Parametric Architecture and Perception. Luigi Moretti’s Prophecy About the Role of Digital Representation

This paper investigates the relationship between parametric architecture and perception, revisiting Luigi Moretti’s theoretical and experimental work as a precursor to contemporary digital design methodologies. The study analyzes Moretti’s concept of parametric architecture, developed between the 1940s and the 1960s, which proposed the integration of mathematical models, logical processes, and computational tools to generate architectural form based on performance criteria, particularly visual perception. Through the reinterpretation of historical formulas—such as the visibility function for stadium design (p. 674–675)—and their translation into contemporary parametric environments (e.g., Grasshopper), the research explores how perceptual parameters can drive form-finding processes. As illustrated in the generative experiments (pp. 678–681), genetic algorithms and computational design tools are employed to optimize spatial configurations according to visual quality metrics (C-value, A-value, ϕ-value), enabling the generation of multiple design alternatives. The results highlight the continuity between Moretti’s vision and current digital practices, demonstrating that parametric approaches can support the integration of quantitative data and perceptual criteria in architectural design. The study concludes that digital representation acts as a computational framework for managing complexity and generating performance-driven forms, reaffirming the relevance of parametric thinking in contemporary architecture.