Software Openness: Evaluating Parameters of Parametric Modeling Tools to Support Creativity and Multidisciplinary Design Integration

The ubiquitous computing era has pushed the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry towards new frontiers of digitally enabled practice. Are these the frontiers originally identified by the pioneers in the field? Architectural design has progressively shifted from two-dimensional paper based pencil sketched models to digital models drawn in various Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. The recent adoption of parametric modeling tools from the aerospace industry has been driven by the need for tools that can assist in rapid flexible modeling. The adaptation of parametric modeling has reformed both pedagogy and practice of architectural design. The question remains if parametric design has answered all the requirements specified by Steven Anson Coons in his 1963 proposal for a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) system. Given the growth of computational power and ubiquitous computing, how has CAD met the visions of its pioneers with respect to the flexibility and ease of communication with the computer and support of simultaneous design conversations with many designers working on the same project? This paper will revisit ideas conceived by the early inventors of CAD, explore the opportunities for advancing parametric modeling with the existing ubiquitous computing infrastructure, and introduces the notion of software openness to support creativity and multidisciplinary design integration.