Generative Design at ArtCenter

Description and objectives

Generative Design, Transmedia at ArtCenter College of Design

This course explores the ways in which new tools, technologies, and techniques are impacting the expanding field of Graphic Design. Students use code to generate forms, working with algorithmically driven type and image across screen, print, and space while examining how this approach to design is situated within historical, contemporary, and future contexts.

In practice

Most design students enrolled in this course have never coded before. To ensure that everyone knows what they are committing to, everyone is expected to write code on the first day of class. We start off with a guided exercise in which students follow along with a live coding demonstration to create a simple generative design. The motivation here is to a) express in practical, hands-on terms what generative design is and how we will be engaging with it during the semester, and b) to get students excited about the approachability of coding and the creative possibilities it presents. After this first exercise, students are expected to continue coding on their own, and to seek help from the instructor and their peers when they get stuck.

Schedule

Phase	Weeks	Focus
Foundations	1–4	Coding basics (variables, frameCount, random()), data types, conditionals, loops & maps, grids. Project 1 kickoff.
Type & motion	5–7	Project 1 critiques, importing fonts and textToPoints(), lerp(), GUI inputs (dat.gui).
Image & 3D	8–10	Importing images and get(), WebGL (3D), webcam video, ASCII, ml5.js motion tracking. Project 2 kickoff.
Shipping	11–14	Project 2 critiques, building and deploying a microsite, working with AI tools, APIs, open studios. Project 3 kickoff and final critiques.

Student work examples

I'm consistently impressed by students' ability to apply the concepts and techniques we cover in class to their own creative projects. Below are a few examples of student work from the course.

Student feedback

Students have consistently provided positive feedback about the course, highlighting the hands-on approach to learning coding and the creative possibilities it opens up. Many students have expressed that they felt empowered to explore generative design in their own work and appreciated the supportive learning environment. They have also mentioned that my teaching style is approachable and that I have made them feel comfortable reframing "failure" as a learning opportunity.

Some examples of student feedback include (edited for clarity and brevity):

What are the best qualities of this class?

Ali is incredibly knowledgeable about p5.js and loves what he teaches. It's a laid-back, self-led environment with room to explore projects based on our own interests.

The class structure was highly effective: we built proficiency in p5.js through exercises before applying it to a final project. The in-class work sessions and the resources he shared were invaluable.

Ali goes out of his way to find code examples and inspiration for our projects. The topic is difficult, but he's readily available to explain in detail how things work.

I never expected to learn this. I'd seen generative motion projects and assumed they were made in After Effects—now I know how to create interactive posters and sketches through code. It was a no-pressure class where I felt comfortable making mistakes.

His detailed explanations during demos clearly convey how each part of the code works, which makes a complex subject much easier to understand.

How can this class be improved?

I did not feel that there was much to improve.

No notes.

I love this class.

How likely are you to recommend this class/course to fellow students? Please explain your answer.

A great intro to generative coding with a great pace and a digestible workload. Anyone interested in learning should take this class to get a solid grasp of the software and coding principles.

This class is friendly for those with no coding experience, and it's focused on applying these skills in a way that makes sense for me as a designer.

An essential foundation for anyone interested in Transmedia. Paired with p5.js, Ali's approach bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and practical skills.

Ali is the one professor at ArtCenter who has made me feel comfortable "failing" and embracing trial and error. He encourages creativity, aesthetics, and strategy over technique.

This class changed the way I design. I used to be scared of code, and now I'm comfortable starting a p5.js project on my own—a skill that makes me stand out as a designer.