Patent ID: 8482558

Claim:
A computer-assisted method of automatically generating a design for a self-supporting building that comprises structurally supportive building panels of sheet material, at least some of said building panels including curved sections, and for generating a three-dimensional image of said design, said method comprising: receiving first building information via a first graphical user interface of a computer, said first building information comprising a length of a building to be designed, a width of said building, a total height of said building and a wall height of said building; determining with said computer whether said length, said width, said total height, said wall height, and a selectable building shape comprising at least one curved portion yield a valid set of building parameters, said selectable building shape being either computer-specified or user-specified; if the set of building parameters is valid, generating with said computer a design of said building including self-supporting wall portions and a self-supporting roof portion that do not require structural support posts or beams, using minimum structural information consisting of said length, said width, said total height, said wall height, and said selectable building shape; generating a first image of said design; performing a structural analysis of said design; determining whether said structural analysis satisfies one or more requirements; generating with said computer a second image of said building, the second image being a three-dimensional image and being different from the first image; and displaying said second image at a second graphical user interface at said computer, said second user interface configured to permit a user to modify said second image to include one or more predefined building elements.