RoomRubiks: An Application for Floor Layout Generation Using a Nonfragmented Rectangular Approach

RoomRubiks introduces a constraint-based framework for automated floor plan generation within Rhinoceros (version 8)–Grasshopper, transforming connectivity graphs into intuitive spatial layouts through breadth-first search topological ordering, collision-free hierarchical placement with 1 m door overlaps, and grid-coordinated dimensions that eliminate constructability gaps via standard market fenestration and submeter void merging. From 1,000 unique layouts (duplicates removed), k-means clustering on corner count (nC: 10–20) and edge intersections (nIntPnts: 23–29) identifies compact nC=11.75±0.68, energy use intensity (EUI)=358.51±14.71kWh/m2, shape coefficient (SC)=0.67±0.05, moderate, and loose (nC=18.47±1.47,EUI=397±17.43kWh/m2) families, with best performer achieving 310kWh/m2 (SC=0.54) versus 439kWh/m2 in the worst case; weak EUI–window-to-floor ratio (WFR) correlation (R2=0.0122) confirms that spatial configuration dominates thermal performance over glazing ratios, in which WFR reduction from 40% to 20% yields 13% EUI improvement in compact layouts versus 10% in sprawling forms. Graphical user interface–driven similarity retrieval enables user-guided navigation through iterative generations, supporting site reorientation, setback filtering, and cost estimation integration—currently single-story without corridors, evolving toward multistory intelligence through staircase subspaces and circulation algorithms that bridge computational exploration with buildable, performance-aware solutions honoring lived experience and site’s climate imperatives. Practical Applications RoomRubiks equips architects and performance consultants with rapid layout exploration at schematic design stages, generating hundreds of constraint-compliant alternatives respecting column grids, adjacency logic, and market-standard fenestration within Rhinoceros–Grasshopper workflows. Automated evaluation via corner count (nC)/intersection points (nIntPnts) clustering and energy use intensity simulation (310–439kWh/m2 range) reveals spatial configuration’s dominance over window-to-floor ratio (R2=0.0122), enabling practitioners to prioritize circulation-driven thermal efficiency before detailed development. This integrated generation–evaluation–visualization pipeline accelerates informed decisions for residential/institutional projects, in which early topological choices determine comfort, energy thrift, and constructability—eliminating suboptimal layouts that lock in costly redesigns downstream.