Every building starts with an idea. But how do you get from a concept to a piece of architecture? Why do some ideas work better than others? What is a 'good' design?

This approachable guidebook will help students find their own answers to these questions. It covers every aspect of the design process with examples drawn from all types of architecture, giving students the tools to develop their own unique ways of working. With accessible text and hundreds of images, this is an indispensable and illuminating guide for beginning architecture students as well as anyone who is curious about how design works.