Concept as the DNA for Morphogenesis

Abstract

Form in architecture is a product of a complex set of layers and generators. One major generator of these is the design concept. In this context, a concept can be considered as the nexus that orchestrates all considerations and layers to keep them coherent and consistent. Furthermore, the concept represents the clearest semantic message conveyed by the designer through the building to the viewers and users. Similar to the role of DNA, concept functions as the hidden molecule that carries the instructions that the design needs to emerge and evolve. This chapter discusses the structure of form as a language, and its various generators, with a focus on the role of concept in the resultant morphological output. The discussion of form is followed by another of concept. The discussion of the impact of concept on design is supported by a contemporary case study. The case study is used to illustrate the role of a concept as a driving force and its implications in the design derivation, as well as its impacts on the various layers of the final morphology.