Practical Trajectories of Parametric Tools in Small and Medium Architectural Firms

Initially used as an extension of hand-drawing tools, digital design tools and moreover parametric ones are nowadays deeply modifying the architectural design process. Big offices with star-architects were able to adopt these tools but most architects working in a small office are still trying to cope with these parametric design tools. Several questions arise in this regard: what digital tools do architects usually use? Do they express interest for new technologies and software such as parametric ones? What is their understanding of the term “parametric architecture”? Why is this kind of tools still not largely adopted? Going through the results of an online survey, this paper first discusses the meaning of parametric design for architects. The contribution then analyzes the Belgian case regrouping mostly small and medium offices. It reflects particularly on the way architects do or do not implement these new digital tools in their workflows, and it sheds light on the fact that parametric tools also have the potential to free the creativity of SME’s.