ABSTRACT
Having an understanding of how structural systems work, what structural materials are available and what loads structures must carry does not lead to an automatic method of how to design, or more accurately how to conceive a structure. But as the structure is an essential part of any building and its conceptual choice may be part of the architectural design, the conception of the structure or the structural system is often not only made on the basis of structural economics. The interplay between structures and architecture is often complex and indeed the relationship between the engineer and the architect can lead to misunderstandings. How and why this is so is discussed in Chapter 11. The present chapter discusses how a conceptual understanding of structures can inform the process of conception of structures in buildings.
