Dezeen Magazine

ENPC to launch Computational Design and Making course in January 2016

Dezeen promotion: a new course for digital designers, artists and makers is due to start at the École des Ponts ParisTech next year (+ slideshow).

The Advanced Master in Computational Design and Making will have a multidisciplinary approach, covering a diverse range of subjects.

ENPC promotion
Rendering of Climate Ribbon by Hugh Dutton Associés, partners of the advanced master program, at the Brickell City Centre in Miami

Launching in January 2016, the programme will offer participants the chance to develop new digital design skills and making tools for architecture, engineering, design, art and urban planning.

For the duration of the course, students will take part in prototyping workshops, lectures, visits to maker spaces and networking events – aiming to provide a cross-disciplinary culture of parametric and algorithmic design.

ENPC promotion
Rendering of Climate Ribbon by Hugh Dutton Associés, partners of the advanced master program, at the Brickell City Centre in Miami

The 12-month long course is based on an part-time format, including over 350 hours of teaching time, a thesis and an oral examination.

Founded in 1747, the École des Ponts ParisTech (ENPC) is considered a prestigious engineering school within France.

ENPC promotion
Climate Ribbon by Hugh Dutton Associés, partners of the advanced master program, at the Brickell City Centre in Miami

The institution offers a varied higher-education education programme including computer science, applied mathematics, civil engineering, mechanics, finance, economics, innovation, urban studies, environment and transport engineering.

For more details about the course, visit the course website.

Read on for more information from the institution:


The program of the prestigious French engineering school École des Ponts ParisTech has a transdisciplinary approach and it covers a diversity of subjects in a considerable number of professional domains. It includes courses, prototyping workshops, lectures, maker-spaces visits and networking events.

This Advanced Master in Computational Design and Making international course set up by l'École des Ponts ParisTech and the computational designer Francesco Cingolani aims to provide students with a cross-disciplinary culture of parametric and algorithmic design: an approach based on the introduction of mathematical and/or physical data (parameters) into the design process. Overall, the course offers participants to develop new skills in the use of digital design and making tools for architecture, engineering, design, art and urban planning.

ENPC promotion
Nero by Noumena –a drone design and research project which is part of the Computational Design & Making Advanced Master

The program has been designed for professionals of advanced 3d modelling, project managers, independent architects and engineers, consultants in complex and non-standard geometries, facade consultants, experts in robotics and 3d printing, designers and digital artists, industry and makers from both France and abroad. It includes 366 hours of teaching (75 ECTS), delivered by a team of professional experts in this field.

The course will be divided into three main sections:

– Art, design and digital knowledge, digital city and global dimension, digital culture and space, data materialization and mesh modelling, encoded bodies, embodied codes and Video Art.

– Digital fabrication and making, 3D Printing, industrial digital fabrication, data matter and drone design and fabrication and fab is nature.

– Structure, architecture and complex geometries, performative design, management of complex geometries, conceptual design structure and optimisation.

Offered in an Executive, part-time format (one week per month, from January to December, for one year), the Advanced Master is fully compatible with a professional activity.

The participants will conduct a professional thesis in relation with their professional activity.

ENPC promotion
Synapses by WAO architecture – an installation that combines parametric design with laser-cut fabrication tools

The courses and conferences will take place in a number of locations in Paris, making this educational experience a real opportunity to discover the innovation hot-spots in the capital, such as La Gaité Lyrique, Volumes co-working and Woma fabrique de quartiers – all partners of the Advanced Maser.

The program also benefits from the support and expertise of the Paris College of Art as an academic partner, and the architecture office Hugh Dutton Associés, who designed pylons for Italian energy company Terna. designers of the Climate Ribbon.

The Scientific and Educational Commitee is coordinated by Philippe Morel. It includes prestigious and renown members: Mario Carpo, Kas Oosterhuis, Theodore Spyropoulos, David Gerber, Jean-Daniel Kuhn, Eric Piccuezzu and Jean-François Caron.

Candidates can already apply for this training on the course website.

About École des Ponts ParisTech

Founded in 1747, the prestigious French engineering school École des Ponts ParisTech prepares future top executives to tackle the challenges of sustainable society in the 21st century.

www.enpc.fr/en