New Conceptual Design Tools: towards designers as software customizers

This paper aims to discuss recent approaches in using more and more frequently computer tools as supports for the conceptual design phase of the architectural project. The present state-of-the-art about software as conceptual design tool could be summarized in two parallel tendencies. On the one hand, the main software houses are trying to introduce powerful and effective user-friendly applications in the world of building designers, that are more and more able to fit their specific requirements; on the other hand, some groups of expert users with a basic programming knowledge seem to deal with the problem of software as conceptual design tool by means of 'scripting', in other words by self-developing codes able to solve specific and well defined design problems. Starting with a brief historical recall and the discussion of relevant researches and practical experiences, this paper investigates the most recent studies about digital conceptual design tools. The combined use of Rhinoceros™, a powerful threedimensional modeller diffused among designers, and Rhinoscript™, its implemented programming environment, is here presented as a possible effective way to deal with computer technologies for conceptual design in architecture.