Parametric Design Approach

Parametric design is a design method where features (such as building elements and engineering components) are shaped according to algorithmic processes, in contrast to being designed directly. In this method, parameters and rules determine the relationship between design intent and design response. The term parametric refers to input parameters fed into the algorithms.

Parametric modeling can be divided into two main types:

• Propagation-based systems, in which algorithms result in final shapes that are unknown based on initial parametric inputs, through a dataflow model.

• Constraint systems, in which final constraints are set and algorithms are used to define fundamentals (structures, material use, etc) that satisfy these constraints.

So called "form-finding" processes are implemented through propagation-based systems. Form-finding optimizes certain design goals against a set of design constraints, meaning the final form of the designed object is "found" based on these constraints.