This article considers facade commissions in which parts of a building have already been fixed before the architect starts work. The structure, room layout, windows or balconies may be in place. Design then begins with understanding those conditions and identifying what can change, rather than assuming complete freedom over the form. The distinction is discussed further in the architecture market and practice position.
The concept as a response to the brief
A design concept can be understood as an idea that organises decisions. In a constrained commission, it should connect openings, rhythm, materials and projections into a coherent response. Its purpose is not simply to conceal a difficulty within an attractive rendering.
A commission may begin at the structural stage, when columns and rooms have already been established. Actual dimensions and differences between drawings and construction need to be identified before changes are proposed. A reliable record of the existing building forms the foundation of the design.
A kitchen window, for example, relates to the room and fittings behind it. A balcony has depth, function and a structural relationship. These cannot be adjusted for composition alone without coordination. Unequal projections between floors also require a technical response alongside their visual treatment.
In the illustrated example, more prominent lower-floor projections are addressed through a stronger base within the classical composition. Visual coordination does not replace structural checks or construction detailing. The following image was identified in the original article as an example from a Niavaran project by architect Nikbakht.
Classical composition as one design tool
Hierarchy, rhythm and the relationship between openings and solid areas help organise a facade. A classical composition may be read as a base, a middle body and a crown, but the size of each depends on the building. No fixed number of floors must be assigned to each zone.
The base can emphasise the entrance and lower floors, the body can accommodate the main repeated rhythm, and the crown can complete the upper edge. On a low building, the upper treatment may be concentrated around the parapet. This is a compositional tool, rather than a formula for every facade.
The term “Roman facade” in the Iranian market does not always describe ancient Roman architecture precisely. Here the emphasis is on how the selected language contributes to the design process. A complete history of classical styles belongs in a separate discussion.
Proportion and the golden ratio
Proportion describes the size of parts in relation to one another and to the whole building. The golden ratio is one possible geometric tool. Applying it is not sufficient evidence of design quality: the composition still needs to respond to room use, opening sizes, construction and the urban setting.
Its approximate value is 1.61803; the mathematical definition is explained by Wolfram MathWorld. The historical association of its symbol with Phidias is not proof of its use in every ancient work.
Any claim about a building’s proportions requires documented dimensions in consistent units. For example, 63 divided by 42 equals 1.5, while 5 divided by 3 is approximately 1.667. Neither is the exact golden ratio. Comparing a length in kilometres with a width in metres without conversion also produces a misleading result.
Lines placed over a photograph may help explore geometry, but they do not establish the original designer’s intentions or the building’s dimensions. The following images remain visual study material, rather than definitive evidence of a particular ratio.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man studies human proportions in relation to a circle and a square. It should not be presented as a portrait of Vitruvius or as proof that every body follows one fixed ratio. In an actual building, geometric studies must be considered alongside function and technical conditions.
Stage 1: Record the existing conditions and define the scope
The facade design process begins with dimensions, structural conditions, floor heights, openings, projections, neighbouring buildings and the rooms behind the exterior. Establish what is fixed and what can be revised, then clarify the client’s expectations, budget and required deliverables.
Changes to windows, balconies or massing may require coordination with structural designers and the relevant approval process. Distinguishing available design decisions from confirmed constraints prevents time being spent on options that cannot be implemented. The current local requirements should be checked for the particular project.
Stage 2: Develop and compare a limited set of options
Prepare a small number of alternatives with a clear organising idea. One may emphasise vertical rhythm, another continuous horizontal lines. Compare each at entrances, corners, projections and adjoining buildings. A concept should work across the facade, not only from one selected camera position.
Review the dimensions and spacing of frames, floor lines and solid areas at realistic viewing distances. If a detail becomes too heavy or fragmented when viewed from the street, its proportions may need adjustment even if it looks convincing in a close rendering.
Stage 3: Coordinate materials and construction details
Material decisions involve thickness, weight, fixing, durability and maintenance as well as colour. A classical or modern appearance does not remove those requirements. Stone types, style-specific guidance and service pricing are related subjects that need separate treatment; here the focus remains on the sequence of decisions.
Study junctions between materials, window edges, drips, parapets, equipment and maintenance access. Every projecting element needs appropriate support and connections. Coordinate these decisions with the relevant specialists and explain them in dimensioned elevations, sections and details. A rendering is not a complete construction document.
Stage 4: Record approvals and deliver a coordinated issue
Record revisions, approvals and issue numbers so that the final image, drawings and material specifications refer to the same solution. If construction reveals a new condition, document the agreed response rather than leaving an informal change disconnected from the project information.
A coherent workflow links the starting conditions to the concept, the concept to technical development, and the technical development to an agreed set of deliverables. This makes the design process easier to review and reduces the gap between a facade image and its construction.
Author: Mostafa Farid. The author’s Instagram profile.