The Importance of Concept in Architecture

Concept in general is an abstract idea for developing the task at hand. It can be the visualization of how to formulate a solution, imagine what it might conclude as or a peculiar character it may possess. Anything which will help delve deeper into the subject matter to imprint in mind the path to progress. Even just the process of thought can be the framework for an outcome. In architecture, a concept is the first step in designing spaces which will serve all the functional needs and also feel comfortable while performing these functions.

The aim of the concept for architecture is to lead your mind in a new direction which will bring innovative outcomes. Anything and everything has its own unique anatomy that gives it its identity. Focusing on any quality of these things can help understand its values and acknowledge them in the design. The design process from here on can be an abstraction of these values to capture their essence or a bolder step to resemble the features. In any case, the objective of the concept is to see the design solution from a different perspective and maybe come up with an untried solution. The original concept can remain as a reflection of the main idea that in turn dawned to a new one.

Whatever the concept may be, there will always be a track from which it originated and tracing back to it can lead to alternative answers to newer obstacles. It can be a tool to devise a method of tackling these obstacles but still get the principal output to be a whole. It can be used in countless ways in the design process and each new choice leads to new development. Sometimes the concept may be applied only to some aspects for example: function, façade, roof structure etc. Even the concept itself does not have to be anything physical, it may just be some visual, haptic or sentimental factors that express the whole picture.

In the end, the concept may manifest in the final design in any form for example: materials, structure, position in site etc. The concept should be the guide and path to formulate solutions, but it should be followed such that it will not hamper the smooth flow of the design process nor will it restrict the flexibility in choices to be made.