Dwellings on hillsides require complex design and construction techniques, resulting in low productivity and high cost. Urban hillsides often feature low-density individual houses with private gardens or high-density informal settlement with lack of green spaces and compromised liveability. By contrast, densely built historic hill-towns are admired in the context of tourism for their setting and spatial coherence. This article proposes a design process, which combines design knowledge and parametric design. The research employs a mixed methodology, combining design research, computer simulation, and case study. Based on dwelling design and aspects of fabrication/installation, a shape grammar of dwelling modules is developed, which are set-out and combined with a rule-based, generative design algorithm. The process allows for the design of high-density settlements, comprising low-rise dwellings, with topography and principles of serial construction as design generators. The resulting two-stage parametric design tool is tested and refined on a case-study site in Wellington (NZ).

山坡上的住宅需要复杂的设计和施工技术，导致生产率低，成本高。城市山坡上通常具有带私人花园的低密度独立住宅或缺乏绿地且宜居性受损的高密度非正规住区。相比之下，在旅游背景下，密集建造的历史悠久的山城因其环境和空间连贯性而备受推崇。本文提出了一个设计过程，它结合了设计知识和参数化设计。该研究采用混合方法，结合了设计研究、计算机模拟和案例研究。基于住宅设计和制造/安装方面，开发了住宅模块的形状语法，将其与基于规则的生成式设计算法相结合。该过程允许设计高密度定居点，包括低层住宅，以地形和串行建设原则作为设计生成器。由此产生的两阶段参数化设计工具在惠灵顿（新西兰）的一个案例研究站点上进行了测试和改进。