An Analytical Model for Teaching Architectural Building Design

Design is the central activity and the ultimate aim of architectural education. However, it is not easy to clearly frame what the principles of teaching and learning of architectural design might be. Design problems are known to be ill-structured in the sense that there is no straightforward process to be followed. In this paper we present an analytical model for teaching the design of building for architecture students. The model is based upon subdividing the complex design process into more manageable smaller design elements and organizing these design elements in a hierarchy based upon their levels of detail. Two key features lie at the heart of our model: the design element or the object, and the layering structure. Principles behind the new model and interaction between the different design elements are clearly defined. These principles include object decomposition principle, generalization/specialization principle, concept transfer principle and concept composition principle. This multi-layer model provides a systematic approach for handling the huge amount of information by subdividing the problem into a number of pieces of manageable and comprehensive size, and generating design concepts that are easy to follow and to understand. The model has been tested with simple applications and case studies and initial results are promising.