10,000 iterations: Computation as a Tool for Schematic Design

Design as an exploratory method is an iterative process cycling through analysis, proposal, evaluation, and refinement. The dominant way of communicating ideas through drawings and models is limited by the static nature of the media. As an alternative approach, how can computational methods be used as tools for assisting in preliminary design?10,000 Iterations studies computation as a supplementary tool for schematic design by developing an evolutionary model that generates optimized layouts according to the architect's criteria. This process, due to its computational nature, is limited to the aspects of design that can be expressed mathematically.A simple design brief is developed as a critical method for refining the effectiveness and feasibility of this tool. The layouts generated by this process give the architect function driven material to consider for further development early on in the design process.