What is the purpose of parametric design?

Parametric design lets you specify the key parameters of your project and make changes interactively, with the model updating automatically. It can be used for architectural showmanship but I believe good engineers will use it to make more efficient designs, explore more options, and optimise buildings.

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In fact, I think it’s our job as engineers to help architects take full advantage of parametric design. By finding the right input parameters and geometrical logic we can achieve simultaneously a challenging aesthetic shape and an efficient design. This is nothing new in terms of engineering best practice, but it is now possible to do it at a much higher level thanks to these tools.

Will this make designers rely too heavily on computers or produce shapes that are unnecessarily complex and full of waste? I don’t think so, if they are used as an aid to, rather than a replacement for, good engineering. As engineers, we must still use our judgement, experience and professional standards to define reasonable design parameters and understand their relative importance to the safety and quality of the building. This approach not only applies to geometrical parameters, but to all the design assumptions engineers make to plan for the uncertainties and possible variations of the design environment during the building life cycle.

Yet parametric design tools are incredibly useful – particularly for high-rise buildings in China, where the high level of seismicity makes the analysis process even more complex – even in early project phases. On the China Zun Z15 tower in Beijing, using these tools has reduced the time between architectural proposition and analysis from weeks to just days. It’s led us to a better design, with more in-depth understanding of the critical parameters of the structure. And it’s enabled us to study the most efficient scheme amongst the numerous design options.

The different tools have now developed user-friendly interfaces which makes it easier to engage the client and architect on higher level discussions on the topic of design parameters and on the geometric logic of the shape (for example for fabrication issues). The information exchanged between engineer and architect is also of higher value, since you don’t exchange only the final design geometry but also the logic of your design.

Parametric design also offers a good way to have a stronger influence on key design decisions, by analysing more options and giving quantitative feedback, whereas before we could only give global trends based on intuition or very simplified studies. This is particularly useful in a context like China, where the culture and the clients demand that projects must be planned, designed and built super-fast, while breaking world records at the same time (the 528m high Z15 tower is to be the world highest tower in a region of high seismicity).

And finally, parametric design can help us use resources more efficiently through optimisation studies.

That’s why I think parametric design is not so far away from our engineering best practice and used efficiently can really lead to a better world. Do you agree?

Parametric design is the future of engineering.

Just as technology has advanced in every other industry, parametric design is shaping how engineers conceive and execute their designs. It incorporates more factors into the design process, making it easier to manage complexity while still providing opportunities to improve the end product.

The benefits are clear: parametric design can result in better-defined costs within a build, effective management of the process, and improved overall design.

But what is parametric design? And how is it changing the engineering industry? Let’s dive in to the details to find out how it affects the future of engineering.

What Is Parametric Design?

Parametric design is a technique in which engineers use algorithms to create complex, customized products or structures. This process allows designers to input a set of parameters, or variables, that the algorithm then uses to generate a unique solution.

For example, an engineer might input the dimensions of a site, the amount of sun exposure it receives, and the type of soil present. The algorithm would then generate a custom-built solar panel that is optimized for that specific site.

The parametric design process is flexible and can be applied to a wide range of problems, from engineering to architecture to product design.

On the other hand, generative design is a similar technique that focuses on finding the optimal solution for a given problem, rather than customizing a solution to specific inputs. 

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The Inspiration of Nature Through Parametric Design

Parametric design has its roots in nature. The inspiration came from the study of biological systems, which are themselves parametric.

For example, a tree is parametric: it has a trunk, branches, leaves, and roots, all of which are generated by a set of parametric equations. These equations take into account the tree’s environment, such as the amount of sun and water available, to generate a unique solution that is optimized for that particular tree.

In the same way, parametric design takes into account all of the variables in a design problem to generate a unique solution.

Technology allows engineers to analyze and mimic nature’s complexity in the digital world, and the potential applications are endless. With this data, it can be used in applications from architectural designs to aerospace engineering.

5 Reasons Why Parametric Design Is Changing The Engineering Industry

Parametric design is changing the engineering industry for the better. Here are five reasons why:

Parametric Design Incorporates More Factors Into the Design Process

In the past, engineers would design a product or structure and then test it to see if it met all the requirements. This was a time-consuming and often frustrating process, as it was difficult to account for all of the variables in a design.

With parametric design, engineers can input all of the necessary variables into the parametric algorithm. This ensures that all of the requirements are met before a prototype is even created.

Not only does this save time, but it also saves money, as prototypes are often expensive to build.

It Makes It Easier To Manage Complexity

As parametric design incorporates more variables into the design process, it also makes it easier to manage complexity. This is because parametric algorithms can generate complex solutions that would be unlikely – or even impossible – for a human to design.

Enhanced Opportunity To Improve Design

Improving the overall design is another benefit of parametric design. As the design takes into account more variables, it provides a greater opportunity to find ways to improve the design.

Before parametric design, engineers would often make small improvements to a design over time, but this advanced method allows for more significant improvements to be made early in the design process.

Well Defined Costs For Design Build Projects

It is often difficult to estimate the cost of a project as the design often changed during the build process. This is no longer an issue with parametric design, as the algorithm takes into account all of the variables in a design at the early stages of the project.

This means that the cost of a project can be well defined from the outset, which makes it much easier to budget for.

Effective Management Of The Design Process

Designing built infrastructure is a complex process, but it can be more effectively managed with the right parametric design software. There are several software programs available that incorporate parametric algorithms, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

The most important thing is to use design software that meets the specific needs of your project.

Parametric Design Is Changing the Industry for the Better

Whether you’re an engineer, architect, or product designer, parametric design is a valuable tool that can save you time and money. You can create complex solutions that would be impossible to design by hand in the same amount of time and effort.

If you’re not already using intuitive parametric design software, now is the time to start. With Transcend Design Generator, generating preliminary engineering designs is easy to use and can be applied to a wide range of infrastructure problems. Try it for yourself today and see how Transcend Design Generator can change the way you work.

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