The 7th Symposium on Formal Methods in Architecture (7FMA) aims to contribute to the discussion in architecture and urbanism on the application of new formal methods to emerging social and technical issues. The focus will be on methodological advances based on recent developments in collaboration with mathematics and computer science, applied to architecture and urbanism at different levels of abstraction and formalization.

2024’s FMA will focus on the connection between formal methods and architectural practice. With the proliferation of digital technologies, which every day allow increasingly intelligent tasks to be delegated to automated tools and have immense potential to increase productivity, it is urgent to examine the gap that often exists between scientific endeavors and practical applications in everyday architectural work.

Each Symposium edition has showcased complex methods and exciting advancements in the various fields under the FMA umbrella: we have witnessed how artificial intelligence, generative grammar, and other forms of design automation can be implemented into the design process; we have also explored how spatial analysis methodologies can provide a systematic understanding of large-scale social processes and can be applied to comprehend the social outcomes of architectural interventions; we have observed GIS, photogrammetry, and other methods for collecting and organizing data become simultaneously more sophisticated and user-friendly every year and see how virtual and we have seen how virtual and augmented reality not only facilitate visualization but also enhance our understanding of designs and can be incorporated into interactive design environments; we have examined how this myriad of formal methods be used for the development of smart buildings and cities and to facilitate participatory processes. Simultaneously, and in parallel, we have witnessed the growing pressure put by the construction industry on architecture offices to implement CAD and BIM technology. It is in this context that, with this edition of the Symposium, we wish to discuss, disseminate, and promote the use of formal methods in the creation of new explicit languages for the solution of architectural and urban problems.

Recognizing that architecture and urbanism requires both technological and artistic approaches, the 7th Symposium will address current challenges in these fields, including production, sustainability, design, representation, communication, and heritage. The potential and limitations of using formal methods to address these challenges will also be explored. Researchers, professionals, and students in the fields of architecture, urbanism, landscape design, civil engineering, and computer science are invited to attend.

We invite the submission of research proposals that enhance and advance these and related themes using novel or established methodologies, case studies, theoretical and historical perspectives, analytical experiments, and other methods. We encourage contributions from a diverse range of fields, including proposals that explore non-traditional formats (e.g., artistic, performative, demonstrative, etc.). In proposing a topic as broad as formal methods in architecture, we aim to facilitate the exchange and generation of knowledge through interdisciplinary communication.