As a result of the development of the new digital paradigm, computational design is a method that uses the integrated capabilities of software, programming, and information-processing algorithms to address design problems. Unlike CAD, which is primarily a representational tool that extends the user’s “hand,” computational design can become a more active and iterative instrument—or even a process—that uses computation to generate broader and less predictable options within traditional design frameworks, opening possibilities for critical innovation rather than simple technophilia.

Computational design operates by defining a set of instructions and variables (parameters) that describe the design problem and its boundary conditions. Once these are established, algorithms—mainly graphical in the case of architecture—interpret these rules and, in a subsequent step, generate automatic solutions that satisfy the predefined parameters. These models are then analyzed according to relevant criteria (cost, material efficiency, thermodynamic performance, etc.) in order to optimize the final solution.

In line with BAI’s philosophy, the workshop will not approach computational design as a purely final tool replacing traditional design processes, but rather as an instrument that expands the scope of design and helps optimize outcomes. The underlying premise remains that “technique follows the project, not the other way around.” To this end, the workshop will work with software and systems such as Rhino, Grasshopper, and 3D printing, drawing on the critical body of knowledge surrounding the course’s core material—stone—in order to design and construct high-quality spaces that meet the structural stability and energy-performance requirements associated with it.

KEY WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Date and venue: May 12–15, 2026, School of Architecture of the University of Navarra (ETSA – UNAV).

Limited number of places.

Aimed at final-year undergraduate and master’s students in Architecture and/or Engineering, as well as young architects or engineers who have recently graduated. The workshop is also open to students or recent graduates from Higher Vocational Training programs (Levels D and E) related to the subject.

Free registration. The workshop is fully funded and carries no tuition fee.

Registration open until April 15. ACCESS THE REGISTRATION FORM

Workshop instructor: Jesús Medina, expert in computational design and digital fabrication at ETH Zurich

More information: workshop presentation poster and workshop explanatory dossier