ODE &
DR. KATO
The story of ODE is the story of Dr. Kato.
The Office for Design Evolution (ODE) was founded by Dr. Kody Kato in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The company name refers to a design approach called Creative Engineering©, which combines architecture, material science, evolutionary biology, engineering, and the environment to enhance the way we live, work and experience space.
Dr. Kato received a Doctor of Architecture degree in Performance-oriented design with a focus in structural engineering and mathematical biology. He has over 15 years of international experience.
While completing his dissertation, he studied and worked under the direction of Dr. Ken Yeang in Kuala Lumpur and Byoungsoo Cho in Seoul where he applied his integrated research in architecture, engineering and mathematical biology to international projects of various scales. Through these theoretical and practical experiences, he developed his own design approach to create relationships between people, materials (alternative materials), communities, nature and the environment.
His design approach, Creative Engineering©, has led to projects that have been recognised by international design committees.
Recently, ODE’s recycled bamboo omakase was selected as one of the top 20 international Design Awards by ArchDaily. Dr. Kato received a number of other awards and achievements including:
THE IMPACT OF CREATIVE
ENGINEERING©
For the past 15 years, we have been developing a multi-disciplinary design approach for zero-energy buildings and cities. This approach, called Creative Engineering, combines architecture, material science, engineering and evolutionary biology into a holistic design process. Principles from evolutionary biology, engineering, and material science are integrated with architecture in creative ways to inspire new design directions with unexpected solutions. This methodology transforms post-design optimization into a dynamic exploration of multi-objective outcomes. In our approach, we prioritise the use of low to zero-carbon materials and systems, thereby minimizing environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable future.
For example, the Beyond Surface project in London—a collaboration with G. F Smith and Takeo Co. Ltd., Japan—used innovative material analyses combined with structural and environmental data to create a gravity-defying structure that changes shape over time.
ODE’s implementation of Creative Engineering© also comes with
a number of advantages, which includes:
- Low to zero energy solutions
- Optimised design
- Automated design workflow (Architectural, Structural, mechanical, design occurs at the same time) during the concept design stage. Less meetings amongst the team; less confusion about architectural design.
- Designs result in lower carbon emissions
- Recycled, natural and alternative materials
- Design solutions that respond to nature in a unique way
Evolutionary Optimization
DR. KATO QUOTES
ACHIEVEMENTS
& RECOGNITION
2010