MASTER PARAMETRIC DESIGN - 385H
23rd Edition. Autumn 2026. Spots Available!
A unique program designed to immerse you in the world of computational design, a cutting-edge field in product and industrial design, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering, and digital fabrication. You will explore the creation of both digital and physical parametric models using Grasshopper for Rhino as your primary tool, along with our CNC (computer numerical control) machines.
COURSE INFO
Language: English
Dates PART I – October 26, 2026 – January 14, 2027
Dates PART II – January 18 – February 11, 2027
Minimum number of students: 8
Course Schedule: Normally classes take place from Monday to Thursday in the evening.
Live sessions and tutoring PART I – Online | 16:00 – 20:00 (Madrid Time, CET)
Live sessions and tutoring PART II – Hybrid | 15:30 – 20:00 (Madrid Time, CET)
Student Personal Project PARTE II (In person; optional) | 11:00 – 14:30
*If both Parts were in person, each session would extend 30 more minutes.
Grasshopper is a free graphical algorithm editor tightly integrated with Rhino’s 3-D modeling tools. Unlike RhinoScript, Grasshopper requires no knowledge of programming or scripting, but still allows designers to build form generators from the simple to the awe-inspiring.
It is used in some of the world’s most renowned architecture studios, such as Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners, as well as by leading engineering teams like those behind the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, BMW, and Arup.
We will work with top tutors and instructors for each module, all of whom have university-level teaching experience.
PROGRAM
The course is divided into two parts. Students can choose to complete only the first part or the full program (Part I and II), which can be taken either online or in person.
PART I, 248 hours (online / in person for full course):
- UNIT 1: RHINO 3D (NURBS, Meshes, SubD)
- UNIT 2: GRASSHOPPER basics
- UNIT 3: Advanced GRASSHOPPER (organic design, artificial intelligence, structural analysis with Karamba3D, form-finding with Kangaroo, optimization processes)
- UNIT 4: PYTHON for RHINO and GRASSHOPPER (introduction to the most popular programming language)
- UNIT 5: VISUALIZATION
- UNIT 6: PERSONAL PROJECT (individual work based on the content of previous modules)
PART II DIGITAL FABRICATION , optional, 137 hours (online / in person):
- UNIT A: 3D PRINTING + ROBOTS
- UNIT B: LASER CNC
- UNIT C: CNC MILLING
- UNIT D: PERSONAL PROJECT (individual work based on the content of previous modules)
The full course includes :
- 385 hours of training and independent work (language: English)
- Visits to Digital Fabrication centers, such as Lowpoly (Madrid) and Nagami (Ávila)
- Option to purchase a student Rhino license (for Mac and Windows), which is much more affordable, offers the same features as the professional version, and has no expiration date.
- Basic Materials for Prototyping (MDF, foam boards, clay, PLA, ABS, etc.)
Professionals and students from the fields of architecture, industrial, automotive, product, and structural design, engineering, as well as anyone interested in learning and using parametric tools.
Below, you can download selected student project work from previous editions of the program (online hybrid editions only).
Please note that the quality of the documents has been reduced to allow for smaller file sizes and faster downloads.
At the end of the course, students will receive a diploma certifying their attendance and completion of the main tasks, plug-ins, and add-ons taught. This diploma is endorsed by Controlmad, ARTC, the official Rhino FabStudio (Spain), and Rhino FabStudio (McNeel Miami).
PART I: Certificate of Master in Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication
FULL COURSE: Certificate of Master in Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication
Controlmad offers a scholarship for the full course in the in-person format. This scholarship provides a €1,000 discount on the enrollment fee. Any participant is eligible to apply.
Upon request, Controlmad will send an application form along with instructions and detailed information for candidates.
We share job and internship opportunities with our current students and alumni from companies seeking specialists in parametric design.
We are actively working to establish partnerships with leading companies across various sectors that offer job openings and internship positions. For example, we have recently reached agreements with:
INASUS, a leading company in facade design and manufacturing, with offices in Spain and the United Kingdom.
EUMADA, a consulting firm specializing in building engineering, with presence in the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
DOSIS, a Spanish creative processes laboratory committed to pushing the built environment to its limits through innovative architectural solutions..
LOWPOLY, a studio specializing in digital fabrication and innovation, tailoring its services to each client’s needs. Committed to sustainability, it repurposes manufacturing waste as printing material for its own product line.
ARCHEO DESIGN STUDIO, a studio specializing in façade design, technical modeling, and computational workflows, developing innovative solutions for architectural projects of all scales.
INSTRUCTORS and VISITS
- Sergio Alonso del Campo, Professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Controlmad
- Diego García Cuevas, Professor at European University Madrid (UE). Co-author of the book Advanced 3D Printing with Grasshopper – Controlmad
- Andrés González. McNeel Miami. Director RhinoFabStudio, USA
- Marc Serra Ureta, expert in Structural Design. Professor at UPC Barcelona. Bollinger and Grohmann, Germany
- Heba Eiz. Computational design specialist TP Bennett, UK
- Aaron Porterfied. F=F USA. Plugin developer Crystallon
- Francisco Pérez. PhD. Full professor in naval engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, UPM.
- Abdulrahman Ayman Fahmy, PhD. Assistant Prof. of Architecture at Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Author of the books: RhinoCommon Using the Geometry Namespace with C# and Python.
- Part I: Visit to Barcelona (optional; if Part I is held in person) — Sagrada Familia, IAAC, and McNeel Europe offices
- Part II: Visits to Lowpoly , Awad y Nagami; to be confirmed.
Instructors who have participated in previous editions:
- Arturo Tedeschi. Computational designer. Author of the book AAD. A>T Office, Italy
- Pep Tornabell, Enrique Soriano. CODA office. Barcelona
- Aman Agrawal, Creative Mutations, India
- Clemens Preisinger, Matthew Tam, Adam Orlinski. Developers Karamba3d. Austria
- Ursula Frick and Thomas Grabner [uto], Austria.
ENROLLMENT
PART I – online 2375 euros. Early bird fee: 1995 euros.
FUll COURSE ONLINE or HYBRID (Part I online + Part II in person) 3775 euros. Early bird fee: 3395 euros.
FULL COURSE IN PERSON – 4975 euros. Early bird fee: 4295 euros.
There are 2 early bird spots available
Secure your spot with a €800 deposit and complete the remaining payment within 30 days.
Please download and review the registration file for full details and terms.
- Bank transfer. Please, click above button “How to register” for detailed information
- Credit – Debit Card (Secure e-commerce platform Stripe)
- PayPal to reserve your spot, either via your PayPal account or with a credit/debit card (PayPal fees are included).*
(* The PayPal option is available for the reservation deposit only. If you need to make the full payment via PayPal, please contact us. Additional processing fees from PayPal and Stripe apply and are not included in the tuition fee.
FAQ
Do I need any prior knowledge of Grasshopper?
Not at all. Basic experience with CAD software (such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, etc.) is recommended, but no prior knowledge of Rhino or Grasshopper is required.
Are sessions recorded?
The sessions are live. To follow the course properly, attendance is recommended. However, if you are unable to attend due to your time zone or work/study schedule, the sessions will be recorded and available until the Monday of the following week.
Can I first register for Part I and then enroll in Part II later?
Yes, if you continue in the online format. For in-person training, it will depend on availability. You may be required to pay the difference between the Part I fee and the full tuition currently listed on the website.
Can I register for Part I in person?
Yes, as long as there are available spots. Priority will be given to full in-person registrations. In any case, please contact us.
Can I take Part I now and complete Part II in future editions?
We recommend completing the full course to complete your training. (Keep in mind that PART II is also available online.) In-person training usually fills up quickly, and spots are limited.
FAQ onsite course
Looking for accomodation?
Travel Restriction Issues
In cases of force majeure (for example, if leaving your country or traveling to Spain is not permitted, as was the case during Covid-19), you must provide proof through an official website, document, or certificate confirming the reason.
In such cases, like those following the course online, Controlmad will give you access to the classes and exercises online and will supervise the digital fabrication process with feedback on the results, including the assembly phase. Additionally, the objects can be fabricated using those files at the FabLab nearest to you (this is not included in the course price).
Do you need a visa?
It should not be a problem, as the course duration is approximately 3 months. However, for non-EU citizens, we strongly recommend contacting the Spanish Embassy as soon as possible and starting the procedures early, as processing times may vary depending on the country.
Controlmad will provide you with all the necessary documents to obtain the visa (invitation letter, payment invoice, etc.).
We have had students from more than 35 countries: Austria, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Panama, Peru, Nigeria, the Philippines, India, Russia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela, etc.
MORE QUESTIONS?
Contact us for more information via phone (+34) 91 539 33 66 or email info@controlmad.com. If you need it, we can arrange a videocall.
