In other words, diagrams can act as temporary place-markers while we work, which is less restrictive and time-consuming than making formalized plans and drawings.ĭiagrams also have the advantage of being able to show different types of information within one image. Throughout and after the design process, architectural diagrams are used to communicate ideas – to colleagues, to clients, and to members of the public.įraser Shields suggests that the ‘open, generative’ nature of diagrams ‘frees the designing process from formal considerations for as long as possible’. In the early stages of the design process, they are often used to aid thinking and help architects solve problems.Īs a project progresses, they might be used to clarify what is required and as a source of reference for different parties.

What is the purpose of architectural diagrams?Īrchitectural diagrams can be said to have different functions depending on when and how they are used. The architectural theorist Robert Somol has suggested that diagrams ‘ operate precisely between the form and the word’ – which is perhaps why they are so useful for communicating ideas to clients during the building design process. They do this with visual symbols which can be considered all at once, unlike language which must be processed in a linear fashion. They have no unified appearance but they distil unwieldy, hard-to-understand concepts into discrete, easy-to-understand images. Learn More So what is an architectural diagram?Īrchitectural diagrams help to clarify a building, relationships between elements of a building, or a process connected to a building. Conceptual diagrams (like flowcharts and Venn diagrams) show relationships between items, while schematic diagrams (like exploded diagrams and subway maps) are best described as simplified, abstracted pictures.Īrchitectural diagrams tend either to be conceptual or schematic. Quantitative diagrams (such as bar graphs and pie charts) illustrate data sets, and tend to be the first ones we encounter in school.

Today we use three main types of diagram.

They have existed for thousands of years, though of course they have become more sophisticated over time. They are two-dimensional (although they can show three-dimensional objects) and may contain text, shapes and lines the word diagram literally means ‘marked out by lines’ in Greek. Understanding architectural diagramsĭiagrams represent ideas in visual form. We will explore how these diagrams are used to translate abstract concepts into tangible realities, communicate intricate details with clients and teams, and how these visual representations become the backbone of any architectural project. The aim of this article is not just to list and define these various types, but to delve into the essence of what makes each one unique and indispensable in the architectural process. In the intricate world of architecture, these diagrams serve as vital tools for planning, explaining, and realizing architectural projects.įrom the first scribble of an idea to the final blueprint of a building, each type of diagram plays a specific and crucial role. Architectural diagrams are more than mere drawings they are a language of their own, a visual vocabulary that architects use to express complex ideas, concepts, and designs.

Architecture program conceptual diagram