Computerization and Computation

Whenever we try to define something suitable for our design intentions, it became somehow closely related to the design tool. The contemporary theory of computational design (or design computing) has many definitions. In this website, we look at that from the perspective of method and its theory underneath, not the tools; however, it finally comes to a point that we -again- start to talk about “tools”. Whatever, the purpose is “the process” or the associative geometries, even a diagram is again developed from the “computerization” of our minds. Some people call this “Algorithmic Thinking”, “Algorithmic Logic (?)” or “Algorithmic Architecture”. I think we always try to describe a distinction between our design intentions and the tools we use. We don’t usually accept that the tool affects the method and that the method affects subjective design domains. Kostas Terzidis in his 2006 book “Algorithmic Architecture” starts the discussion by declaring this distinction very clearly:

Computation is a term that differs from, but is often confused with, computerization. While computation is the procedure of calculating, i.e. determining something by mathematical or logical methods, computerization is the act of entering, processing, or storing information in a computer or a computer system. Computerization is about automation, mechanization, digitization, and conversion. Generally, it involves the digitization of entities or processes that are preconceived, predetermined, and well defined. In contrast, computation is about the exploration of indeterminate, vague, unclear, and often ill-defined processes; because of its exploratory nature, computation aims at emulating or extending the human intellect. It is about rationalization, reasoning, logic, algorithm, deduction, induction, extrapolation, exploration, and estimation. In its manifold implications, it involves problem solving, mental structures, cognition, simulation, and rule-based intelligence, to name a few.

The definition of such dualities clears our path of thought. However, very close relationships between “a computerized thing” and “a computational thing”, still remain. We might even say that a computerized design is a reason for computational design; or vice versa.