Staff Profiles

Sambit Datta is Professor of Architecture, School of Built Environment, Curtin University. An expert in the application of computing and digital technologies in architecture, his work centred at the intersection of architecture, urbanism, engineering and construction for improving and enhancing the design quality of the built environment. At Curtin, he directs  teaching and research  in advanced computational technologies in the Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture.

Sambit Datta studied architecture at the School of Architecture, Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) in Ahmedabad, India. He completed his post graduate studies at the National University of Singapore and his doctoral studies at the University of Adelaide.

His current research interests are in

·       Architectural Geometry and Generative Design  of buildings

·       Digital acquisition and documentation of built environments

·       Visualization, analysis and reconstruction methods

·       Spatial, environmental and material efficient design

·       Digital Prototyping and Fabrication of building components

Datta’s research contributions are in the areas of design theory, spatial representation, cultural informatics and architectural making. His research focus is on investigating the role of geometry in design and spatial representations, particularly computational representations, and their consequent impact on innovative processes of architectural making. Dr Datta’s research is developing new knowledge, processes and tools for turning spatial concepts and ideas into material and physical prototypes to address the challenges faced in creating buildings that are reactive intelligent and adaptive filters (bio-climatic skins) for regulating light, ventilation and thermal comfort with utmost efficiency.

Focussing on the development of novel computational techniques to architecture and urbanism, his research is contributing to our understanding of design thinking, building geometry and performance form. Dr Datta has been a Chief investigator in several funded ARC Discovery (DP0665047), SPIRT/Linkage (C00107322, LP0667653, LP0990261) and LIEF (LE0775518) projects and has published over 50 refereed articles in the field of computational design.

Member, Computer-Aided Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA)

Registered Architect, Council of Architecture, India, (CA/93/15973).

Member (Academic Affiliate), Australian Institute of Architects, (AIA 29006).

Book Chapters (Authored, Research Quality)

• Datta, S, and Rolfe, B. 2011. Computational Exploration of Design Spaces: Non-deterministic choice and stochastic generation. In Research into Design: Supporting Sustainable Product Development, eds Amaresh Chakrabarti, 607-614. Singapore: Research Publishing.
• Pitts, G, and Datta, S. 2009. Surface geometries: experiments with constrained tessellation. In Computing, cognition and education: recent research in the architectural sciences, eds Gu, Ning; Ostwald, Michael J and Williams, Anthony (eds), 33-46. Newcastle, N.S.W: Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association.

Refereed Articles (Scholarly Journals)

• Datta, S, and Hobbs, M. 2011. A Formal Model of Mixed-Initiative Interaction in Design Exploration. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6761: 185-193.
• Datta, S. 2010. Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures. Nexus Network Journal: Architecture and Mathematics 12(3): 471-483.
• Pitts, G, Hanafin, S, and Datta, S. 2009. Experiments with stochastic processes: facade subdivision based on wind motion. International journal of architectural computing 7(3): 389-402.
• Datta, S, Hanafin, S, and Pitts, G. 2009. Non-Deterministic Exploration through Parametric Design. International journal of architectural computing 7(4): 605-622.
• Pitts, G, and Datta, S. 2009. Geometric and material constraints in parametric modelling : the design to fabrication process. International journal of digital media design 1: 3-14.
• Datta, S. 2006. Modeling dialogue with mixed initiative in design space exploration. AI EDAM: artificial intelligence for engineering design, analysis, and manufactoring 20(2): 129-142.
• Datta, S, and Beynon, D. 2005. A Computational Approach to the Reconstruction of Surface Geometry from Early Temple Superstructures. International journal of architectural computing 3(4): 471-486.

Fully written papers (Refereed Conference proceedings)

• Hanafin, S, Sharman, M, Chang, T, and Datta, S. 2011. Computing and Construction of Vault Geometry Prototypes. International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction, 29/06/2011. Imperial Palace Hotel, Seoul, South Korea: IAARC: International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction.
• Beynon, D, and Datta, S. 2011. Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples. East Asian Architectural Culture International Conference, 12/05/2011. Singapore: National University of Singapore.
• Sharman, M, and Datta, S. 2011. Gaussian Vault Geometry: Integrated approach in deisgn and fabrication of physical prototypes. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping, 28/09/2011. Leiria, Portugal: Taylor and Francis.
• Hanafin, S, de Souza, T, Datta, S, and Rolfe, B. 2011. Model T2 - Development of a low-cost sustainable vehicle: Collaboration models in concept car design. Curtin University Science and Engineering Conference, 08/11/2011. Miri Sarawak Malaysia: Curtin Sarawak.
• Hanafin, S, D'Souza, T, Datta, S, and Rolfe, B. 2011. Physical Prototypes in cross functional team collaboration: A study of the Model-T2 concept car project. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping, 28/09/2011. Leiria, Portugal: Taylor and Francis.
• Hobbs, M, Datta, S, and Hanafin, S. 2011. Responsive Building Envelopes: Parametic Control of Moveable Facade components. Curtin University Science and Engineering Conference, 08/11/2011. Miri Sarawak Malaysia: Curtin Sarawak.
• Rolfe, B, Hanafin, S, and Datta, S. 2011. Tree Facades: Generative Modelling with an Axial Branch Rewritting System. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, 27/04/2011. Newcastle, Australia: Association for the Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA), Hong Kong.
• Ghani, M, Beynon, D, and Datta, S. 2011. Virtual Werribee: A planning support tool. MODSIM 2011: 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, 12/12/2011. Perth Australia: Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand.
• Datta, S, and Sharman an, M. 2009. Gaussian vault geometry: digital design and fabrication of scaled prototypes. CAADRIA 2009: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, 22/04/2009. Taiwan: National Yunlin University of Science and Technology.
• Datta, S, and Ghani, M. 2009. Virtual Ampang Jaya. ASCAAD09: Proceeding of the Fourth International Conference of The Arab Society for Computer Aided Architectural Design, 11/05/2009. Manama, Bahrain: University of Bahrain.
• Pitts, G, and Datta, S. 2008. Parametric modelling and the tessellation of architectural surfaces. ANZAScA '08 Innovation, Inspiration and Instruction: New Knowledge in the Architectural Sciences, 26/11/2008. Newcastle, NSW: ANZAScA.
• Pitts, G, Datta, S, and Kao, K. 2007. Rapid Manufacturing: Torus geometry and surface tessellation. Taiwan Association of Digital Media Design, 06/12/2007. Yunlin, Taiwan: Taiwan Association of Digital Media Design.
• Beynon, D, and Datta, S. 2007. Travelling Cultures in the First Millennium: Variations in Pre-Angkorean temples. Proceedings of the XXIVth Annual Conference of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand, 21/09/2007. Adelaide, South Australia: Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand.