A parti diagram, derived from the French term parti pris meaning "to make a decision," is a simple sketch or diagram used in the earliest stages of design. Its primary purpose is to represent the central concept, or "big idea," that organizes the design. It is a conceptual tool that captures the essence of the design's formal or spatial organization, such as linear, radial, or clustered arrangements, without delving into specific details. It serves as a foundational guide for the subsequent development of the design.

A. Parti diagrams are intentionally abstract and lack the specific details found in later design drawings like floor plans or elevations.

B. While function is considered, a bubble diagram or adjacency matrix more directly illustrates the functional use and relationships between spaces.

C. A bubble diagram focuses on adjacencies and relative sizes of programmed spaces, whereas a parti diagram illustrates the overall organizing concept.

1. Ching

F. D. K. (2015). Architectural Graphics (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. In Chapter 3

"Architectural Drawing Systems

" Ching describes conceptual sketches

including the parti

as tools to "explore the general

'big-picture' relationships between the elements of a design problem" (p. 84).

2. Pena

W. M.

& Parshall

S. A. (2012). Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. The book discusses the transition from programming to design

where the parti represents the "major design concept" that resolves the client's problem statement (Chapter on "The Whole Problem").

3. Iowa State University

College of Design. (n.d.). Design Communication Foundations I

DSN S 131 Course Material. The course defines a parti as "The basic scheme or concept for an architectural design

represented by a diagram." This material is used in foundational design education. (Specific reference to course lecture notes on conceptual diagrams).