ON ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN:

ARGUMENTED PRACTICES

Abstract

The practice of architectural design has been transformed by new sensibilities, technological advancements, and globalization, encouraging more contextualized approaches. In questioning how one designs, this work argues that architectural projects should primarily seek a connection with the physical surroundings and the social milieu, rejecting generic and universal solutions. The architect must therefore interpret the design variables and translate them into architectural terms, prioritizing the one that best responds to the specific context. Alongside these variables, the designer's options also include creative stimuli such as analogy, memory, and identity, as well as project components like construction materiality, the role of ornament, and the eloquence of architecture. The conscious choice of design approach – whether guided by the social environment, physical context, cultural symbolism, accommodation of activities, or form –results in architecture that is relevant and diverse.