You don’t need to become a software engineer to benefit from code. As an architect, you already think in systems, constraints, and iterations—that’s 80% of programming. The missing 20% is learning a small set of tools that turn ideas into repeatable, sharable workflows. (I wrote more about the reasons behind this in Why Architects Should Code.)

The best way to start is to keep it visual and immediate. Don’t dive into terminals, compilers, or complex library setups. Your goal at the beginning is to see results quickly, without spending hours just trying to “get things running.”

A great first step is p5.js—a coding environment created specifically for beginners. It’s designed to be friendly, visual, and easy to start with. It runs directly in your browser, so there’s no installation, no hidden setup, and no intimidating black terminal window. You type your code, hit play, and instantly see shapes, lines, and colors appear. You can try it right away in the p5.js online editor and explore what’s possible using the p5.js reference page.

When you begin, keep your experiments small and visual:

• Use simple rectangles to suggest a façade.

• Create patterns that look like architectural details.

• Draw very basic floor plans or layouts with lines.

• Add a bit of randomness to generate quick design variations.

• Change one parameter at a time to see how it transforms the output.

You’ll be surprised how quickly these little sketches start to feel like real design tools.

And remember—you don’t have to figure everything out alone. Today, AI tools like ChatGPT make it much easier to learn and troubleshoot code. If you’re stuck, get an error, or don’t know how to add a feature, just describe your problem and share your code. You can get guidance, explanations, and working examples in minutes.

Once you feel comfortable, you can bring coding into the tools you already use, like Rhino/Grasshopper with Python scripting. That way, you’re applying what you’ve learned directly to real architectural problems: generating variations, automating repetitive tasks, or testing ideas much faster than manual modeling.

The important part is to start small and stay curious. Each little project you complete is another building block—not just in code, but in the way you think and design.