The Future of CAAD Education

The field of Computer-Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) is composed of two main threads of development, Academic and Professional, and can be described in three decades, which correspond roughly with three generations of computer systems. This paper presents a brief description of the entire period of school- and practice-based research and development on the applications of computers in Architectural design, and shows how these efforts have and have not been relevant to students'future experiences. Educators must take a fresh look at their current courses and research programs to make sure that they are relevant in the rapidly changing world of professional practice. With limited human and financial resources at most institutions, it is critical to make the best possible choices for the immediate and long-term benefit of today's students. While it is not appropriate for Schools of Architecture to operate strictly at the behest of the profession, we must prepare our students for the world in which they will practice. Therefore, I believe that it is important for the faculty at each School to consider the following questions: (-) Are our students prepared to enter realistic positions as soon as they graduate? (-) Do they have the background necessary to use computers effectively in the future? (-) Do our research efforts have results that designers are likely to use today or any time soon to make better buildings or to make buildings better