Reimagining architectural thinking: exploring the future of co-evolution in design
Leading academics gather at the University of Manchester to advance co-evolutionary theory in design, with implications for education, AI, and interdisciplinary innovation.
On May 20, 2025, The University of Manchester brought together leading academic researchers from across the UK, Europe and US in an agenda-setting workshop to define the future of research in architectural design processes. Led by Dr Diana Osmolska, Lecturer in Architectural Studies and Dr Alan Lewis, Head of the Department of Architecture, the workshop focused on advancing co-evolutionary theory in design, a promising field with implications for education, industry, and AI.
Co-evolution is a conceptual model of design that originated in the 1990s through computational thinking. Co-evolution challenges traditional design logic by positing that designers do not merely solve problems; they redefine them in response to the solutions they generate. This iterative relationship between problems and solutions mirrors the adaptive processes found in nature, and increasingly, in artificial intelligence.
While co-evolution began as a concept linked to genetic algorithms and computational design, it is now gaining traction as a powerful lens for understanding how human designers think and work. However, the field still lacks a comprehensive framework that can explain and predict design behaviour, especially where errors and inefficiencies occur.
Advancing co-evolutionary theory holds enormous promise. By illuminating how and why designers iterate, educators could more effectively teach design thinking. Beyond architecture and design disciplines, insights from co-evolution may also feed back into computational models, particularly AI, creating more adaptive and intelligent systems.
This workshop marks a significant milestone in shaping a cohesive research agenda that bridges disciplines, unites theoretical insight with practical application, and strengthens the links between human creativity and machine learning.
Understanding how designers reshape problems through their solutions is vital to improving both design education and AI capabilities. This workshop is just the beginning of an exciting journey.
Co-evolution provides a framework for exploring design process, offering many insights that can be used to improve designers鈥� education and minimise costly design errors.
The University of Manchester鈥檚 workshop signals a critical step toward formalising co-evolution as a design paradigm with wide-reaching benefits. Researchers, educators, and technologists alike are encouraged to stay engaged with the outcomes of this initiative, as the work progresses toward creating practical tools, frameworks, and collaborations.
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