Parametric Modeling
Author: Neil C. Katz
Digital Design - SOM New York
Building information modeling and parametric modeling are very current themes in today’s architecture. Many people associate BIM and parametric modeling with particular software tools. My belief is that both building information modeling and parametric modeling are more related to the approach taken in the design process than the software tools an architect uses.
The examples provided here illustrate the use of a simple tool (in this case, “simple” is not necessarily a negative adjective) used to study and model complex geometric forms, particularly at the earliest phases of a design project, analyzing and even adjusting these forms with respect and in response to environmental conditions such as sun and shadows, zoning criteria, views, and size (floor areas and program verification, façade surface areas, volume).
The examples also illustrate that the approach one takes in solving a problem—thinking creatively and not being constrained by one’s own thinking or by a limiting set of tools—is the key to innovative designs and design processes. Often a simple and flexible tool can be more helpful in solving a problem a very specific way than a very sophisticated tool design.
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