Using a Generative Geometry for Design

Results from various research teams over the last fifteen years have demonstrated the suitability of evolutionary computation as a technique for supporting decision making during design and especially during conceptual design. However, there are still some significant problems to be solved if these techniques are to become practical and robust design tools. These shortcomings are discussed and the remainder of the paper then focuses on the inadequacies of current representation techniques for supporting topological reasoning and looks at a possible new way forward. This is based on a method of describing the geometry of objects which uses the way that the object topology is generated rather than being based on a static collection of points, lines and planes. The work described is an ongoing project.