Generative Design Primer
  • Welcome
  • Introduction to Generative Design
    • Computational Design
    • Generative Design
      • What is Generative Design?
      • Why should I use Generative Design?
      • What goes into a Generative Design Process?
        • Anatomy of each stage
      • Examples of Generative Design
        • MaRs Innovation District of Toronto
        • Furniture Design
        • A Further Analogy
      • Anatomy of a Good Generative Design Process
    • Visual Programming
    • Dynamo
    • Generative Design for Revit and Dynamo
  • Deeper Dive to Generative Design
    • Algorithms
      • What are Algorithms?
      • Generators
      • Evaluators
      • Solvers
    • Optioneering
    • Optimization
      • What is Optimization?
      • Objective Function
      • Constraints
      • Data
      • Defining Goals
    • Genetic Algorithms
      • What is a Genetic Algorithm?
      • Initialization phase
      • Evaluation Phase
      • Selection Phase
      • Crossover Phase
      • Mutation Phase
    • Other Techniques
    • Genetic Algorithm Q&A
  • Hello Generative Design for Revit and Dynamo!
    • Installing Generative Design
    • Setting up a Graph for Generative Design
    • Running Generative Design
    • Visualizing Results in Generative Design
    • Refinery Toolkit
      • Installing the Refinery Toolkit from the Dynamo Package Manager
      • Using the Refinery Toolkit
    • Space Analysis for Dynamo
      • Installing the Space Analysis for Dynamo package from the Dynamo Package Manager
      • Using the Space Analysis Package
    • Using Revit alongside Generative Design
      • Using Data from Revit
      • Remember Node Inputs
      • How to Test Revit Data Capture
      • Detailed Example Workflow
      • Sharing Logic and Results
      • Current Limitations
      • Accessing Generative Design Directly From Revit
  • Sample Workflows
    • Getting Started Workflows
      • Highest Point of a Surface
      • Minimum Volume and Maximum Surface
    • Architectural Workflows
      • Building Mass Generator
      • Building Positioning based on Solar Analysis
      • Office Layout
      • Grid Object Placement in a Room
      • Entourage Placement Exploration
    • MEP Workflows
      • Distributing Spotlights in an Office Space
    • Structural Workflows
    • BIM Workflows
      • Placement of views on sheets
    • Community Examples
      • Guidelines
      • List Of Examples
  • Generative Design in Your Office
    • What Generative Design Can Be Used For?
    • What Generative Design Can’t Be Used For?
    • How to Convince Senior Stakeholders of Using Generative Design?
    • The Role of a Generative Designer
    • Hiring a Generative Designer
  • Next Steps
    • Machine Learning
      • What is Machine Learning?
      • Is Generative Design Machine Learning?
      • Can Machine Learning and Generative Design Work Together?
  • Appendix
    • Glossary
    • Reference Material
    • Need Professional Help?
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On this page
  • Better Outcomes and Insight
  • Faster, More Informed Design Decisions
  • A Greater Variety of Options
  • A Collaborative Approach

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  1. Introduction to Generative Design
  2. Generative Design

Why should I use Generative Design?

PreviousWhat is Generative Design?NextWhat goes into a Generative Design Process?

Last updated 7 months ago

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In a nutshell, generative design is a goal-driven approach to design that leverages automation so that designers and engineers can:

  • have better insight into their designs;

  • make faster, more informed design decisions; and

  • explore more options using the power of computers.

Better Outcomes and Insight

As the designer, you specify which outcomes you want to achieve for your design and how they are measured. With your guidance, the computer produces sets of optimal designs, along with the data used to prove which design performs best against your goals. By analyzing how the generated designs measure up against the set goals, you can gain valuable insight into which design aspects impact the outcome and how.

Maximization of active shared spaces - Mars Innovation District - The Living

Faster, More Informed Design Decisions

Generative design can help you find better designs for your project more quickly by leveraging what computers are good at: computation and repetition.

Computers can generate and evaluate a huge number of design variants in only a fraction of the time it would take an individual designer, allowing you to learn what does and doesn't work at an accelerated pace.

Above: Design options generated - Mars Innovation District - The Living

A Greater Variety of Options

With a generative design approach, the initial design parameters you input are used to generate your potential design solutions, with the only limitation being how much computer power and time you have.

For example, using traditional computational design techniques, it's feasible for you to explore ten variants (or more, perhaps). However, using generative design, an algorithm can generate thousands of variants in mere minutes.

Above: Design options generated - Bionic Partition for Airbus - The Living

A Collaborative Approach

The aim of a generative design approach is not to replace designers - it is to augment human capability with computation power. A good generative design process will almost always generate a range of outputs for the designer to choose from. It doesn't choose for you.