Design is constraint-oriented, that is, much of the design process involves the recognition, formulation, and satisfaction of constraints. Constraints range from soft constraints imposed by aesthetic considerations to hard constraints imposed by physical laws. Constraints may impose relationships upon geometric as well as non- geometric aspects of a design. The goal of this research project is to develop a new theory and new interactive graphic tools for conceptual design. The problem of interest is constraint negotiation and, in particular, constraints that relate to a design's geometry (i.e. form), its performance (i.e. function), and the physical laws which govern it (i.e. physics). Constraints related to marketing, economics and fabrication are not considered.
