The CDFAM Computational Design Symposium brings together leading experts working at the intersection of computational design, AI and machine learning across engineering, architecture, and software development.
The program focuses on computational design methodologies applied at all scales, from architected materials to architectural systems.
Each event convenes an international community for two days of technical presentations, case studies, and focused discussion, offering practical insight into methods, tools, and innovations influencing current and emerging design and engineering practice.
Participants include engineers, architects, designers, software developers, and researchers from both industry and academia. The multidisciplinary program brings together perspectives from different domains to encourage cross-pollination of ideas, methods, and approaches across fields that are often practiced in isolation.
Upcoming Events
Presenting Sponsors at CDFAM 2026
The events are organized around two foundational frameworks: ‘Scales of Design’ and ‘Dimensions of Execution.’
Scales of Design:
- Micro – Material-level behavior, phase interactions, morphology, and structure–property relationships. Involves the use of simulation, data-driven optimization, and machine-learned material models for performance tuning at the material scale.
- Meso – Architected materials and engineered geometries including metamaterials, lattices, TPMS, and cellular structures. Explores generative design, parameter space exploration, and ML classification for structure-function mapping.
- Macro – Component, product, and system-level design. Covers topology optimization, performance modeling, design for additive manufacturing, and automation of design-to-manufacture workflows using AI-driven software pipelines.
- Mega – Urban and architectural scale systems. Computational workflows are applied to façade systems, building performance modeling, comfort optimization, and design automation using data structures and scalable geometric logic.
Dimensions of Execution:
- Academic – Research focused on foundational design science, computational geometry, simulation methods, and critical analysis of AI/ML effectiveness. Enables the development of new models, algorithms, and workflows grounded in empirical validation.
- Algorithm – Encompasses software platforms, AI models and machine learning techniques applied to geometric generation, simulation, classification, and optimization. Includes differentiable programming, deep learning in CAM, and generative AM software integration.
- Application – Addresses engineering, architectural, and manufacturing challenges through computational design. Integrates domain expertise with simulation, data analysis, and automated design tools to meet performance, customization, and regulatory constraints.
- Automation – Links design to scalable production. Establishes automated pipelines for mass customization, simulation-verified workflows, and real-time optimization using integrated software stacks, cloud-based platforms, and programmable interfaces.
Through these frameworks, attendees gain insight into how computational design, together with AI and machine learning, is applied across multiple scales and execution contexts, from early-stage research to software development, engineering practice, and automated production
CDFAM ARCHIVES
Previous CDFAM events have included presentations by leading experts in computational design at all scales and disciplines, including engineers and architects from NASA, BMW, Adidas, ARUP, Samsung, New Balance, Carbon, ORNL, Royal Haskoning DHV, Sandia National Labs, IDEO, BIG, Glidewell, HP, Stantec and Siemens Energy, academics from around the world including MIT, DTU, Harvard, Cornell, The University of Edinburgh, ASU, and Penn State as well as software developers and researchers from Autodesk, Altair, Rhino, Materialise, Synera, Spherene, Siemens, nTop, Pasteur Labs, Neural Concept, PhysicsX, Cognitive Design Systems, ToffeeX, Datameister, Intact Solutions and more.
CDFAM computational design symposium provides a unique opportunity to learn about cutting-edge technologies and techniques, and to network with leading academics and industry professionals in design, engineering and architecture at in person, two day events held around the world.
From architected materials to architectural systems, computational design establishes the data foundation needed to apply AI and machine learning effectively across concept generation, design optimization, and manufacturing in architecture, engineering, and product development.
The presentations and discussions held at CDFAM events help to accelerate the development and adoption of these computational processes, AI augmented, and ML driven, in a practical and pragmatic manner.
To learn more about the speakers and attendees and to see if future events may be relevant to attend or sponsor, check out the attendee demographics.
