Three Approaches of The Use of Image to Assist Architectural Design

Abstract

The image is the support of ideas search in the whole design phase. The definition of assistance tools, by using the image, seems to be applicable whatever the stage of the process of architectural design is. This article presents three approaches, which intend to study the contribution of the image inside of the architectural design process. The first approach rests on the idea that architects use external references as generating elements of new project ideas and that it is possible to organize this referential knowledge by taking the image as structuring entity of this knowledge. The two other approaches intend to use image to support the formulation of information designer's needs in more advanced phases of the design process. The identified needs are those of the architect who searches a particular information in order to justify or to perform some choices, during the act of conception.