A Parametric Approach to Urban Design

Abstract

It is the thesis of this paper, that the application of a parametric design approach to urban design has great potentials for improving the systematic testing and subsequent argumentation for urban design proposals. Parametric design has so far mainly been applied to engineering. However, the ‘components’ constituting an urban design also share similarities that may be defined parametrically. Aspects such as density, use, mix, form, space, and typology may all be defined parametrically. By doing so, it is possible to not only perform a systematic de-sign process, but also to evaluate the pros and cons of scenarios with different parametric settings. On the basis of a theoretical discussion, followed by a case study in the form of a student workshop, the paper will discuss the nature and scope of parametric urban design, draw some preliminary conclusions, and outline some possible perspectives for the development of parametric urban design.