Of Networks and Nodes

Coding Architecture I–II is a two-part programming course that introduces architecture students to computational design through a progressive, hands-on curriculum. The aim is to make technology approachable and to show how software, hardware, and algorithmic thinking can be integrated into architectural design processes. The autumn semester focuses on core programming skills in Python and gradually leads to more advanced topics. In the spring semester, the course shifts toward application. Students work with the compas_timber library to design and prototype reciprocal frame structures, and the semester concludes with the construction of a full-scale timber pavilion. In spring 2025, we realised a project by Nicolas Egon Wittig and Samuel Tanner, who proposed a Candela-type shell that lent itself particularly well to the reciprocal framework approach. With the support of the students and the help of colleagues from GKR, RFL and beyond, we were able to complete the structure within roughly two and a half weeks.