Architectural concept

What an architectural concept includes

The scope depends on the scale and purpose of the building, but the core stays the same:

• urban analysis of the site: surroundings, transport links, insolation, existing constraints;
• the functional model of the building — the schedule of spaces and the scenarios for using them;
• the volumetric and spatial solution, and how the building sits on the site;
• options for the planning structure and the functional zoning;
• principal façade solutions, materials and colour;
• preliminary technical and economic indicators: areas, number of storeys, development density;
• visualisations that convey the character of the future architecture.

The outcome of the stage is a conceptual architectural solution, agreed with the client and fit for estimating the budget and the timeline and for taking the project further.

How we develop an architectural concept

The work runs in sequence, so that every decision rests on verified data rather than on assumptions.

1. Input data and brief. We gather site data, the business goals of the project, the client's requirements and the regulatory constraints.
2. Context analysis. We study the surroundings, the urban planning conditions, the transport and social infrastructure, and the potential and the risks of the site.
3. Options. We work up several volumetric and spatial scenarios and compare them on indicators and on how well they answer the brief.
4. Agreement. We choose a direction together with the client, develop the selected option and fix the technical and economic indicators.
5. Handover. The concept becomes the basis for the next stage — the schematic design.

Concepts for a whole territory

For sites intended for comprehensive development, the format is an urban planning concept, or master plan. It defines not a single building but the structure of the entire territory — where development goes, the street network, the public spaces, the balance of uses and the phasing. This format is needed whenever a decision about any single building only makes sense within the overall planning framework.

What we develop concepts for

The bureau works with buildings of every scale and purpose: residential complexes and mixed-use blocks, public and office buildings, hotels and resorts, healthcare facilities, industrial buildings, and the reconstruction of existing development. Completed and ongoing work is collected in projects.

Concept versus schematic design

The concept answers “what will the building be, and why this way”: it sets the idea, the functional model and the character of the architecture. The schematic design answers “is this feasible”: it tests the concept for practical viability and fixes dimensions, height indicators and the principal structural decisions. More about the next stage is on the schematic design page.

How much an architectural concept costs

The price depends on the amount of work, and that differs every time — naming a single figure without input data is not possible. What drives it:

• the scale and purpose of the project — a single building or a territory for comprehensive development;
• the complexity of the site: terrain, existing constraints, the amount of urban analysis required;
• the number of volumetric and spatial options to be worked up and compared;
• the depth of development — from a principal solution through to visualisations and detailed technical and economic indicators;
• the timeline: a compressed schedule means a larger team working in parallel.

To prepare a quote we need the site data and the design brief. On that basis we issue a proposal with a scope of work and a duration for the stage.

A concept done thoroughly saves the most expensive things there are — time and budget at the later stages, where reworking a decision costs far more than it does on paper.