Education in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe

Abstract

The aim and object of this account is to elaborate on the role of eCAADe within the present worldwide ”CAAD-activities”. Each of the associations dedicated to the field of CAAD has taken its very own course of development, many cases of overlap and interaction have resulted, some of them, however, merely based on personal contacts. The purpose of eCAADe is to promote the sharing of ideas and collaboration in matters relating to Computer Aided Architectural Design. This, jointly drafted paper outlines these global aims within a worldwide context. The eCAADe umbrella covers both Europe and its periphery. Including the Middle East and North Africa. Though this does not apply as a kind of ”territorial claim”, the primary affiliation of regions to at least one of the current international associations is sought. Historically, the early eighties are to be regarded as the period of first encounters with computers of larger proportions of people involved in architecture, simultaneously with the rise of personal computers. Thus various university sites acted as the forerunners in this field. Implementation of CAAD in teaching and research soon called for channeling the exchanges of experience via a suitable platform. The founding of ACADIA (the North American Organisation) in 1981, however, seems to have set the stage, as shortly thereafter the foundations for a European movement were laid.