What is Architect Design Concept?

The architect's design concept will sometimes begin as an idea, or maybe a philosophy, or perhaps from simple guidelines another person has provided. Then, with time, multiple designs and ideas are born and slowly evolve into an abstract design. A roadmap is created for a team of others to follow for the completion of a project that was somebody's dream or vision.

Yes, the design concept is the DNA, and it comes from an Architect. This is the big picture from which many other components will be positioned. This is where the intention of the overall design of a structure is given life, starting with the early schematic design until the opening day ribbon is cut.

The Thinking Process is Over

With an architect's design in place, the design concept brought together a cohesive and unified concept and vision. It summarized a client's project, created a well-thought-out concept, and removed possible overthinking later. This phase of a construction project makes all future decisions simpler. The big decisions are made with the architect's design concept, and the client can then relax because they will know the project requirements are going to be met by the other components of the project following this plan.

But it is critical for the architect's design concept to be nailed down as early as possible. It is even more critical that the design concept be followed by the other phases that will come along. If the design concept isn't followed, there is a risk that the project won't flow right, and the overall look won't be consistent.

The Big Complex Problem is Solved

The architect's design concept is the solution to what starts out as a complex puzzle. There are different project goals and many different objectives involved when creating a project that will end successfully. The list of needs and wants, the budget and the timeline, and a building site are each a project requirement, and they must all come together for success to be achieved. The architect design concept is the catalyst that can make this happen.  

How to Make This Work?

At the start of any project, information is collected. This is the "discovery" phase, as much information is gathered. It is the Q&A phase of a project, and the information that has been collected is reviewed. This gives us the starting point for the analysis mode, and the many different components are reviewed, including:

·         Site Information

·         Building Codes and Zones

·         Client's Budget Info

·         And other relevant programmatic information

Now is when the team is 'educated' and understands all the requirements, constraints, and opportunities a project has to offer. This is when the design concept and ideas can be sketched out, it has created the base level of massing studies through rough shapes and voids. There is an overlaying circulation path, views, and additional shapes presented. Now the various ideas are starting to flow, taking shape and the how the actual spaces will relate to each other and the building site.