Pinpointing exactly when we began exploring the idea of parametric architecture is difficult.

Defining beauty through logical, replicable rules is a recurring pursuit in the history of architecture. Woodbury’s concept of the “pattern” refers to a sequence of elements that logically produce architectural results. A practical example of this same concept from a different, much more ancient source, would be Palladio’s well-known “numero aureo” or the descriptions of columns in the Greek orders.

The contemporary understanding of “parametric architecture” is well covered in Tedeschi’s book Algorithms-Aided Design, which connects this concept to the Italian visionary Luigi Moretti. 

Around 1942, Moretti suggested that to surpass the limitations of traditional architecture, it was necessary to develop a new methodology where logical constraints dictated the form in response to design functions. Moretti expanded on these ideas during his time at the Institute for Operations Research and Applied Mathematics Urbanism, where he focused on the relationship between architecture and mathematics.

In his article: Mathematical Research in Architecture and Urbanism he expressed his newly coined term: Parametric Architecture and expressed that:

 …The technique and the instrumentation of the most recent scientific thought must assist with the determination of the parameters and their interrelationships, particularly mathematical logic, operational research and computers…

Architects, who often wrestle with any attempts at rationalizing beauty, frequently criticize ideas involving extensive mathematics as mere engineering gimmicks and swiftly dismiss them.

This not only disregards the fundamental role of mathematics in our surroundings but also impoverishes practitioners intellectually. This issue primarily affects modern practitioners who elevate ignorance to the level of a “virtue.”

These principles of mathematical interactions were encapsulated in 1963 by Ivan Sutherland, who placed parametric design at the core of the Sketchpad system, one of the most influential programs ever written. Our understanding of the discipline has broadened since then, but the principles remain the same: manipulating data through logical constraints to produce an expected result.

This seemingly simple definition is currently transforming the world as we know it. It represents a new trend among the myriad of ideas everyone is trying to embrace. However, for me, it signifies something fundamentally different: rather than knowledge and competence in architecture spreading outwards as it did in past decades, it is now merging and returning to its origins.

The computing power and accessibility of processors today far surpass those available to our predecessors. As a result, we have begun to explore and adopt new design methodologies. In essence, parametric design involves using a series of data inputs to produce specific outputs. What sets parametric design apart as a methodology is its ability to modify input data to create diverse outputs, fundamentally transforming the approach to design.