You may be familiar with a number of tips as an aspiring architect. It can be not easy to decide which tips are most important. In this article, we’ll cover the five best ways to design like an architect. We will break down each element: concept, alignments, scales, proportions and details. We will show you real-life examples of both good and bad examples. Let’s get started!

Design Tips

1. Create a Concept

Concepts are likely one of the first concepts you learn in design or architecture school. All of your design decisions are based on the idea. It can be abstract or literal. If you choose a literal notion of an apple, then your building could look like one. Your design could be based on the way an apple grows or is formed if you abstract it. The form of the Seattle Public Library is both functional and intriguing. The interior layout generated the form of the design. It was designed around the core components in the library arranged the most logically. It would be ideal if the library were completely linear so that books could be easily located. However, this is not very practical. Instead, the architects of this library (OMA) decided to build a ramp that travels all the floors. This is an excellent example of how the concept of a building can influence its entire design.

2. Focus on Alignment

Alignment is the second and most important design tip. This first picture is an example of bad alignment. It is easy to see that even a slight misalignment of the ceilings and walls can be an eyesore. If all the points were to meet at one point, this would create an intentional and symmetrical alignment.

This image is an example of a good alignment. The portals align with the centres of each arch, which are also in line with the circles on the tiled floor. You can see an arch that is pointed and aligned with the centre above the portal. The repetition and precision of the elements create a beautiful, intentional design.

3. Scale is important

It is easy to overlook the importance of scale when designing. When designing, you should consider the purpose of the space to determine the appropriate scale. This house, featured in Architectural Digest, has a large front door, oversized stairs and high ceilings. These features are great for large events or galleries but not for everyday use by one person.

4. Maintain proportions

Proportions are the second most crucial design tip. The unification of scale and alignment is the key. The proportion of a building is similar to the way the scale is relative. In a building with proportion, the visible side may be double the length or the same width as the other side. The Parthenon is a great example of proportion. The column capital is the same size as the space between the columns. Likewise, the details of the frieze are also proportional.

5. Details are important

Detail is the culmination of all the design tips. You can create stunning details if you take each of these into consideration when you design. This building’s facade was well thought out. The geometric pattern is perfectly aligned with the reveals. Attention to detail can enhance the overall concept and appearance.

In this Tadao-Ando ecclesiastical plan, you can clearly see how the joints are aligned and the openings of the cross. The architect uses contrasts between light and dark and different materials to highlight the cross-detail.

You can design like an architect if you follow these five tips. Did you agree with any of the tips? What is your opinion on the most important design tip you have received? Comment and let us know!

Check out our tips and tutorials for more ways to improve your design abilities!

Happy Hacking