A Conceptual Model of the Architectural Design Process Focusing on Geometric Knowledge within Design Thinking

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

3 Professor, Faculty of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Geometry in architectural design has often been approached primarily as a formal and technical instrument for generating spatial configurations. However, its deeper cognitive, epistemological, and conceptual dimensions within the architectural design process have received comparatively limited attention. This study aims to investigate the role of geometric khnowledge in architectural design thinking and to formulate a conceptual framework that explains how this generative system contributes to the understanding, organisation, transformation, and realisation of architectural ideas. The research seeks to clarify spatial logic not merely as a representational tool, but as a foundational language embedded in the logic of design phases.
 
Materials and Methods: This research adopted a qualitative methodology based on the Grounded Theory Method (GTM). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 prominent architects and university professors specialising in architecture and design studies. The collected data were analysed using ATLAS.ti software through three stages of coding: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. This analytical process enabled the identification of key concepts, categories, and interrelationships, ultimately leading to the development of a conceptual model explaining the function of these structural principles in architectural design processes.
 
Results and Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that spatial configuration beyond its conventional role as a form-generating tool and functions as a language for perception, cognition, organisation, and realisation in architecture. The study identified several influential dimensions shaping the role of geometry, including cultural-historical, philosophical-epistemological, aesthetic, educational-professional, and environmental factors. Based on the analysis, a five-stage geometric model was developed, consisting of geometric cognition, geometric perception, geometric organisation, geometric transformation, and geometric realisation. This model conceptualises architectural design as an iterative and evolutionary process through this spatial logic evolves from mental abstraction into spatial manifestation.
The proposed framework positions it as a structural foundation integrating conceptual, functional, and spatial aspects of design. Furthermore, the model synthesises major architectural design theories—including design thinking, Lawson’s three-stage model, and Alexander’s pattern-based approach—within a coherent geometric logic. The study contributes a novel theoretical perspective on architectural design as a process of geometric transformation and provides a practical framework applicable to architectural education, geometry-based digital design tools, and contemporary architectural practice.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 November 2025
  • Revise Date: 03 January 2026
  • Accept Date: 18 May 2026

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