Designing is one of the foundations for change in our society - it is a fundamental precursor to manufacturing, fabrication and construction. Design research aims to develop an understanding of designing and to produce models of designing that can be used to aid designing. The papers in this volume represent the cutting edge of research and development in this field. The contents demonstrate both the depth and breadth of the artificial intelligence paradigm in design, pointing the way for the development of advanced computer-based tools to aid designers. The papers describe both advances in theory and application.