An innovative comprehensive knowledge model of architectural design process

Contemporary architectural design emerges as a process characterized by a complex interplay between specialized jobs and multidisciplinary knowledge. Differences in the cultural and technical background of the actors involved are reflected in specialised representations of the design process entities they understand and treat. Pooling actors' intelligence by means of a real collaboration can improve the final results. To be effective, collaboration needs an innovative model aimed at a new comprehensive conception of the architectural design process/product together with the knowledge melting pot in which a project is developed. The proposed model is marked by four 'poles' of a symbolic knowledge tetrahedron that represents the different knowledge defining a project: product, context, actors and procedures. Each 'pole' is represented by formalized and agreed upon metaknowledge structures and other semantic tools so that the knowledge exchanged between actors is easier to understand and use. © europia, 2011