Group discussions and presentation of ongoing graduate student research in the Computation program.

MIT Certificate-Protected Syllabus

Selection of thesis topic, definition of method of approach, and preparation of thesis proposal in computation. Independent study supplemented by individual conference with faculty.

Students select thesis topic, define method of approach, and prepare thesis proposal for SMArchS Computation degree. Faculty supervision on a group basis. Intended for SMArchS Computation program students, prior to registration for 4.ThG.

Explores the varied nature, history and practice of computation in design through lectures, readings, small projects, discussions, and guest visits by Computation group faculty and others. Topics may vary from year to year. Aims to help students develop a critical awareness of different approaches to and assumptions about computation in design beyond the specifics of techniques and tools, and to open avenues for further research.

4.502 U / 4.562 G

Class website

Advanced projects in architectural visualization with an emphasis on the use of computer graphics animation, interactive media, and video production tools. Introduces advanced visualization software and teaches exploration of spatial expressions in motion graphics format. Review and discussion of selected literature and video materials on architecture and film.

Additional work required of students taking the graduate version.

Note: class meets with 4.105 for the Fall 2026 term

4.500 U / 4.505 G

Introduces digital fabrication as a method of home, hut, and shelter delivery/construction. Explores the progression of industrial-based building production from prefab to digital fab. Examines new computational techniques for rapid construction, as well as the basics of tiny building design, 3D modeling systems, scalable ways to prototype, and computer numerical control (CNC) fabrication. Students use lab time to design a prototype of a small building as a single packaged product. Additional work required of students taking graduate version. Lab fee required. 

The goal of the class is to explore the intersection of textile fabrication, computational design, and design thinking. Students will learn how computational methods can transform knitting from a traditional craft into a precise digital fabrication technique for creating complex tensile structures and geometric components. By using the 3D knitting machine, students will gain practical experience with digital knitting tools and develop an understanding of how computation enables new possibilities for textile-based architecture. No prior knitting experience required—just curiosity about the intersection of materials, code, and form.

Topics to be covered:

• Design to Fabrication Pipelines: Learn how to translate geometric design concepts into machine-executable (knitting) instructions, bridging the gap between digital design and physical production through computer numerically controlled processes.
• Computational Scripts and Algorithms: Develop computational scripts that encode knitting patterns, structural logic, and material behaviours, creating rule-based systems for generating complex forms. Gain an understanding of algorithmic thinking and how to design procedures that generate textile architectures.
• Topology and Geometry: Explore topological principles and geometric relationships that inform knitted structures, understanding how stitch connectivity, surface curvature, and mesh organization shape both form and function.
• Design of Tensile Structures: Explore how knitted textiles can function as architectural elements, understanding the relationship between stitch patterns, material properties, and structural performance.

Reading and discussion of texts broadly to the field of Design and Computation. Texts will focus on the history, theory, and practice of computation for design and explore questions of how humans and machines sense, represent, understand, think, and make. Discussions will be informed by texts from a variety of fields including architecture, anthropology, computer science, cognitive sciences, and philosophy. The goal is to serve as a space for students to step back from technical investigations and engage with underlying questions about what it means to employ computation in design.

MIT Certificate Protected Syllabus

Preliminary study in preparation for the thesis for the SMArchS degree in Computation. Topics include literature search, precedents examination, thesis structure and typologies, and short writing exercise.

MIT Certificate Protected Syllabus

UG: 4.550 G: 4.570

Class website

Provides students with an opportunity to explore projects that engage real world problems concerning spatial design, technology, media, and society. In collaboration with industry partners and public institutions, students identify topical issues and problems, and also explore and propose solutions through the development of new ideas, theories, tools, and prototypes. Industry and academic collaborators act as a source of expertise, and as clients and critics of projects developed during the term. General theme of workshop varies by semester or year. Open to students from diverse backgrounds in architecture and other design-related areas.

Additional work required of students taking graduate version.