Abstract
When working with parametric models, architects typically focus on using rather structuring them (Woodbury, 2010). As a result, increasing design complexity typically means a convoluted paramefric model, amplifying known problems: 'hard to understand, modify, share and reuse' (Smith 2007; Davis 2011). This practice is in contrast with conventional software-programming where programmers are known to meticulously document and structure their code with versioning tool. In this paper, we argue that versioning tools could help to manage parametric modelling complexity, as it has been showing with software counterparts. Four key features of version control: committing, differentiating, branching, and merging, and how they could be implemented in a parametric design practice are discussed. Initial user test sessions with 5 student designers using GHShot Grasshopper version control plugin (Cristie and Joyce 2018, 2017) revealed that the plugin is useful to record and overview design progression, share model, and provide a fallback mechanism.