Architects' reasoning with structures and functions

Although there is a visible increase in the number of publications in the area of design thinking and signs that it is becoming a serious area of research, there is a lack of theoretical approaches that directly address its domain-specific characteristics. This study is an attempt to develop such a theory directed towards <I>design reasoning </I>based on a protocol study and formal notation, among other things. Three domains of reasoning are described: <I>construction, object, </I>and <I>representation. </I>Inference making within and between these domains is described in terms of operations called <I>functions </I>and states called <I>structures </I>in a state-space representation of design. Five types of <I>mapping </I>which are illustrated by the protocol study are described by means of structures and functions. Shortcomings and strengths of the proposed theoretical formalisms are both discussed. Future work is indicated.