Direction

Technology has changed the way we think and design buildings. We are living in an age where professions are transforming and adapting to the pervasive role of information. The building industry with its long historical heritage in the material condition is rapidly adopting new models of thinking and modes of practice.

Both capabilities and challenges have dramatically expanded. The boundaries of what is possible are volatile and new territories are increasingly opening up for creative thinking and design exploration. There are past, current and novel problem spaces that call for innovative solutions in the light of digital technologies.

The Design Computing Community is a vehicle for bringing together individuals from within the domain who are in the forefront of these developments. The generation of actors that are actively shaping a new profile for our industry and raising the bar of the methods of practice.

History

The group was initiated by Andy Shaw, Hopkins Architects, Jalal El-Ali, Buro Happold and Stylianos Dritsas, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. It was formed in April 2006 and the first meeting was hosted at Buro Happold’s offices with the participation of 15 people.

The meetings were inspired by the annual Smart Geometry conference —whereby leading practices showcase their most current and challenging work— which took place a few month prior in New York.

The Design Computing Community’s original concept was to create a London-based focus group with less formal and accessible format and more regular meetings; to bring together the people from across the board to discuss and exchange ideas. The events would take place in an architecture or engineering practice’s offices on a weekday after-hours including two to three presenters and approximately twenty participants.