Parti Diagrams

Communicating Architectural Concepts: Understanding the Three Types of Parti Diagrams

In the world of architecture, communication is key. Architects often use various tools and techniques to convey their design concepts effectively.

Parti diagrams are one such tool, offering a visual means to encapsulate and communicate architectural ideas.

Below is an explanation of the three main kinds of parti diagrams: form-based, flow-based, and dimension-based, each serving a unique purpose in the design process.

1) Form-Based Parti Diagrams

Form-based parti diagrams are the go-to choice when architects want to emphasize the geometry, composition, scale, structure, and context of a design. These diagrams serve as a visual representation of the physical aspects of a project.

Here are some common examples:

• Massing Diagrams: These diagrams showcase the overall bulk and volume of a building, helping viewers understand its scale and proportion.

• Project Plan Layout: Illustrating the arrangement of spaces and functions within a building, project plan layouts provide insights into the organization of the design.

• Boundaries and Outlines: Showing the site boundaries and building outlines, these diagrams give context to the project's location and its relationship with the surroundings.

Form-based parti diagrams are instrumental in conveying the essence of a design's physical presence.

2) Flow-Based Parti Diagrams

When architects need to convey concepts related to circulation, program, light, ventilation, views, and other dynamic aspects of a design, flow-based parti diagrams come into play. These diagrams excel at representing movement, connectivity, and functionality. Key examples include:

• Circulation Diagrams: These diagrams depict the paths and routes within a building, helping to visualize how people move through the spaces.

• Plans and Sections with View Corridors: By indicating sightlines and visual connections, these diagrams communicate how the design maximizes views and integrates with its surroundings.

Flow-based parti diagrams illuminate the dynamic and interactive elements of architectural design.

3) Dimension-Based Parti Diagrams

Dimension-based parti diagrams focus on metrics and measurements, often comparing one metric across a dimension or axis that can be measured. These diagrams are instrumental in showing progression, change, and quantitative aspects of a design. Examples include:

• Graphs and Charts: These diagrams use graphical representations to convey data and trends related to the design, such as cost over time, length variations, distance measurements, or positions in coordinates.

Dimension-based parti diagrams provide architects with a clear means to quantify and analyze various aspects of their designs.

In conclusion, parti diagrams serve as indispensable tools for architects to communicate their design concepts.

Whether it's emphasizing form and context with form-based diagrams, depicting circulation and functionality with flow-based diagrams, or quantifying design metrics with dimension-based diagrams, architects have a versatile set of tools at their disposal to convey their ideas effectively.

These diagrams are essential not only for internal design development but also for sharing the vision with clients, collaborators, and stakeholders, ultimately transforming architectural concepts into built realities.