Digital Processes in Architectural Design:A Case Study of Computers and Creativity

This paper describes the results of a statistical-experimental investigation into the relationship between three variables: design cognition, the computer as a problem solving medium and'creativity'. The hypothesis put forward suggests a directional link between the use of'CAAD as a cognitive design medium'and'levels'of creativity in the design process. The hypothesis was tested statistically using first year architecture students as research design subjects. In order to place the research within a context, develop a thesis and identify'operational'measures for variables, a literature search with special emphasis on'creativity'was conducted. The statistical findings did confirm that levels of architectural'creativity'in the design process and in the final product were somehow affected by the use of CAAD. Ideation fluency and originality, as'creativity'indicators, correlated positively with CAAD as a cognitive medium with coefficients 3 0.5. The statistics from subjects- group design- revealed that computers'power of visualisation, slicing and Boolean operations has helped spatial ability and could eventually help novice designers to venture and create complex objects more than they would normally do with conventional media