This document provides an overview of architectural concept development. It defines concept as the initiating idea of a project, which can be formed based on site conditions, client needs, and building typology. Developing a strong architectural concept gives designers clear direction and framework for design decisions. It should influence all aspects of the project from exterior/interior design to structure and materials. Approaches to deriving design concepts include pragmatic based on practical needs, iconic using established forms, canonic following rules and proportions, and analogy taking ideas from other sources. Developing a clear concept is important for academic and professional success as it provides consistency and richness to the architectural design.

1. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN II
Introduction to Architectural Concept
BY; Yidnekachew F.

2. Architectural production is a process
that includes the stages of
thinking, designing and drafting.
This process starts with the
development of a “concept”.
...every architectural project should be derived from a concept

3. Before driving a concept we need to gather information
so there is 3 types of information
1, Site information
Local climate History
Prevailing wind Building context
Solar aspect Vegetation
2, Client information
Beliefs/Culture Budget
Preference Program
3, typology information
Types of building

4. …But can also be generated in full or in part by building program,
culture, society, technology, emotion, and sense.
That said, more often than not, an exemplar piece of architecture will
always be well rooted and relate to its site and context,
and so site analysis plays a huge role in architectural concept
generation and development.

5. • Notion
• Idea
• Theory
DEFINITIONS OF CONCEPT
• Opinion
•
Hypothesis
Philosophy
•
Abstraction
•Inspiration
• Belief
An architectural concept can be described as an

6. CONCEPT A tiered approach to corporate education
Design concept is an idea statement that could be used as a spring
board for the decisions we make on the major aspects and features of
an architectural product.
A concept is the initiating idea of the project and can be formed by way
of considering several factors, such as the function and site
conditions of the project, a possible structural system, or the
historical and cultural context of the site.

7. Design concepts will and should influence the whole project, and
include the:
•Exterior and interior - orientation, massing, form, apertures,
height, light
•The landscape - hard and soft surfaces, types of planting, scale
of painting, arrangement of planting
•Finishes - colours, styles, textures, materials
•Fixtures and fittings - genre, style, scale, amount, material
•Structure - light, heavy, traditional, modern, vernacular
•Materials - colours, hard or soft, weathering, types, styles, locally
sourced, vernaculars
How and what do they influence?

8. Why generate a concept?
A strong architecture concept gives the architect / designer a clear direction and
framework when making design decisions
it provides a methodology to the thinking process by offering a type of rule book.
When there is a question to be answered or a decision to be made, the concept is
consulted and used to direct methods of thinking to provide a solution within its own
parameters to maintain the clarity of the design intent.
This stops the architect from branching off into never-ending directions and
tangents, that will only hinder and water down the architectures legitimacy.
In academic and professional terms, the difference between a successful project
and an average one is judged by the strength of its concept and whether its clarity
remained and was kept consistent throughout.
Architecture needs to be grounded in depth and meaning and the more coherent
and relevant it is, the more successful and interesting it becomes ...the concept
brings richness to the design.

9. APPROACHES TO DERIVING DESIGN
I
P
C
A
Pragmatic
Iconic
Canonic
Analogy

10. PRAGMATIC
• Driven by practical needs
• Availability of materials
• trial and error

11. PRAGMATIC

12. ICONIC
•Use of an established form /symbol/pattern
•Retaining/ continuing an established way of building
•A fixed image derived over time
•beliefs in the origin and continuity of a form
ICONIC

13. CANONIC
Derived from rules, proportioning systems
Prescription

14. ANALOGY
1. Literal Analogy
Direct imitation or transfer of an idea/ shape/ from
2. Intellectual Analogy
Represent the idea/essence/ theme/ spirit of something

15. LITERAL ANALOGY

17. INTELLECTUAL ANALOGY

20. Questions
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