Our parametricism series profiles a theory of architecture that lays claim to becoming the defining style of the 21st century.
Based on a term coined by Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher in 2008, its basis lies in the use of algorithms not just to help design buildings, but to determine their form.
The term is mainly associated with buildings characterised by dramatic swooping curves, such as Zaha Hadid Architects’ Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan.
But parametricism is also a notoriously complex concept and has been the source of significant debate and controversy among architecture critics since its inception.
In this series, we explore Schumacher’s theory in simple terms, as well as looking at its impact and why it has proven divisive.
