Knowledge allows us to respond to context because we can think up solutions on the spot instead of relying on stock plans. Without knowledge, we have to copy things superficially and use ready-made plans. Without sufficient context (like being on site during construction), we don't have anything to respond to, and everything becomes guesswork.

The Design Process

Rules

Architecture rules are ranked by their priority. When architecture rules are given a context, they output a design.

The room layout above only has one likely configuration. The optimal configuration has a much higher priority than the other possible configurations. The second-best configuration has the bed facing the door instead of the window, but there is no outlet where the nightstand would have to be.

Constraints are unlikely to be reversed so they reduce the number of possible configurations. They have no competing factors, or they have such a high priority that we can rule out the other factors. The Ethernet cable is a major constraint in the example above. It requires that the desk be next to it, which then determines where the bed can go. The space constraint of the room is the biggest constraint, along with the circulation. In the example below, the circulation is a major constraint that results in fixed activity spaces.

In the example above, the minimum size for a sitting area is 5.5 ft., and Activity Space 2 is 6 ft. So there is some tolerance in arranging the furniture. If the adjacent room is expanded 2 ft. and Activity Space 2 shrinks, the Sitting Area no longer works, which means the TV Station isn't needed anymore, and there has to be a redesign. Is there another room to put the TV? Is the TV important? Do the new dimensions work for other activities?

The more constraints we have, the fewer factors we need to consider, and the less iterations we need to do. A townhouse infill project already gives us the building footprint, the number of floors, and the style, due to its context. In an open field however, there are no dominant constraints that override other factors, so we need to consider many things. We could arbitrarily make certain things high-priority, but it would be at the expense of the design.

Design Sequence

The design process is a dynamic process where decisions depend on other decisions. If we change one thing, it changes everything else. How can we design when we have to weigh many things at once? 

• Steps break the design process into something more manageable. Steps are a shorthand version of weighted rules, which are rules organized by priority. They form a design sequence that considers high-priority rules first.

• Placeholders ensure that early decisions don't prevent optimal configurations later on. A 12x12 foot room accommodates most furniture layouts, so it acts as a placeholder. We may need to go back and shift the room size after we determine the furniture layout, but placeholders generally work. We can always make the best of the situation later on, but the question is whether the situation is ideal, or whether it was locked in too early at the expense of later decisions. Placeholders become constraints during the later steps because we need to roughly stay within those boundaries.

The Appropriate Step

Many decisions have to be considered all at once. The appropriate step includes everything that needs to be decided in that moment. For example, there may be two potential room configurations that will work, which are very different. 

If we determine the sofa location first, it will lead to The Best Sofa Location, whereas if we determine the TV location first, it will lead to The Best TV Location. Therefore, both decisions need to be considered in the step. The outcome can only be evaluated after seeing which decisions come later as a result of the prior decisions. The Best Sofa Location is the correct layout because otherwise the sofa interferes with the circulation.

Evaluations occur after each decision in the design sequence. Evaluations are necessary because we focus on executing one particular rule at a time, so only afterwards can we assess how it affects other rules.

• Steps are meant to reduce the number of potential scenarios (or iterations) to consider. After each scenario, we assess the results. The example below has three scenarios for where to place the window, followed by their scores.

Direct sunlight was important, so I put the window towards the sun in Option A. However, putting the window there throws off the front façade (the side with the view). The façade is more important than direct sunlight, so even though direct sunlight is more important than the view, once I factor in what it does to the façade, actually Option B is a better choice.

Option C has the highest score, but not when we weight the rules. After weighting the rules, Option B has the highest score, because the first two rules are high-priority rules. That's why the general location of windows gets decided first (at least for important façades).

Not every possibility needs to be tested because there are local maximums that satisfy each rule. These configurations then compete against each other as we compare them (score and weight). When the right balance is found, the solution becomes obvious. Everything "clicks". It may take a while, if it happens.

The Construction Process

Instructions

The construction process consists of a list of instructions about when to make decisions. It's organized into a decision tree of if this, then that. At each stage of construction, decisions are finalized on site according to what feels right. We can redesign what hasn't been built yet. 

• Consider the built work.

• Internalize design rules to quickly find solutions.

Stages of Construction

1. Foundations 

2. Load-bearing walls

3. Second story and roof

4. Partition walls

5. Appliances, fixtures, details, etc.

Tolerances

Small adjustments don’t require a redesign if they're within the allowable tolerances that are built into the design. A few inches here and there make a difference. Tolerances give builders more discretion.

Checks

After each stage of construction is completed, check to see if anything needs to be redone. If the work doesn’t match our vision, it needs to be redone. It’s difficult to know how something will look until we see it finished. Each stage of construction should enhance what was just built. If the completed work inspires new ideas, we should do a redesign.

On-Site Decisions

Certain decisions have to be made on site, so we use placeholders until we can visit the site. Certain decisions have to be made during construction. Mockups can help approximate the feeling on site before construction.

• Dimensions: Determine the right size for the house, the rooms, the yard, etc.

• Access: Verify the best places to enter the property, where to put the front door, how to get to the rooms, etc. The circulation should feel natural. 

• Windows and Doors: Determine the specific size and location of the windows and doors. Consider how it looks from inside and outside.

Summary