Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture 12 (2018) 51-58 doi: 10.17265/1934-7359/2018.01.005 Architectural Teaching and Design Computing: A Didactic Experience in a Brazilian Architecture Course Fernando Tadeu de Araujo Lima Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism (FAU) and Post-Graduate Program of Built Environment (PROAC), Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, 36037-000, Brazil Abstract: In the last years, architectural practice has been confronted with a paradigm shift towards the application of digital methods in design activities. In this regard, it is a pedagogic challenge to provide a suitable computational background for architectural students, to improve their ability to apply algorithmic-parametric logic, as well as fabrication and prototyping resources to design problem solving. This challenge is even stronger when considering less favored social and technological contexts, such as in Brazil, for example. In this scenario, this article presents and discusses the procedures and the results from a didactic experience carried out in a design computing-oriented discipline, inserted in the curriculum of a Brazilian architecture course. Hence, this paper shares some design computing teaching experiences and presents some results on computational methods and creative approaches, with a view to contribute to a better understanding about the relations between logical thinking, mathematics and architectural design processes. Key words: Architectural design teaching, design computing, didactic experience. 1. Introduction Several studies have addressed teaching methodologies towards a more creative use of the computer in architectural tasks. In this regard, Achten [1] presents some teaching methods, and the works of Al-Ratrout and Zureikat [2] and Aguiar and Gonçalves [3] shows some recently implemented approaches. In a Brazilian context, although there are some initiatives in this direction, there is still a little space for implementing computational content in architecture courses curricula. The present work is a result of a research that aims to contribute to a better understanding about how computational resources can be incorporated in the teaching and the practice of architecture in contemporary times, more specifically, in a Brazilian context. In this regard, it is a pedagogic challenge to provide a suitable conceptual and instrumental Corresponding author: Fernando Tadeu de Araujo Lima, Ph.D.; research fields: parametric design, architectural design, and urban design. E-mail: fernando.lima@arquitetura.ufjf.br. background for architectural students, as well as to stimulate them to resort logical thinking and computational resources to design problem solving. This challenge is even stronger when considering less favored social and technological contexts, such as in Brazil, for example. In this scenario, this article aims to contribute towards a discussion about the importance of design computing in the knowledge and skills of architecture and urbanism students and, consequently, in the curricular content of undergraduate courses of architecture. Thus, this paper articulates a theoretical framework on computational resources supporting architectural design methods [4-8] and describes the procedures and presents the results from a didactic experience, carried out in a design computing-oriented discipline, inserted in the curriculum of a Brazilian architecture course. In this discipline, called digital modeling and prototyping, the students were introduced to theories, concepts, resources and techniques related to computational design implementation, in order to promote logical reasoning and abstraction approaches D DAVID PUBLISHING