines to Curves: Implementation of Shape Embedding for Circular Arcs and Circles in 2D CAD Systems. In: Kotsopoulos, S.D. (eds) 50-year Anniversary of Shape Grammars. Springer.
Hong TK, Economou A (forthcoming) Shape Computation with Registration Points. Automation in Construction. (AiC).
Hong TK, Economou A (2023) Implementation of Shape Embedding in CAD Systems. Automation in Construction. (AiC). Vol 146. ISSN 0926-5805
Okhoya V, Bernal M, Economou A, Saha N, Vaivodiss R, Hong TK, Haymaker J (2022) Generative Workplace and Space Planning in Architectural Practice. International Journal of Architectural Computing.
Economou A, Hong TK (2022) Back to the Drawing Board: Shape Calculations in the Shape Machine. Design Computing and Cognition. (DCC) eds: J. S. Gero, Springer.
Hong TK (2022) SHAPE MACHINE: Shape Embedding and Rewriting in Visual Design. PhD Dissertation, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA.
Hong TK, Economou A (2022) What Shape Grammars Do that CAD Should: The 14 Cases of Shape Embedding. Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing.
Hong TK, Economou A (2022). Five Criteria for Shape Grammar Interpreters. In: Gero, J.S. (eds) Design Computing and Cognition’20. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90625-2_11
Yu Y, Hong TK, Economou A, Paulino GH (2021) Rethinking Origami: A Generative Specification of Origami Patterns with Shape Grammars. Computer-Aided Design, Volume 137.
Economou A, Hong TK, Ligler H, and Park J (2020) Shape Machine: A Primer in Visual Composition, J.-H. Lee (ed.), A New Perspective of Cultural DNA, KAIST Research Series, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd, pp. 65-92.
Still Under Cooking
Herds of Architecture: Automation of House Plan in Shape Machine
Revisit Flatwriter: Implemantation of Open System in Shape Machine
Visual Parametricism: Parametric Portico Study in Shape Machine
Seeing is Checking: Implementation of Quality Control in Shape Machine
Drafting Grammars: Axonometric Drawing Without 3D Models in Shape Machine
SmartDraw: Shape Rules without Template
Tracing Paper: Implemention of Layers in Shape Machine
Revisit Ann Tyne: Parametric City Tower
ResearchGate
Intro to Current Research
Dr. Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong’s dissertation, Shape Machine: shape embedding and rewriting in visual design, is a research work on the implementation of a shape grammar interpreter, Shape Machine, which allows designers to visually process shape recognition and shape replacement in computer-aided design system. This dissertation received ARCC (Architectural Research Centers Consotium) Dissertation Award 2022, because of the contributions of shape recognition to CAD systems. In this dissertation, five solutions are proposed respectively to five critical problems that have been identified in this discourse for decades, including: 1) a new framework integrating shape computing system and CAD system to avoid fragmented workflow, 2) a maximal line calibration system to mitigate the precision errors in modeling, 3) a pictorial algorithm to reduce the accumulated errors in transformation derivation, 4) a multi-step procedure to resolve the indeterminate shape embedding, and 5) a new data structure, register point signature, to significantly lower the algorithmic complexity in shape embedding. Shape Machine has been used in three design studios and five elective courses in the School of Architecture and the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology since 2019, furthermore, it is also adopted in two workshops in the School of Architecture at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taiwan.
2023 Spring
ARCH509 Design Build Studio - Part II
ARCH509 Design Build Studio - Part I
ARCH510 Architecture Detailing
2022 Fall
ARCH108 Architecture Foundations I
ARCH600 Parametric Modeling
2022 Spring
CS8803 Shape Machine
2021 Fall
ARCH7030 Media Modeling III
ARCH8833 Design Scripting
ARCH6049 Design + Research Studio
2021 Spring
ARCH8833 Design Scripting
2019 Fall
ARCH7030 Media Modeling III
2019 Spring
ARCH7030 Media Modeling II
ARCH8833 Inquiry in Design Computation
2018 Fall
ARCH6508 Shape Grammars
ARCH6049 Design + Research Studio
Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong, PhD, MSEE
Assistant Professor of Architecture
School of Architecture and Design
University of Kansas
k9krnd.net
Appointments
Assistant Professor (2022-Now)
School of Architecture and Design
University of Kansas
PhD Instructotr (2019-2021)
School of Architecture
Georgia Institute of Technology
Lecturer (2014-2015)
Transdisciplinary Design Innovation Shop (TDIS)
National Chiao Tung University
Digital Circuit Designer (2009-2011), Agilogic Co., Taiwan
Digital Circuit Designer (2008-2009), Synerchip Co., Taiwan
Education
PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
MS-Arch, University of Michigan
MArch, National Chiao Tung University
MSEE, National Chiao Tung University
BSEE, National Chiao Tung University
Selected Publications
Hong TK (forthcoming) Unsharpened Pencils: Fabrication of a NURB Surface with Standard Materials by Re-Allocating Complexity.
Hong TK, Economou A (forthcoming) Revisit Alberti: Geometric Derivation of Transformations in Shape Machine.
Hong TK (forthcoming) DrawScripts: Non-Classical Programming Language.
Hong TK (forthcoming) From Lines to Curves: Implementation of Shape Embedding for Circular Arcs and Circles in 2D CAD Systems. In: Kotsopoulos, S.D. (eds) 50-year Anniversary of Shape Grammars. Springer.
Hong TK, Economou A (forthcoming) Shape Computation with Registration Points. Automation in Construction. (AiC).
Hong TK, Economou A (2023) Implementation of Shape Embedding in CAD Systems. Automation in Construction. (AiC). Vol 146. ISSN 0926-5805
Okhoya V, Bernal M, Economou A, Saha N, Vaivodiss R, Hong TK, Haymaker J (2022) Generative Workplace and Space Planning in Architectural Practice. International Journal of Architectural Computing.
Economou A, Hong TK (2022) Back to the Drawing Board: Shape Calculations in the Shape Machine. Design Computing and Cognition. (DCC) eds: J. S. Gero, Springer.
Hong TK (2022) SHAPE MACHINE: Shape Embedding and Rewriting in Visual Design. PhD Dissertation, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA.
Hong TK, Economou A (2022) What Shape Grammars Do that CAD Should: The 14 Cases of Shape Embedding. Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing.
Hong TK, Economou A (2022). Five Criteria for Shape Grammar Interpreters. In: Gero, J.S. (eds) Design Computing and Cognition’20. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90625-2_11
Yu Y, Hong TK, Economou A, Paulino GH (2021) Rethinking Origami: A Generative Specification of Origami Patterns with Shape Grammars. Computer-Aided Design, Volume 137.
Economou A, Hong TK, Ligler H, and Park J (2020) Shape Machine: A Primer in Visual Composition, J.-H. Lee (ed.), A New Perspective of Cultural DNA, KAIST Research Series, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd, pp. 65-92.
Still Under Cooking
Herds of Architecture: Automation of House Plan in Shape Machine
Revisit Flatwriter: Implemantation of Open System in Shape Machine
Visual Parametricism: Parametric Portico Study in Shape Machine
Seeing is Checking: Implementation of Quality Control in Shape Machine
Drafting Grammars: Axonometric Drawing Without 3D Models in Shape Machine
SmartDraw: Shape Rules without Template
Tracing Paper: Implemention of Layers in Shape Machine
Revisit Ann Tyne: Parametric City Tower
ResearchGate
Intro to Current Research
Dr. Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong’s dissertation, Shape Machine: shape embedding and rewriting in visual design, is a research work on the implementation of a shape grammar interpreter, Shape Machine, which allows designers to visually process shape recognition and shape replacement in computer-aided design system. This dissertation received ARCC (Architectural Research Centers Consotium) Dissertation Award 2022, because of the contributions of shape recognition to CAD systems. In this dissertation, five solutions are proposed respectively to five critical problems that have been identified in this discourse for decades, including: 1) a new framework integrating shape computing system and CAD system to avoid fragmented workflow, 2) a maximal line calibration system to mitigate the precision errors in modeling, 3) a pictorial algorithm to reduce the accumulated errors in transformation derivation, 4) a multi-step procedure to resolve the indeterminate shape embedding, and 5) a new data structure, register point signature, to significantly lower the algorithmic complexity in shape embedding. Shape Machine has been used in three design studios and five elective courses in the School of Architecture and the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology since 2019, furthermore, it is also adopted in two workshops in the School of Architecture at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taiwan.
Teaching
@University of Kansas
2023 Spring
ARCH509 Design Build Studio - Part II
ARCH509 Design Build Studio - Part I
ARCH510 Architecture Detailing
2022 Fall
ARCH108 Architecture Foundations I
ARCH600 Parametric Modeling
@Georgia Institute of Technology
2022 Spring
CS8803 Shape Machine
2021 Fall
ARCH7030 Media Modeling III
ARCH8833 Design Scripting
ARCH6049 Design + Research Studio
2021 Spring
ARCH8833 Design Scripting
2019 Fall
ARCH7030 Media Modeling III
2019 Spring
ARCH7030 Media Modeling II
ARCH8833 Inquiry in Design Computation
2018 Fall
ARCH6508 Shape Grammars
ARCH6049 Design + Research Studio
Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong, PhD, MSEE
Assistant Professor of Architecture
School of Architecture and Design
University of Kansas
k9krnd.net