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Architecture vocabulary · Design Process

Diagram

Meaning in architecture, with examples

/ˈdaɪəɡræm/nounCore term

In architecture, diagram means: A simple, abstract drawing that explains one idea about a design, such as how spaces connect, how people move or where the sun comes from.

In Turkish: diyagram, şema

How it is used

Used at every stage, from analysis to the final jury. A bubble diagram shows how rooms relate; concept, circulation and structural diagrams explain the design. Juries often ask students to 'explain it with a diagram'.

Example sentences

  1. Start with a bubble diagram before drawing the plan.

  2. Your circulation diagram makes the idea much clearer.

Common collocations

  • bubble diagram
  • concept diagram
  • circulation diagram
  • draw a diagram
  • conceptThe 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.
  • 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.
  • site analysisA study of a site before design starts, looking at its size, slope, climate, sun, wind, views, access, surrounding buildings and planning rules.
  • circulationThe way people move through and between the spaces of a building, including corridors, stairs, lifts, ramps and entrances.
  • presentation boardA large sheet, often A1 or A0, on which drawings, images, diagrams and short texts are arranged to present a project to a jury, client or competition.

More terms: Design Process

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