ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how the nature of the architectural form-giving process is changing with the adoption of design computation. Architects have been concerned with building form for a long time, and in many ways: with regard to its significance and meaning; how spaces are experienced by the senses; and how a building will perform in terms of structure, sound, or sun. In the last 20 years there has been a shift from the use of software to the development and customization of software. While some of this computational work is focused on geometry, there is much that strives to integrate building performance simulation into digital design environments. Through interviews with practitioners, selections from contemporary theory, and a look at an exemplary project, this chapter demonstrates that architectonic design – that is, a new system of computational design tools that develop knowledge about architecture through testable propositions – is now used to develop performative buildings.
