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Architecture vocabulary · Design Process

Concept

Meaning in architecture, with examples

/ˈkɑːnsept/nounCore term

In architecture, concept means: The central idea that guides a design and gives it a clear direction, such as a strong relationship with the landscape or a building organised around light.

In Turkish: konsept, tasarım fikri, ana fikir

How it is used

Heard in every studio, jury and competition. You develop, explain, present or stick to a concept; a concept diagram or concept sketch explains it quickly. In the UK, 'concept design' is also the name of an early project stage.

Example sentences

  1. The concept is simple: every room opens onto the central garden.

  2. The jury liked the concept but felt the plan didn't support it.

Common collocations

  • develop a concept
  • design concept
  • concept diagram
  • strong concept
  • concept design
  • sketchA quick freehand drawing used to explore or explain an idea, usually made early in the design process and not drawn to an exact scale.
  • diagramA simple, abstract drawing that explains one idea about a design, such as how spaces connect, how people move or where the sun comes from.
  • briefA document that sets out what a building must provide: its uses, the list of spaces and their sizes, the budget, the schedule and the client's goals.
  • precedentAn existing building or project that architects study to learn from its ideas, organisation or details and to support their own design decisions.
  • schematic designThe early design stage in which the architect develops the main layout, massing and character of a building from the brief, before detailed design begins.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Design Process

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