ABSTRACT
Notwithstanding Annie Hall’s ditzy description of her pursuit of the art of photography, reflecting on the art of architectural design can be enormously beneficial. While it may be debatable that instinct and epiphany are necessary to be a great designer, the design process, by and large-including all the ingredients necessary to achieve great designought to be absolutely learnable. Thinking critically about design ideas, client and stakeholder requirements, a project’s unique site and context, and the resources available to complete the project are fundamental to developing preliminary designs. While there is no magic formula, these components can be studied, systematically characterized, and rationally wedded to a process that yields effective design.
