Crowd Simulations in Architectural Research: How the Latest Data Collection Tools are Making Architecture Smarter
RSP’s Derek McCallum and University of Minnesota master’s student Mariangel Meza are unlocking the potential of crowd simulations, paving the way for a more data-driven, user-focused approach to architecture.
Architects have long relied on experience, intuition, and user feedback to shape the built environment. But what if high-tech design tools could add a new dimension to architectural decision-making? By projecting how people move and interact within buildings and public spaces, some of the latest crowd simulation tools offer insights that challenge traditional design assumptions, leading to more efficient, user-friendly buildings and a new way of tackling age-old challenges.
As one of the sponsors of the Research Consortium at the University of Minnesota’s Design School, RSP works with research students each year to uncover new ways to design and understand the built environment. This year, we worked with researcher and master’s student Mariangel Meza, exploring how crowd behavior simulations can inform architectural design. Together with the help of RSP colleagues, we recreated the model for the University of Minnesota’s Campbell Hall, the Institute of Child Development (designed by RSP), uncovering surprising patterns of movement, circulation and space utilization. The study challenges the traditional assumptions used in designing the building and, perhaps more importantly, reveals how we can enhance architectural research, pushing the field toward a more data-driven, responsive approach.
Crowd Simulations Are Reshaping Architectural Research and Design
Crowd behavior simulations provide architects with predictive insights into how people will navigate and interact within a space. By using agent-based modeling software like Oasys MassMotion, researchers create digital avatars that simulate real-world users—including those with accessibility needs, families with children, or individuals carrying or pushing bulky equipment. While heat maps and observational studies have long been used in architectural design, these simulations take analysis to a new level by providing quantitative data on how people actually move through a space.
In the case of Campbell Hall, Mariangel conducted interviews with both the original architects at RSP and a current building user to inform the process of configuring the software and collecting data. This is typically done for new designs but, in this case, it was a retrospective analysis, allowing the team to understand how these simulations could inform decisions on future projects. This approach ensured that the simulation data reflected the building’s actual functions rather than just theoretical movement patterns. The study uncovered surprising insights that would have been difficult to predict through conventional design methods.
Expanding the Scope of Research
This research aims to answer three fundamental questions:
- How can architects leverage insights obtained through crowd simulation software to inform their design decisions?
- What commonly unexplored insights in conventional design processes can simulation data reveal?
- How can we approach this entire process in a way that prioritizes the architect’s perspective and targets them as the primary audience?
By framing the study through these lenses, the research moves beyond assessing the software’s feasibility or accuracy in replicating real-world scenarios. Instead, the focus is on how architects can integrate these tools into their workflow to uncover patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed, improving spatial efficiency, circulation, and user experience. The final project, titled Revealing Unexplored Data: Architectural Design Decision Insights through Pedestrian and Crowd Simulation—A Case Study from Professionals’ Perspectives, is intentionally centered on the architectural design process, reinforcing the role of simulation as a design tool rather than just an analytical method. The preliminary findings were presented at the EDRA 55 Conference in Portland in the summer of 2024.
Surprising Findings: The Impact of Wayfinding and Underutilized Spaces
One of the most unexpected takeaways from the research was the significant impact of wayfinding on building functionality. While architects anticipate that signage and spatial layout will guide users intuitively, the simulation revealed that certain areas were far more confusing to navigate than expected. This misalignment between design intent and user experience highlights the need for better tools to test wayfinding strategies before construction even begins.
This is an especially acute issue in “high-stress” environments, like hospitals and healthcare facilities, or places users are likely visiting for the first time. Many visitors to Campbell Hall are there with children or family members, which adds to the complexity of their experience in the built environment. The simulations reinforced the need for clear, logical wayfinding as much as unobstructed sight lines and orientational cues that aid in navigation and circulation.
Additionally, the study found that certain spaces within Campbell Hall were underutilized not because they were unnecessary, but because users weren’t naturally drawn to them. Whether due to unclear pathways, perceived barriers, or a lack of visibility, these areas didn’t function as efficiently as planned. If such insights had been available during the design phase, minor adjustments could have optimized space usage, ultimately improving the building’s effectiveness. In one case, the architecture team originally designed the atrium width 6-8 feet wider but ended up narrowing it down at the request of other members of the team. The simulation confirmed the bottleneck in this area, validating the architects’ intuition and showing that having access to this software in the beginning of the design process would have changed the architecture of the finished building.
The Future of Architectural Research
As architects continue to integrate crowd simulations and AI-driven tools into their workflows, research like this opens doors to new design methodologies. Crowd behavior simulations are particularly powerful during the schematic design phase when architects are working with digital architectural models. By testing different layouts, circulation patterns, and accessibility features before construction, designers can make more informed choices earlier in the process, reducing costly changes later.
Future research could expand in several directions:
- Integration with Virtual Reality (VR): Combining crowd simulations with VR would allow architects and clients to experience spaces firsthand before they are built, making it easier to visualize and refine user interactions. Think of the value in testing out a residential unit plan or a hospital patient room long before construction.
- Multiple Case Studies: While Campbell Hall provided valuable insights, applying these tools to a broader range of building types—including hospitals, transit hubs, and retail spaces—could reveal even more common design challenges and opportunities. Can we test for extreme conditions, for example, or changing scenarios?
- Embedding AI into Architectural Workflows: Rather than using simulations as a retrospective analysis tool, integrating them into active projects from the start could revolutionize decision-making. This would require developing streamlined processes for incorporating AI into Revit models and other industry-standard design tools. And for architects, it would add scientific weight to their decisions.
Research-Driven Design: The Role of Architectural Firms
For firms like RSP, investing in applied research is more than just an academic exercise; it’s a strategic commitment to advancing architectural practice and tapping into the open-source intelligence of the academy. Sponsoring students in the Research Consortium not only contributes to the profession’s collective knowledge but also fosters a culture of curiosity and innovation, something that is essential to all of us here at RSP. The collaboration between Mariangel, RSP, and the University of Minnesota highlights how research can bridge the gap between theoretical exploration and real-world application.
It also makes us better architects.
Embracing data-driven design tools doesn’t mean abandoning creativity; rather, it enhances our ability to create spaces that truly serve their users. This research proves that AI-powered simulations offer valuable insights that go beyond intuition, or even confirm an architect’s intuition, ultimately leading to smarter, more user-centered architecture. The next challenge? Finding the right project to apply these tools from the very beginning, turning research into practice and redefining how we design for the future.
About the Authors:
Mariangel Meza is a Fulbright scholar and a licensed architect from Paraguay. She holds a specialization in Sustainable Construction, Inclusive Design-Accessibility, and University Teaching. She is currently working toward her Master of Science in Architecture and Applied Research and Practice (MSARP).
Derek McCallum AIA, CID, NCARB is a lifelong student of the design process. As Design Principal, his appreciation for the arts extends beyond architecture to the role of research and creative problem solving across multiple studios with a passion for clients with mission-driven design solutions. This translates into a diverse range of architecture and multi-media solutions that impart an appreciation of beauty to everyone who experiences his work. He continues to drive innovation, embracing future technologies and believing firmly in the collaborative process in pursuit of unique solutions.
Featured Image: University of Minnesota Carmen D. and James R. Campbell Hall, Home of the Institute of Child Development | Photographer: Corey Gaffer
