Developing a Design Framework to Methodize the Architecture Thesis Projects with Emphasis on Programming and Conceptualization Processes

Abstract

The research develops a design framework as an applied tool to structure the necessary stages throughout architectural design programs, in particular thesis projects. The architecture thesis students apply programming and conceptualization in several different ways, and a significant proportion of them prefers to use precedents instead. Architecture thesis projects tend to focus mainly on the studies, methods, and analysis, however, the relationship between the programming-conceptualization and the rest of the thesis project seems to have attracted less attention. To cover this gap, a design framework was developed to link the architecture findings to the design objective and strategies. The research employed qualitative methods, including structured observation, and content and graphical analysis. The data were also derived from thesis students’ drawings offered in the final exam. The findings revealed the potential capacity of the design framework to connect the analytical outputs with the architectural design decisions through a specific concentration on the processes of programming and conceptualization. In conclusion, the design framework could enable architecture thesis students to create a range of alternatives with regard to programming and concepts, whereas these options are still well-connected to design decisions. This will undoubtedly help students and lecturers with the creation of a systematic process of inputs, activities, outputs, and possible impacts.