Solids, Parameters, and Programs: Computation for Early-Stage Architectural Design

In 2025, computation pervades architecture. No one idea or technology dominates. Architectural practice comprises many processes, so we should not be surprised at the wide diversity of computational tools used. Here though, I focus on how computation has supported the early part of design—that often brief period that sets the overall organization of a project. Computer-aided architectural design (CAAD) researchers have long aimed to support such “early-stage architectural design.” Typically, the term remains an aspirational goal, rather than a sharply defined objective for research. And it does not translate directly to practice, which has opportunistically adapted computational tools developed, at least initially, for other purposes. This article examines three related computational devices that have played important, though not complete, roles in early-stage architectural design. First, solid modeling systems enable computational sketches of early ideas. Second, parametric modeling requires design structure, but defers many decisions to later design stages. Third, end-user programming tools encourage prototyping to support very early-stage decision-making.