Concept Design is the single most important stage in the house design process.
80% of a project’s value is created right here.
Every subsequent design stage—design development, detailed design, construction documentation, material selection, and construction advice —is simply the process of bringing this initial vision to life.
In this course, we establish the foundation for everything that matters: room sizes, spatial flow, building form, and the site’s response to sun and breeze, and environmental impact.
For architecture students, this is where you learn to translate a client’s brief into a spatial reality. It is the challenge of creating an inspiring home that is environmentally responsive and stays within a realistic budget.
While professional design proficiency takes years of dedicated practice, this course distils my experience in residential architecture into a focused head start. It provides the theory, practical tools, and floor plan examples needed to design layouts that work effectively and add tangible value.
Key Learning Objectives
On course completion you will understand how to:
- Synthesize a design brief and site constraints into a cohesive, functional floor plan.
- Prioritize Sustainability: Integrate strategies that reduce the environmental footprint of a home without compromising comfort.
- Apply Structural Logic: Evaluate design decisions based on buildability and a clear understanding of construction costs.
- Solve problems through design: Use the iterative cycle of learning through examples, hand-sketching, and 3D modelling to test and refine spatial ideas.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
Have the following work from previous courses ready to create your concept design.
Course 2. Design Brief and Budget
- Your completed design brief checklist: Your big-picture ideas to ensure no requirements are missed.
Course 5. Site Information & Regulations
- Your base plan: Including site constraints, existing house plans, and sun and breeze paths
COURSE CONTENT
- 1. Design as a Problem-Solving Tool: Understanding design as a non-linear, problem-solving tool.
- 2. House Functionality: Developing layouts that support daily life through practical room sizes and flow.
- 3. 3D Thinking: Roof and Form: Thinking about roof forms and volumes while working on 2D plans.
- 4. Right-Sizing: Solving the Australian Spatial Surplus: Strategies for reducing the “spatial surplus” and maximizing environmental performance.
- 5. Structural Logic: Integrating wall thicknesses and structural logic into the early concept phase.
- 6. Add Value, Not Just Cost: Identifying high-return inclusions and managing renovation budgets.
- 7. Start Designing! A practical guide to hand-drawing, 3D tools, and applying floor plan examples.
- 8. Conclusion: Consolidating key principles and identifying technical references for further study.
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