Concept design is the first real phase of an architectural project. It is where the big moves happen: the building's massing, its relationship to the site, its basic organization, its character. Nothing is fixed yet. Everything is on the table.

Architects work quickly at this stage. They sketch, build study models, and test options. They talk with the client about priorities: budget, schedule, image, function. The goal is not a precise drawing but a clear idea — a direction that can be developed.

Concept design often involves diagrams. A parti diagram captures the essential organizing idea in a few lines. A site plan shows how the building sits on the land. A massing model shows volume and form. These tools are rough, but they communicate.

Mistakes at this stage are cheap to fix. Mistakes later are not. That is why concept design deserves time and attention, even when clients are eager to see detailed drawings.