computer science

GenerativeComponents

GenerativeComponents is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand GenerativeComponents rather than just read about it. In short: GenerativeComponents is parametric CAD software developed by Bentley Systems, was first introduced in 2003, became increasingly used in practice (especially by the London architectural community) by early 2005, and was commercially released in November 2007. GenerativeComponents has a strong traditional base of users in academia and at technologically advanced design firms.

Key takeaways

GenerativeComponents belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect GenerativeComponents to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of GenerativeComponents from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

GenerativeComponents is parametric CAD software developed by Bentley Systems, was first introduced in 2003, became increasingly used in practice (especially by the London architectural community) by early 2005, and was commercially released in November 2007. GenerativeComponents has a strong traditional base of users in academia and at technologically advanced design firms. GenerativeComponents is often referred to by the nickname of 'GC'. GC epitomizes the quest to bring parametric modeling capabilities of 3D solid modeling into architectural design, seeking to provide greater fluidity and fluency than mechanical 3D solid modeling. Users can interact with the software by either dynamically modeling and directly manipulating geometry, or by applying rules and capturing relationships among model elements, or by defining complex forms and systems through concisely expressed algorithms. The software supports many industry standard file input and outputs including DGN by Bentley Systems, DWG by Autodesk, STL (Stereo Lithography), Rhino, and others. The software can also integrate with Building Information Modeling systems, specifically and an installed extension/Companion Feature to Bentley's AECOsim Building Designer. The software has a published API and uses a simple scripting language, both allowing the integration with many different software tools, and the creation of custom programs by users. This software is primarily used by architects and engineers in the design of buildings, but has also been used to model natural and biological structures and mathematical systems. Generative Components currently runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows operating systems, and in English. Bentley Systems Incorporated offers GC as a free download. This version of GC does not time-out and is not feature limited. It requires registration with an email address. This is a standalone version of GC that includes the underlying Bentley MicroStation software that is required for it to run.

SmartGeometry Group The SmartGeometry Group has been instrumental in the formation of GenerativeComponents. GenerativeComponents was brought to the market after utilizing a multi-year testing cycle with a dedicated user community in the SmartGeometry group. This community was responsible for shaping the product very early in its life and continues to play an important role in defining it. The SmartGeometry Group is an independent non-profit organization; it is not a Bentley user group. The SmartGeometry Group organizes an annual multi-day workshop and accompanying conference highlighting advanced design practices and technology. Recent workshop and conferences have been in:

Munich (2008); San Francisco (2009); IAAC - Barcelona, Spain (2010); CITA - Copenhagen, Denmark (2011); RPI - Troy, New York (2012); UCL - London, UK (2013); Hong Kong (2014); Gothenburg (2016); Toronto (2018).

See also Architecture Architectural engineering Design computing Comparison of CAD Software

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with GenerativeComponents

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what GenerativeComponents claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to GenerativeComponents before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about GenerativeComponents ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of GenerativeComponents

In research: GenerativeComponents appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses GenerativeComponents in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: GenerativeComponents is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Building engineering software, Computer-aided design, Computer-aided design software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for GenerativeComponents outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study GenerativeComponents in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what GenerativeComponents means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain GenerativeComponents out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is GenerativeComponents in simple terms?

Why does GenerativeComponents matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study GenerativeComponents?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on GenerativeComponents.