Coding as Creative Practice

Abstract

This paper looks into coding as a creative practice within architecture, more specifically into textual and graphical coding as a practitioner during the design process. It argues that coding is not a mere tool for designing but a particular design medium, with its own affordances and resistances. Using code as a design medium provides a specific form of feedback, it influences the design process and its outcomes. Code is a technological and conceptual support for design thinking. In other words, code and coding can be ascribed agency in architectural design. This research is based on a number of cases from design practice and teaching, ranging from small design experiments, developing software tools for specific design projects and teaching workshops. The cases are grouped into three metaphors, each describing a particular aspect of coding as a design medium.