WS1
New Paradigms for Agentic Data Orchestration in Multi-Platform Design Workflows and Performance Evaluation
Learning Objectives
Participants will be introduced to the agentic automation concept powered by large language models and find out about the differences between common scripting approaches and execution nodes via API gateways or external software. The workshop will focus on real-world-inspired architectural geometry as a case study, as the participants will build their first orchestration hub to form a communication bridge to control the parametric exploration of architectural design options through chat. The coupled API integration as well as external database/calculator for performance evaluation will be added to the pool of execution nodes to enrich the design exploration.
Workshop description
The current status quo of large language models (LLM) and emerging trends in agentic orchestration provide new opportunities for early design investigation, geometry optioning, and performance evaluation. Although the LLM itself deals with uncertainties, these new paradigms enable opportunities for connecting and using actual developed and reviewed tools (like Grasshopper files or Python modules) while having the LLM as an assistant to chat with and connect different pieces.
Based on Walter P Moore's (WPM) well-known reputation in stadium design, this workshop aims to focus on designing a stadium roof based on a real-world project and its constraints. The primary objectives include truss exploration and form-finding of a given span while optimizing material efficiency and depth reduction. To achieve this, we will orchestrate design exploration through agentic data coordination. Parametric models will be connected to the orchestration server so we can navigate through design iterations via chat while updating the main geometry. In the case of the arena roof, we are optimizing material efficiency and depth while allowing for a flexible rigging system below, which will change for various event types. As part of the process, WPM's in-house tools - reviewed calculators inside a web-based workflow we call Emulation Lab - will be connected locally and through APIs to the orchestration server for structural analysis and embodied carbon investigation.
The workshop will combine theoretical presentations that provide a thorough understanding of agentic automation concepts driven by large language models with practical, hands-on sessions focused on constructing various components of the orchestration hub. The program will conclude with a session where participants present their projects and explore how to implement relevant protocols and develop custom tools to address their specific design challenges.
Participant Prerequisites
Required skills: Advanced Rhino/Grasshopper knowledge and Python programming skills. Basic knowledge of data structures and API integration.
Required software: Rhinoceros 8, Visual Studio Code (or similar IDE), Microsoft Excel.
Required hardware: Personal laptop with Windows 10 or later.
Workshop Information
Workshop Leaders
Hossein Zargar, Walter P Moore
Hossein is a software developer exploring how data-driven computational design connects across disciplines through scalable application. His current role as an AI Developer II at Walter P Moore's New York office focuses on developing next-generation tools that leverage current advancements in machine learning and large language models for informed building design decisions. He holds a Ph.D. in Architectural Engineering from Penn State, where his research focused on bringing robotic fabrication and constructibility knowledge into early-stage computational design optimization.
Jared Friedman, Walter P Moore
Jared is a licensed architect and design technologist with a focus on materials, energy, and technology in the built environment. As Computational Product Manager at Walter P Moore in New York City, he leads initiatives within the structural engineering group that integrate data-driven processes and computational tools across a range of project types and scales. Much of his focus revolves around leveraging computational tooling for the tracking and reduction of embodied carbon in the built environment. Jared has taught computational design at Columbia University's GSAPP and has presented at numerous conferences and universities where he has shared his passion for innovation in the built environment.
Dan Reynolds, Walter P Moore
Dan is the AI Leader at Walter P Moore and a structural engineer with expertise in specialty structures. After delivering numerous complex and high-profile projects, Dan now leads a pioneering team of engineers and AI developers reimagining how buildings are conceived, designed, and delivered. The promise of a more sustainable and responsive built environment has inspired the team to pursue a design process that is more creative, intuitive and holistic. To support this vision, they are developing next-generation tools that empower designers with real-time insights, generative solutions, and a deep computational intuition. Their custom software applications and APIs bring data-driven decision-making directly into the heart of the design process, reshaping what’s possible at every scale. As AI capabilities continue to accelerate, the team is not only exploring new ways for humans to engage with design—naturally, meaningfully, and enjoyably—but also embracing the profound responsibility of guiding these tools toward ethical, transparent, and trusted use.