Tools for Ideas. Introduction to Architectural Design

How does one learn to Design?
Who is this book for?
When is this book worth reading?
Which chapters should be read first?
What sources does this book draw on?
What key findings does this book contain?
What’s new in the expanded and updated edition?
How can Tools for Ideas be used in design teaching?
How did this book come about?
Do we need other ways of design teaching?
What can be done?

--PART A: FUNDAMENTALS--

--Design and research
TEACHING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
RESEARCH IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
--Architectural design
THE LITERATURE: EXAMPLES, PRINCIPLES, THEORIES
WHAT ONE CAN DESIGN
HOW ONE CAN DESIGN
HOW DESIGN CAN BE ACCOUNTED FOR
--Terms and definitions
PLATO, ARISTOTLE, PLOTINUS: IDEA
VITRUVIUS AND ALBERTI: COGITATIONE AND INVENTIONE
VASARI AND ZUCCARI: DISEGNO
OSTENDORF, RITTEL, UHL: DESIGNING, PLANNING
AICHER AND FLUSSER: NEGATION AND TRANSCENDENCE
--Ways of designing
PERCEPTION AND THOUGHT
DESIGNING AS A PROCESS
DESIGNING AS AN INDIVIDUAL ACT
THE DESIGN CYCLE

--PART B: TOOLS--

--Design tools
SYMBOLS OF CREATIVITY
FLUSSER: THE GESTURE OF MAKING
THE AMBIVALENCE OF TOOLS
“DESIGN TOOLS” AS A METAPHOR
VISUAL AND VERBAL TOOLS
NEW RESEARCH WORK
A NEW TAXONOMY
FINDING THE RIGHT TOOLS
EXAMINING THE MEDIA TOOLS
--Gesture
STARTING FROM GESTURES
Sketch
PARCHMENT AND PAPER
CREATIVE IMPRECISION
VISUAL-SPATIAL THINKING
--Language
TRAINING AND PRACTICE
CREATING METAPHORS, INTERPRETING, ABSTRACTING
--Design drawing
GEOMETRY AND ABSTRACTION
MEDIA SWITCH
DESIGNING OR DRAWING
DIGITALIZATION OF DRAWING
--Model
RELATIONSHIP WITH REALITY
THE IMPORTANCE OF MATERIALS
--Perspective view
THE DISCOVERY OF THE WORLD
AMBIVALENT REALISM
PERSPECTIVE AS AN ATTITUDE
--Photograph, film, video
FROM RECORD TO RE-PRESENTATION
SIMULATING IMAGES DIGITALLY
--Calculation
CALCULATION IS INTERPRETATION
--Computer
FROM CALCULATING MACHINE TO MASS MEDIUM
A META-TOOL
NETWORKING THE DESIGN TOOLS
--Criticism
A TEACHING TOOL
--Criteria and value systems
FIRMITAS, UTILITAS, VENUSTAS
INNOVATION AND THE ENIGMATIC
SUSTAINABILITY
--Theory
THEORY AS A BASIS
THEORY AS A TOOL
SHORT THEOREMS
Otl Aicher: A theory of design
THEORY FROM BELOW
OPEN QUESTIONS
DESIGNING THEORY

--Part C: PRACTICE--

DESIGN ATTITUDE
A STANDARDIZED PROCEDURE
NEW CHALLENGES
--Digital design
PRESENTATION
GENERATION
PROVIDING INFORMATION (BIM)
OPTIMIZATION
PRODUCTION
TECHNOLOGY OR CULTURE?
--Research-based design
A FOUNDATION OF MODERNITY
ARCHITECTURE-RELATED SCIENCES
EXAMPLES AND MODELS
DESIGN RESEARCH
--Social design
SOCIAL INNOVATION
PARTICIPATION
NOT SLUMS BUT ARRIVAL CITIES
SELF-BUILDING AND DESIGNING