James Park, BS Arch, M.Arch

Doctorate Research Assistant
PhD Architecture Program
School of Architecture
College of Design
Georgia Institute of Technology

2017–2022

James Park joined SCL initially as a MArch student and later as a doctorate student in the School of Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research investigated courthouse design as a building type and focuses on the design and implementation a generative description of the MOMA archives of Mies’ Dirksen Courthouse. During his tenure in the lab, James’ work included the administration of the funded research project, Courtsweb: A visual database of contemporary US courthouses, in collaboration with GSA and US Courts; generative and parametric modeling for courthouse studies; and design and implementation of various databases and web applications. At Georgia Tech he as an instructor for the series of courses on computational media and modeling at the School of Architecture and a teaching assistant for the Georgia Tech Architectonics in Greece and Italy Study Abroad Program. James holds a BSArch, a MArch, and a PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Tzu-Chieh (Kurt) Hong, BE, ME, MArch, MSArch

Doctorate Research Assistant
PhD Architecture Program
School of Architecture
College of Design
Georgia Institute of Technology

2017 - 2021

Tzu-Chieh (Kurt) Hong joined SCL as a doctorate student in the School of Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His doctorate work focused on the implementation of shape computation system, including the development of geometry/graph kernel, novel data representations and shape recognition algorithms. Before joining Shape Computation Lab, Kurt was a research assistant at the Digital Building Lab working with Dr. Dennis Shelden on an implementation of Automatic Routing System in architecture and an interactive web-based data visualization platform, Smart 3D Atlanta as well as an implementation of a generative modeling system of US Courthouse design and a generative modeling system of Froebel blocks. Kurt holds a BSEE, MSEE, MArch from the National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan), an MSArch from the University of Michigan, and a PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Heather Ligler, AIA, B.Arch, MSArch

Doctorate Research Assistant
PhD Architecture Program
School of Architecture
College of Design
Georgia Institute of Technology

2016 - 2020

Heather Ligler joined SCL as a doctorate student in the Design Computation concentration in the School of Architecture, College of Design at Georgia Institute of Technology. Within the School, she was also a lecturer for the Architectonics in Greece + Italy Program. Her doctorate research investigated the evolution of John Portman’s architectural language from his 1964 Atlanta residence, Entelechy I, to his emblematic mega-projects for atrium hotels and mixed-use urban developments all over the world. Her larger research interests focused on how shape computation provides another lens to explore the logic of spatial systems in architectural design. Heather is a registered architect in the State of Georgia and a member of the American Institute of Architects. Her background includes professional experience with John Portman & Associates (2007–2013), Gensler (2007), and Cooper Carry (2005–2006). Heather holds a PhD and an MSArch from Georgia Tech and dual Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Interior Architecture degrees from Auburn University.