程序建模

你将学到什么

课程概况

The first in our “Spatial Computational Thinking” program, this “Procedural Modelling” course will focus on the fundamentals of procedural programming in 3D. You’ll learn to write computational procedures using data structures and control-flow statements to automate the production of 3D models.

During the course, you will learn a range of computational methods. These include general programming constructs such as using ‘while’ loops, ‘for-each’ loops, ‘if-else’ conditions, as well as writing your own custom functions. In addition, you will also learn to use two key data structures: list and dictionaries. And in the process, you will become familiar with the programming process: writing code, executing code and debugging code.

In this course, you’ll build a strong foundation to prepare you for the more in-depth courses later in the series, where we cover more advanced types of modelling, including semantic modelling, generative modelling and performative modelling.

During this course, you will use Möbius Modeller, the modelling tool that is used throughout this “Spatial Computational Thinking” module. It is free and easy to use browser-based software to write algorithms for automatic generation and visualization of complex models with spatial information.

The programming language uses a visual programming approach combining flowcharts with procedural programming. This makes the process of learning coding much easier, allowing you to quickly acquire the knowledge and skills required for writing complex computational procedures for generating, analysing, and visualizing complex 3D spatial information models. The programming knowledge you gain will be highly transferable if you later choose to use other languages in your future work such as Python or Javascript.

The modelling exercises and assignments during this course will start with a simple procedural approach to 2D and 3D patterns and will progress towards more complex geometries representing entities within the built environment such as building footprints, building facades and staircases.

The demand for skilled spatial computational practitioners is growing rapidly and is not limited to the computer science domain. This series will prepare you to tackle a wide variety of spatial information modelling challenges.

预备知识

Basic math and logical reasoning

常见问题

What software will I need?
The only software you need is a recent version of the Chrome browser. It is free and is available for all major operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. During the course, we will use a free and open-source software app called Möbius Modeller. Even after completing the course, you will be able to continue using this app for free.
What hardware will I need?
You do not need any specialized hardware to complete the exercises in the course. A typical configuration may be a laptop with 4GB RAM and a 2.9GHz CPU processor. Note that also a dedicated graphics card will result in smoother user experience.
Do I need to know any programming languages before I start?
No, this course is designed for beginners and we will step you through all the programming required.
Will I be able to write code after completing this program?
Yes. You will learn procedural programming, using typical imperative programming-language constructs. You will also learn how to create computational procedures that are able to manipulate spatial data in diverse ways.
Will I be able to share the computational models that I create?
Yes. The models that you create (either during the course or after) can be shared either by exporting the models in other formats or by publishing them on the internet as interactive web pages. Publishing a model is straightforward and is one of the techniques that you will learn.
Will I learn how to program in any (Python, Javascript etc.) language?
You will learn the fundamental concepts of programming, such as variables, data types, control flow, data structures and functions. Although we will not specifically teach languages such as Python, Java, and Javascript, the fundamental concepts that you learn will be transferable to all these languages.
What is the passing grade for the course?
An overall average for all assignments of 70% is required to pass the course.
Do I need to achieve 70% on each assignment?
No, you need an average grade for all assignments of 70%. This means you can do poorly or miss an assignment as long as you do well enough on other assignments to achieve 70% overall.
How will my computational modelling assignments be graded?
Your computational modelling assignments will be graded using an automated online grader. For each assignment, you will be given specific instructions on the model that you need to create. You will upload your answer model, and within a few seconds, you will receive the result, with feedback. If the model you uploaded is not correct, you will have multiple chances to try again.