"Computing in Architectural Design"

Architects and designers have come along way from just using a compass and straightedge in computing components of a building. Computers have proven to be incredible assistants to humans and over the years they have become even more powerful tools. Since the 1960s universities have been a leading force in the development of computer aided design to service the building industry. Their first systems were slow and only really helped with basic lines and geometry. By the 1970s they were being used for more complex curves, manufacturing abilities, structural tolerances, and space planning. In 1974 the Computer Aided Engineering and Architectural Design System were designed to analyze habitability, energy use, and building specifications. By the Second-Generation CAD Systems many advances in such things as the personal computer and the mouse made these systems affordable to the larger architectural community. In 1984 the Macintosh and ink jet printers made greater output possible but the systems did lack the ability to include unique details of a building. In some areas of CAD it seemed like things were "dumbing down" but there were other areas the were becoming more intelligent. The search for technology to serve many different roles is always evolving to become more intuitive for the designer and ultimately more helpful. They can help us see beyond our own eyes and catch things humans may overlook. To this day, Third-Generation CAD Systems are still being developed to handle more complex operations. Their role is to be our tool in the design process. They draw, are a measuring instrument, and produce modeling to help us visualize every step of the building process in a more complete and complex way then the industry could have ever imagined.