Computational Design Thinking and Thinking Design Computing

Abstract

In alignment with the rapid advancement of cyber-physical technologies in an information age, we are faced with complex problems that go beyond the kinds of challenges that designers had to deal with in the past. For many of these challenges we do not have established theories, methods, or tools to solve the problems. Therefore, it is critical for architects to not only have expertise in established design methods, but also to be able to rapidly and creatively develop new theories, skills, and technologies. This paper seeks to contribute to the core curriculum of architecture programs by exploring opportunities that benefit from advancements in computation as an innovative approach to teaching digital tools. The paper explores how computational thinking can be used in design as a new way of thinking, making, solving problems, and developing techniques and technologies to nurture creative processes, practices, and design outcomes. The paper presents how advancements in technology and computation may change the process of design. Intelligent Design Systems are introduced as a successful example of teaching "Computational Methods" by the author in several architecture schools' core sequences in the United States. Computational Methods introduces students to computational thinking and fundamental concepts of computation through explorations with generative and analytical technologies. The goal of the course is to explore and elaborate the potential of computation and the role it can play as a part of one's design process; not as a collection of specific tools, but as a way of thinking about design.

“Legibility” a product of obligatory processes in parametric architectural design: A study of implications of associative modeling on design thinking in a parametric architectural design studio

“…Computation is not just about learning programming skills but more about structuring information and developing logic. 17 In the problem formulation stage, the studio used explication and abstraction as a method for understanding design goals. This explication helped the students understand the relationship between the programmatic, functional, and compositional parameters of the design brief.…”

Computational thinking: an analysis through structured programming using Scratch

“…The pedagogical bases and theoretical principles of computational educational games is constructionism. Considering the idea that learning is a process where students are building it through knowledge and from the daily experiences of their environment continuously (Soleimani, 2019). Constructivism is also related to the maker philosophy, which consists of students building their own knowledge and being able to solve problems independently and autonomously, so that they can experiment, create, make mistakes and rectify, learning from the process and their mistakes (Gibbons & Snake-Beings, 2018)…”

Computational Approach towards Repetitive Design Tasks: The Case Study of Parking Lot Automated Design

“…However, by integrating algorithms, the efficiency of this stage can be improved significantly. Algorithmiccreated projects and automated solutions minimize errors, allowing for seamless changes at any stage without requiring manual redraws or modeling for each version [17,18]. The design process, while beneficial, inherently involves presumptions that stem from preferred design approaches and guiding assumptions [19][20][21].…”