Design Stages for carrying out Thesis Project

Stages of Design to be followed in Architectural Thesis Project

In our earlier Thesis articles series, we discussed the following:

  1. Introduction to Thesis Project
  2. Guidelines for the assessment of the Final Project
  3. Thesis topic selection
  4. Selection and analysis of the site

 In this article, we will discuss various stages which you have to follow while carrying out your Architectural Thesis Project.

1. Key plan (Conceptual Master plan)

Preparation of a Master plan for your project is the first and foremost stage of design. Allocation of different structures, open spaces, road network has to be carefully done when designing the masterplan. It should comply with all the rules and regulations of the area.

2. Comprehensive Layout plan

3. Discussions and Delegations to be carried out including internal faculty, visiting faculty, professional architects, urban designers etc.

4. Design of Landscape

Landscape can be divided into two parts:

  1. Hard Landscape (street furniture design such as benches, railings, lampposts etc)
  2. Soft Landscape (Plants, Shrubs and trees)

A proper and efficient design of landscape also plays an important part in the justification of your design. The selection of trees to be used for your design has to be carefully done. Emphasis on the use of trees, plants and shrubs available locally.

Placement of plants, shrubs and trees in a pattern that would suit your design and the surroundings. This would increase the aesthetic appeal of the place.

5. Streetlighting (internal and external)

6. Connectivity to the city

Justify proper connectivity of your project site to the city. It is one of the important factors to be paid attention to while selecting the site and then designing.

a. Proximity to the Airport (important in this case)

b. Proximity to the Transportation Facilities

  • i. Roadways
  • ii. MMTS
  • iii. MRTS
  • iv. Highways

7. Check for any kind of need for conservation of the Project and how it can be done.

8. Heritage importance to be studied in detail if any

In case it has Heritage importance, enough emphasis is to be given to the Heritage part of the project

9. Security factors (Security is one of the most important factors to be considered while designing. No matter what kind of structure you are designing, security is of utmost concern.)

For example: A township with Apartments

An apartment township should have a security check at its entrance gate so that undersired persons are not allowed into the township to hamper the peace of the residents of the township.

Another example: An Office Complex

Security entrances and exits are very important and have to designed carefully. In case of an IT Office Complex or a Corporate Office Building, security checks are very strict.

For this reason, the factor of security has to be kept in mind while designing.

10. Eco-friendly green belts

11. Lesser pollution areas

12. Topography of the site

Topography of the site has to be studied. The terrain of the place, the kind of soil and also the depth of water table is to be known. This information will help you design an appropriate foundation for the structure. Studying the terrain could also help you in integrating your design with the surroundings.

Also check: Guide to Site planning

13. Relation to the neighbouring existing built forms

Like I have always said before in a couple of articles, a building should have its character. Apart from representing what it stands for, it should also form a part of its neighbouring areas and should not be left isolated.

For example:

In England, Gothic Architecture is used. The architectural design elements, the colour schemes used for the buildings all form a part of their architectural style. If in between a row of Gothic residences, a mud house was constructed….how would it be? Wouldn’t it ruin the ambiance and look of the entire street and plus it would stand isolated in between these buildings because it would not relate to them in any way.

14. Provision of basic necessities like entertainment zones, economic feasibility and sustainability

Sustainability is a part of Architectural Design. It is not an entirely different subject. The Architect has to aware of what exactly sustainability demands.

Is it the use of local materials?

Is it the use of low cost materials? 

Use of multifunctional spaces in the building which would reduce the consumption of resources.

Understanding and showing sensitivity towards the use of materials used for designing the facade of the structure

15. Preparing 3D views

Preparation of 3D views is also to be considered as the top priority. Sometimes, you might just not like the fact that teachers don’t give much appreciation to the computer work because they don’t realize what it takes to learn it and do it.

But of course, as professionals it is to be remembered that a layman cannot read elevations. He only understands the aesthetic beauty of the structure when it is transformed into a 3D drawing.

16. Report on your Thesis Project

Your report should include the following:

  • Research on your project topic
  • Literature study of the project
  • Literature casestudies of the similar topics
  • Your analysis of the casestudies
  • Data Collection from TSS or any other books that you refer for following the space standards
  • Selection and analysis of the site
  • Government norms (Code Book) for that particular site which you have selected
  • Live casestudies
  • Your analysis
  • Comparative analysis of the Literature casestudies as well as Live casestudies
  • Your approach towards design
  • Explain your innovative ideas/conceptuals followed by your final drawings

17. Policy Suggestions

18. PPP (Public Private Participation)

6 thoughts on “Design Stages for carrying out Thesis Project”

    • Hello,
      For suggesting new policies, you need to study the existing policies related to your project. For example, there are various urban design policies that need to be changed and some flexibility introduced. For this reason, you need to be very clear of the government policies related to your project with respect to the site chosen by you.

      Cheers 🙂

  1. what sort of 3D views are mostly required? like i mean conceptual or actual views of what the structure you have designed?? and what about hand made sketches??

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