New Computational Design Tools Move Design Towards Outcomes-oriented Process

    Last week, I heard an intriguing webinar on Computational Design "In Search of Design Excellence". It was put on by the AIA's TAP committee (Technology in Architectural Practice), sponsored by Autodesk. The presenters included Nathan Miller of CASE, Sean Burke of NBBJ, and Robert Cervelllione of CERVER Design Studios. The session focused on answering the top of mind questions that designers have about computational design, namely - “What is it?”,  “How can I get a computational design initiative started in my company?”, “What applications are out there to support an initiative?”, and "What benefits or uses have leading firms found for computational design on projects?"

    The presenters discussed the fact that Computational Design enables designers to adopt a process based on new tools - testing out a series of skin systems for a design that may already be modeled in another tool. This new process requires a new kind of forethought – taking questions and abstracting them down to systems which can react to changes. The advantage of working this way is that the designer ends up with several different design variations instead of the single result of the traditional design process.

    During the webinar, presenters showed the value of starting with an outcome-oriented goal, such as reducing glare while incorporating daylight illumination in a space. After using a computational design tool to inspect a large number of alternatives which result from different combinations of parameters, the designer can select the best option to achieve the desired result.

    Case studies presented in the webinar showed computational design applied to a wide range of design issues – including optimizing for structural efficiency, daylighting, creation of adaptive and varied ceiling systems.

    I'd encourage you to take a look at the slides on the website above and to review the recording once it is posted for some inspirational projects and new ways to think about design.

                                                               - Erin Rae Hoffer