Have you ever looked at a design and felt that it just works? For years, I've been fascinated by that feeling of effortless harmony, that sense of perfect balance. I've come to believe it isn't magic. It's math.
Marco-Christian Krenn
My Journey into the Cosmic Code: Building Smarter, More Aesthetic Design Systems
Have you ever looked at a design and felt that it just works? For years, I've been fascinated by that feeling of effortless harmony, that sense of perfect balance. I've come to believe it isn't magic. It's math. It's what I call the "cosmic code," an underlying set of rules that governs everything from the colors we see to the layouts we love.
In my recent talk, "Algorithms & Aesthetics," I took the audience on a journey through my process: from the chaotic, intuition-based design of the past to the elegant, algorithm-driven systems I believe are the future. If you're ready to unlock the secrets of the design universe with me, let's begin.
Our Past: The Age of Observation & Tedious Tomes
When I started in design, we were living in what I call the "pre-algorithmic era." I often compare us back then to early astronomers. We spent countless nights meticulously charting the stars, documenting every position, but we didn't fully grasp the laws of physics that governed their movements. We did the same in design.
We created massive brand guideline books, hundreds of pages long, detailing every single design rule. We relied heavily on our intuition. Design systems felt fragile, often built around the specific knowledge of a few key people, our "designer-gods." If one of them left, the whole system could wobble and collapse, just like a Jenga tower. It was a world of endless documentation and manual work. Changing one small detail meant hours, or even days, of tedious updates.
My "Copernican Shift": Discovering the Algorithm Within Design
My personal "Copernican Shift" was the realization that we could move beyond just observing and documenting. Just as historical figures like Copernicus, Newton, and Einstein discovered the elegant formulas that explain our physical universe, I believe we can uncover the hidden rules that govern good design. This was my "aha" moment. I realized that design isn't random; it's based on patterns and algorithms that our brains are naturally wired to find pleasing.
You see these algorithms everywhere in nature. Think about the Fibonacci sequence, that beautiful spiral we find in sunflowers and seashells, and even in the proportions of Leonardo da Vinci's art. That's an algorithm. I argue that the same is true for color, spacing, and typography. They are all governed by underlying principles. Once we understand them, we can use them to create consistently harmonious and predictable designs.
In my talk, I love to demonstrate this concept with color. I show how color isn't just a random splash of paint, but a navigable 3D space. By defining a mathematical curve for lightness, for example, I can create a smooth and perceptible progression of color. Visualizing this in a graph engine makes it clear. We can turn a complex, subjective concept like color into a predictable and manageable system.
The same ideas apply to spacing and typography, which I like to call the "mathematical music of layout." By using a harmonic series, I can generate a flexible and systematic type scale. This isn't about restricting creativity. It’s about creating a robust framework that allows for infinite creative expression within a consistent and harmonious system.
The Algorithmic Age: Where Predictability Creates Beauty
Once you truly understand and implement the algorithms that underpin your design, you enter what I call the "Algorithmic Age." This is where the real power lies. Your design system becomes predictable. You can finally move from guessing with "what if" to knowing with "we know."
The beauty of this approach is its incredible efficiency and elegance. Instead of a 500-page brand book, you can have a few core formulas that generate infinite, consistent expressions of your brand. For me, this is a process of "discovery, not invention." The algorithms are already there, waiting for us to find them.
The live Figma demo I do is always a fun moment. It's where I get to show the real-world impact of this thinking. With a single click, I can change an entire design system's colors and properties just by switching a "mode" or "brand" token. And because these design tokens are machine-readable, they create a seamless bridge between design and development. The gap closes, and collaboration becomes easier than ever.
Our Future: Charting New Galaxies as Design Cosmologists
So, what's next? Where do we go from here? I believe the next frontier is applying this algorithmic thinking to more complex challenges like nuance and context. How can we build systems that automatically adapt to different user needs or environments? How can we integrate something as subjective as brand personality as a variable in our system?
This is where I challenge everyone in our field to become a "design cosmologist." Our role is to explore these new frontiers. We must be the ones to seek out the patterns, write the code, and shape the universe of our design systems. The algorithm doesn't replace the designer; it empowers us. It frees us from tedious, manual tasks and allows us to focus on what we truly do best: solving problems and being creative.
My Invitation to You: Let's Seek the Patterns Together
My journey into the "cosmic code" of design has been transformative, and I believe we are only at the beginning. Moving from a world of chaos and intuition to one of order and predictability is a powerful shift, and it’s a journey I am excited to be on.
So, the next time you see a design that just feels right, remember the cosmic code that lies beneath. I invite you to join me in this exploration. Let's ask the big questions. What patterns can we find? What algorithms can we write? Together, as design cosmologists, let's shape the future of design.
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