What is an Architecture Precedent Study?
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Something said or done that may serve as an example or rule to authorise or justify a subsequent act of the same or an analogous kind.
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The convention established by such a precedent or by long practice.
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A person or thing that serves as a model.
In architecture, precedents are used widely and you will no doubt be asked to refer to precedents during your educational and professional career.
An architecture precedent study can aid your design process from concept to final design. Note that precedents are not copied but used as an inspiration to your design. They are  an idea or guide to a method that you are wishing to employ in your scheme.
The use of a precedent in design can lend authority to your design by associating your proposal to something else. A precedent can communicate a meaning to your design, whether as a form of dialogue to your client, the public, or for the designer.
An architecture precedent study can help you solve problems in a design process that have previously been solved in other designs.
So whether it is to describe a construction method, a material choice or a design concept precedent studies are vital in our design process.
Where to start?
You need to start by establishing the brief, and therefore understanding the problem. You are seeking guidance or inspiration in a certain area, so it is important you select suitable precedents for your design. It may be that you are designing a museum, for example, so exploring museum precedents, would lead you to discover the requirements, conditions and problems that a museum design might present.
Don’t necessarily head straight to the internet for ideas – although it is a valuable resource. You can also consider magazines, journals, books – so make sure you head to the library too in order to collect your resources.
This is where keeping up to date with the latest architectural news can really help you – along with site visits and sketches.
It is also important to get out and about and experiencing some buildings for yourself. For example, you are designing a museum? Get out to your local museums and see what inspires you.
Make sure you search for precedents in both modern architecture and historical buildings.
Look for buildings you can actually visit, explore and experience rather than completely relying on the information you find on the internet or in books. To be able to visit a building, explore it, study the materials, the form etc, is quite different from reading about it in a book.
Using precedents local to your site, can help you understand the architectural language of the area and develop a design that is sympathetic to the context.
Don’t just select a building ‘because it looks nice’. There needs to be a lot more too it than that:
- Why does it look nice?
- What sets it apart from other similar buildings?
- How is it constructed?
- Would it work with your design?
- How did the architect make the building successful?
- Or, why is it a negative precedent?
- Is the design good? What makes it good?
- What materials have been used?
How to analyse and apply your precedent studies
The precedent is there to help you resolve a design problem. Be it a suitable solar shading solution, or a cladding material, you need to drill down on what that particular precedent has taught you and why you feel it is an important inspiration for your design.
Take time to research and interpret the precedent building, and figure out how it is constructed and its significant features. Analyse the form, structure, using any photographs and drawings you have in order to start to fully understand all aspects of the building or segment that you are focusing on.
What is the building or element you are studying for? What function does it fulfils. You can conduct your analysis of the building according to what you are trying to discover, understand or resolve.
Remember that different precedents will offer different solutions and experiences. For example, a building that demonstrates a good floor plan, my not necessarily be the building you want to look at for employing advanced technologies in materials and design. This is where a combination of precedents, can help you develop ideas and solutions, by cherry picking information from each and weaving the concepts into your design.
Some of the things that you should consider are:
- Structure
- Scale
- Light
- Materials and surfaces
- Details
- Proportions
- Context
- Social / cultural impact
- Form
- Access
- Aesthetic
- And many many more!
It is important not to copy. Be specific in the area which you feel applies to your design, learn lessons from the precedent and find ways that you can be creative with its integration, and solving your design problems.
These need to be communicated to your client/tutor in order for them to understand your reasoning, and give them the vision of your design.
Continue to build your architectural vocabulary and you will slowly create a precedent study library in your mind that you can refer to again and again during your design process. Immerse yourself in architecture, and this will become easier. Critically assess designs you see, ask questions, be inquisitive.
Thanks emma its really a helpful site for students thank you… your doing great jop… hats off for your team
Thank you – appreciate your comments 🙂
thank you! 🙂 great help!
Thank you very much . it was quite informative. Because of this artical i came to know some different ways to slove design problems.
You just saved my life! Thank you thank you thank you!
You’re welcome 🙂
very helpful…
Really helpful..
EMMA!
THANKYOU. YOURE A STAR! LOTS OF LOVE.
I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH BELIEVE ME.
Ive subscribed already. I want to know that will i be getting notified by email about the new stuff coming up ? Or i have to do anything else to be updated about the stuff that you will be posting in the future?
Thank you for youre precious time
Hi Muhammad, if you have subscribed you will receive my monthly newsletter with updates, and links to all the posts I have published in the last month. 🙂
Thank You so much Emma, a great job indeed.
It really helped me a lot.
i have been designing without a clue of what the brief wants also with the precedents how will they help to go along with design.it been a great up-lift inspiration on this site, thank you
Thank you! Glad the site has helped you out! Emma 🙂
I am 2rd year student and i m confused wid what preference i should give while designing a hostel for backpackers….i am not able to think properly …. i need hints to start with the concept
Hi – I have sent you an email.
Thanks alot, really idealogical, and informative
Easily understandable and readable. Helped a lot. Thank you
U are great Emma. Thanks so much. I like your post about architecture. Keep it up
Thank you Nazri.
Hey, I’m a first year student and I need to prepare precedent studies and I don’t really understand how it should looks like, what it should provides. I was making research and I’ve got some inspirations but how it should looks on the paper sheet. Could you help me with it ? Your article is the best, but still don’t know how to make the final sheet :c
Hi Victoria,
You need to read through the assignment brief and see what is being asked of you. What information are you expected to produce for the presentation sheet? Go through the information you have collected and organise by importance, giving it a journey or story. Sketch out how you think the information should look on the page, use pinterest for some inspiration. Hope this helps. 🙂
Thanks Emma, doing a great job, this is really helping us, me in particular!…
Thank you Peter, much appreciated 🙂
Thanks Emma. Your articles and site have been a great source of inspirations to me. Hope to procure some of the recommended books someday.
thank u so much Emma 🙂
Amazing resource for me. Thank you so much.
Great resources, very helpful. much appreciated!
This very helpful , very informative, Thanks
Thank you Emma, your effort seems helpful and interesting ,
I want to add some note on the concept and precedent studies,that is not always necessary to use architecture building as a case to study, but designer may use out side domain -if the project case need- from the nature for example, such as biology domain of knowledge to learn lessons (formal, relation ,accommodation with nature est). And after that to approach design through concept of transformation from other domain to architecture domain through reduction or metaphor.
Regards.
Hello Salameh, I completely agree – I failed to mention that you can draw from nature and other influences to use as part of your precedent studies. Thank you for your comments – much appreciated 🙂
In fact the source has really helped me to understand certain things I don’t know. I am a 1st student and I been given an assignment to come out with a precedent study of a place for prayer ,can you please help me out
Hi Emma. I’m a second year architecture student. We were asked to come up with precedents for a kayak/bike rental place, and I’ve been struggling to write about it. Do I need to talk about what I thought the architect was trying to accomplish, in my own words, or do i explain its features and why it would help with my design
Hi Chris, I would say a bit of both. Basically take what you have learned from the precedent. So, what the architect accomplished, what you think they may have missed, what is great, what is not so great. Then perhaps point out specifics and explain how you might use those to inform your own design… Having a varied study of other buildings is good, so being able to look at the precedent study from different angles (ie positive/negative etc) will help you when you come to your own design. Hope this helps- best of luck with your assignment 🙂
Hi Emma, I’m so Happy that I found your website. Your website makes me easy to understand what architecture is. Especially, It’s very great for architecture students. I’m a 3rd year architecture student. I still have a lot more to learn . I’ll come back to your website to learn more. Thank you so much.
Hi Nik, thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it. I am very happy to hear the website has provided some help to you and hope that it continues to do so! All the best. Emma
hi..I’m an instructor of architecture, and I find your site very useful and relevant. It provides me valuable insights that I can echo to students and make them learn architecture better and in a natural way.
Thank you and all the best!
Thank you Noel 🙂
Thank You so much. You are a blessing from God!
thank you so much, this information is so helpful. Now I have an idea of where to begin.
You are very welcome 🙂
Hi Emma:
you’re so great and blessed by our almighty through your priceless generosity. Amid this pandemic situation you are my Savior in devising our online module here in Zamboanga, Philippines for the College of Architecture. The Commission on Higher Education compelled us to do such modules for students to pick-up on a designated area the hard copy. For those students who are unfortunate to WiFi connections they are encouraged to do so.
thanks a lot Emma; God Bless You
Hi Nolie, really happy to hear the website is helpful to you 🙂
Thank you for your feedback.
Excellent! I’m really happy for the guidance given. Now I know where to begin in designing. May God Bless you with more Wisdom. Thanks.