Design & BIM
What is Computational Design?
Computational design is the broad practice of using programming, algorithms, and data to create and evaluate design options: encompassing parametric modeling, simulation, optimization, and generative methods. It treats design intent as logic that can be executed, tested, and scaled.
In practice
Computational designers automate repetitive modeling, run daylight and energy studies across hundreds of options, and build custom tools for their firms. It is the skill set that increasingly bridges architecture and software.
Tools for Computational Design
Grasshopper
Visual programming for Rhino
Dynamo
Visual programming for Revit
Hypar
Space planning software that turns a client program and a site underlay into room layouts, starting diagrammatically and developing into detailed plans with furniture, equipment, and automatic clearance and clash checking, then exporting to Revit and Rhino. Generative functions written in C# or Python run underneath, and the Elements SDK is open source.
Speckle
Data interoperability platform for AEC
Related terms
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