ARIEL COOKE

Traditional design processes work – until they don’t. The rate at which we currently design and construct buildings cannot keep pace with growing housing needs. With unprecedented housing demands, it’s time to rethink our approach to design and construction

A new design process needs to be replicable yet adaptable, standardized but flexible. It must use automation to allow teams to validate options quickly and make informed decisions.

This approach contrasts with traditional methods, as no two sites or clients are the same, and there is no single right answer. However, many aspects of the design process are quantifiable and governed by rules—building codes, zoning regulations, structural requirements, and mechanical systems, to name a few. These are areas where automation can optimize and streamline decision-making.

On the other hand, qualitative aspects, such as how a space feels, how it relates to its context, or its character, require a designer's creative input. By automating the quantifiable, we can focus on the nuanced, human-centered elements that bring a project to life.

Picasso said, ‘Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.’ To make something new, let us take apart our existing processes and inspect each element. But how can we deconstruct something as complex as a building design? How do we then put the pieces back together as a system that is replicable and adaptable?

To meet these challenges, two philosophies can guide us: Productization and Mannerism.

Productization is about turning a design into a repeatable, scalable product. It’s the process of refining design, manufacturing, and delivery to consistently create high-quality, market-ready, solutions.

Mannerism, as defined by Robert Venturi, involves starting with a set of rules and then intentionally tweaking them to reflect the complexities and contradictions of modern life. Mannerism embraces ambiguity and adapts conventions to create spaces that acknowledge the evolving nature of architecture.

Simply put, work within a set of rules, and know when to break them. We can borrow the standardization of processes and workflows from productization while giving ourselves the license to break them.

We are closer to creating a scalable and adaptable architectural product than we think. The current method of design delivery is a process, albeit an inefficient one. Imagine a process where design decisions are backed by a system that quickly adapts to project needs. What if we could standardize when it makes sense and break the rules when necessary? By answering these questions, we can turn complex ideas into scalable solutions.