A design application generates feasible engineering designs that satisfy criteria associated with a particular engineering problem. The design application receives input that outlines a specific engineering problem to be solved, and then synthesizes a problem specification based on this input. The design application then searches a database to identify different classes of approaches to solving the design problem set forth in the problem specification. The design application then selects one or more such classes of approaches, and generates a spectrum of potential design solutions for each such approach. The generated solutions may then be evaluated to determine the degree to which the problems specification has been met.