The impact of digital architecture on cityscape

Abstract Digital architecture, as a proceeding architectural style, has caused fundamental evolutions in architectural design and building appearance via applying complex geometries and topologies. Computers and digital tools have truly altered the design process and architectural conception facilitating production of new eye catching forms. Avant-garde architectural forms have emerged from these changes in architectural design geometry which have influenced visual, physical and morphological features of cities. In this article, the impact of digital architecture and various architectural types (topological, isomorphic, motion kinematics, metamorphic architecture, parametric, genetic) on cityscapes of different periods (ancient, contemporary and future cities) is explored. Through these digital tools, the cityscape of ancient cities, which are not available to us today, can be revitalized. Digitally designed urban spaces and forms can influence contemporary cityscapes and urban landscape due to their complex geometry and free forms, assisting cities to become museums of avant-garde architectural elements and attractive magnets for capital and tourism in globalizing world. These digital tools will have a profound influence on future cities with their parametric design, morphological patterns, digital façade fabrication systems and other methods. This paper is mostly focused on digital production of forms and urban landscape by elite groups (designers, planners, digital experts etc) and thus the effects of other economic, policy-making and more procedural aspects of urban design on the final product (city scape, urban morphology etc) are not applied here.