A study on design process relationship between architecture and computer science

In the last two decades, the development of digital technology has remarkably affected the nature of architectural design processes and created many opportunities and challenges in architecture. Today, architecte learn many computer skills which are not traditionally a part of their curriculum. Thus, many believe that the architect's needs will be resolved only by learning some technical skills such as computer modelling, scripting and etc. However, this is not always true. According to recent studies in the field of digital architecture, other factors such as computational design thinking logic can play important role in this issue. There exist many studies and programs on the application of different computer skills, however, there are only a few research on the role of computational thinking and logic in the architectural design procedure. This study attempts to present a different viewpoint of architectural design procedure by comparing the design procedure in architecture and computer science. Thus, the role of computers in architecture is studied in three levels including computer as an assistant, computer as an extension for the designer’s mind and computer as a designer. When we look at the computer only as an instrument, the designer can always have a full control over the computer, and when we see it a something which can develop ideas, it could enhance designer’s capabilities. But when it comes to design level as a real designer, the architecture will inevitably change. At this new level, the design process is not necessarily consistent with the design process in the human mind. Rather than solving problems, computers can create a new ideas and architecture.