The first unit establishes the basics to the term architecture and looks into the important factors to look into as a designer or respecter of the unavoidable art known as architecture. Architecture is an unavoidable art because it is the art form in which we inhabit, meaning it is necessary, physical, and all around us. Architecture is an art form because it is expressive and takes expendable skills. Architecture differs from other art forms because it provides utility beyond simply and aesthetic appeal.

A designer is to consider furnishings, materials, color, light, 3-D, 4-D, and where the inside and outside meet when planning a structure. Each of these compose architecture and build upon each other, each changes but sticks with time, like the chambers of a mollusk. Each of these also provides the three main components of architecture: commodity, firmness, and delight. Sir Henry Wotton said “In architecture, as in all operative arts, the end must direct the operation. The end is to build well. Well building hath three conditions: commodity firmness and delight.”

The first unit covers the commodity of a building. The commodity of a building is how the building functions, or its pragmatic utility. Buildings are usually a mixture between utilitarian and symbolic functions. Firmeness is also discussing, or observing the question of how the structure of the building allows it to stand up; can the structure stand the test of time? Structure can be divided into physical and perceptual structures. There are varying building forms which can provide support and structure, while taking visual and structural risks such as domes. The delight of a building is perceived by the space in the structure; space can be broken into: perceptual, conceptual, behavioral, and physical space. “The reality of architecture lay not in the solid elements that seem to make it, but in the space defined by those elements (Roth).” Space is a very important factor in directing and serving users of the building. The human eye finds patterns and repetition pleasing to the eye so that is important when considering the visual perception of delight. Visual perception is enhanced by proportion, scale, rhythm, texture, light, color, ugliness, and ornament. Different shapes of rooms and furnishings can create different acoustics in a space; lives spaces are created through dense, rigid surfaces and dead spaces are created through resilient surfaces.

The reasons for studying and understanding the history and theory of the design process is because it expresses values, gives cross-cultural insight, provides information on successes and failures, shows many ways of doing things, and human to nature interaction. Even looking at early architecture, a designer is able to get insight from these categories and can learn today even from centuries ago.

The unit also discusses the design cycle in which designs or trends work up to a peak and then decline and end or plateau at a non responsive state. The design cycle shows that popularity of a designer or trend declines, but also overlaps, so several designs are occurring at one time. A design either experiences continuity or change.

This unit establishes the idea that figure plus arrangement plus mode equals form plus space plus style.