Saint Louis University

School of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Architecture

Module 4
Various Conceptualization
Techniques and Architectural
Concepts According to Economy
and Time
ECONOMY AND TIME

Cost, Economy and time, these are

approaches that the designer takes
which greatly influences its building
design and construction. Time is
essential in any form of project.
At the end of this module, you should be able
to:
• Differentiate various conceptualization
techniques and architectural concepts
according to economy and time.
• Recognize the relevance of economy and
time to designing buildings
FIRST COST
The economical aspect of building represents a
nonphysical structural consideration that, in final
analysis must be considered important. Cost
considerations are in some ways a constraint to
creative design. Cost of structure can be measured
relative to the cost of building construction on
the average, purely structural costs account for
about 25 percent of total construction costs.
Essential Services forms a third construction
cost category and refers to the provision of
mechanical and electrical equipment and
other service systems. On the average these
services costs account for some 15 to 30
percent of the total construction cost
depending on the type of building.
There are two approaches the designer may
take towards influencing the construction
cost of building.
The FIRST APPROACH to cost efficiency is
to consider whenever architectural and
structural solutions can be achieved
simultaneously, a potential for economy is
evident.
The SECOND APPROACH achieves
economy through an integration of service
and structural subsystems to round out one’s
effort to produce a total architectural solution
to a building design problem.
The final pricing of a project by the constructor or
contractor usually takes different form.
The costs are broken down into
1) Cost of material brought to the site
2) Cost of Labor involved to every phase of the
construction process
3) Cost of equipment purchased or rented for the
project
4) eo.t of management and overhead and
5) profit.
ECONOMY OF MATERIALS
The correct specifications of materials for the type
of structure is important. The design of a building
may be functional and beautiful, but if it cannot
be built for reason of lack of funds, the plan
would only be good for the filing cabinet. The
Architect or Designer must plan simultaneously
the architectural, as well as the structural and
other service systems and the materials that will
be used.