Driven by new computer and digital fabrication tools, the architectural designs that are being built are pushing boundaries of form, customization and construction. Pushed by practices wanting and needing to produce novelty, computer-aided design systems are increasingly parametric - that is, they represent designs that change with their input data. Such systems give more control and capability to designers, but require much more comprehensive understanding if they are to be used effectively.

Mastering these ideas requires skill as designer, mathematician and computer scientist....