Theory
Shape grammars
Explore in the Atlas →Formal grammar for the recursive generation of geometric shapes; design as language. Stiny and Gips (1971); developed at LUBFS and at UCLA with March and Mitchell.
Computation Type Sign
Details
- Introduced
- 1971
Referenced by
- William J. Mitchell proposed
- City of Bits: Space, Place, and the Infobahn articulates
- The Logic of Architecture: Design, Computation, and Cognition articulates
- Lionel March proposed
- William J. Mitchell developed
Sources
- Stiny, George and Gips, James. Shape Grammars and the Generative Specification of Painting and Sculpture. 1971.
- Mitchell, William J. The Logic of Architecture: Design, Computation, and Cognition. The MIT Press, 1990.
Cite this entry
First published May 2026Last revised Jul 2026
CLAD. "Shape grammars." Atlas of Architectural Thought. CLAD, 2026. https://www.cl-ad.com.au/research/atlas/theory/shape-grammars/. Accessed July 17, 2026.