[googlemike]

How can building design be older than humankind?

[dsr_]

Many of the social insects -- ants and termites and bees, especially -- build "buildings" which have heterogenous rooms specialized for different purposes.

Genetic algorithms, indeed.

[hammock]

I imagine there were hominids building shelters before homo sapiens. And they probably took cues from animals.

[JeffreyKaine]

Weaver birds, beavers, bees, ants, termites, etc... Hell, we could even call shelled animals like snails and turtles mobile buildings :P