Value-Driven Concept: Achieving Architectural Innovation through Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Abstract

This research introduces a structured educational framework specifically designed for architectural pedagogy, addressing significant methodological challenges in preserving philosophical and formal architectural concepts during the design process. Conventional architectural education often prematurely selects a singular concept, risking philosophical dilution and loss of formal integrity due to functional and contextual constraints. Alternatively, purely divergent approaches, lacking systematic convergence, frequently yield innovative yet impractical designs. To address these issues, this study proposes a structured approach emphasizing initial divergent exploration, generating multiple philosophical and formal concepts, followed by strategic convergent refinement guided by conceptual value criteria. The methodology underwent empirical validation over a seven-year study in Architectural Design Studio 3, explicitly selected due to its emphasis on conceptual creativity, philosophical exploration, and formal innovation. Comparative outcomes against earlier pedagogical models (programmatic and metaphoric) indicate significant improvements in conceptual diversity, innovation, functional coherence, and conceptual value preservation. The proposed divergent-to-convergent framework effectively mitigates single-concept risks, producing resilient and contextually appropriate architectural solutions. This research contributes significantly to architectural pedagogy by offering educators an empirically validated strategy for balancing conceptual innovation with practical feasibility.

Keywords

• Architectural innovation
• Divergent thinking
• Convergent thinking
• Architectural pedagogy
• Value-driven design

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