Benedikt Groß

Generative Design – Visualize, Program, & Create with JavaScript in p5.js (book)

2018 Feb

In 2009, Generative Gestaltung was published in German by Verlag Hermann Schmidt. The book was developed out of our Diploma Thesis Generative Systeme by Julia Laub and myself, which aimed to: 1. help designers to recognize code as a material to expand their practice and 2. to suggest a new way of teaching coding through highlighting key coding concepts in an art and design context – via key principles of “classic” foundation courses (color, form, typography and image) – in a time when coding was still considered being only a tool for “programmers and engineers” and not for artists and designers.

The Generative Design book has been translated to French, English, Japanese and became something of a household name in the design and creative coding community. Casey Reas, one of the founders of Processing gave this nice “testimonial”:

“In my opinion, Generative Gestaltung is by far the most exciting book that uses Processing published to date. The book is an extraordinary achievement …”

Now in 2018, Generative Design: Visualize, Program and Create with P5.js serves as a modern update and interpretation of the motivation, concepts and aesthetics thought further by us and contributors over the last 8 years. With the release of P5.js, the JavaScript interpretation of Processing, there is finally an extremely accessible “creative coding” development environment. While in 2018 people no longer need to be convinced of the value of coding, the Generative Design book continues to make programming more accessible.

English Edition

Japanese Edition