Analysing a design critique

Critiquing in the context of architectural design presentations involves an in-depth discussion about the aesthetic and technical bases and the thought processes behind a design concept. Searching questions, comments and expressions of preference all play a part. Critiquing a design presentation effectively is, therefore, a skill. It requires good language control as well as care in the way questions and comments are expressed.

In these activities you will focus on the style of critiquing preferred for architecture and design. You will listen to part of a critique to identify how it is delivered and then analyse some of the language used when critiquing in English.

Activity 1: Noticing how a critique develops

In this activity you are going to listen to an extract from an interaction between a student presenting his design for a park and a member of their audience who critiques the design.

Instruction

Listen to this extract from an interaction between a presenter and a questioner following the presentation of a design proposal for a park. Notice the style and way in which the critique develops, and as you listen select the statement which best summarises the key point of each part of the discussion. Then read the feedback.

1. The first part of the critique
The questioner would like to see more clearly defined lines.
The questioner would like a more or less radical solution.
The questioner is persuaded by circular forms rather than straight lines.
The questioner is puzzled by the geometry of the design.

2. The student presenter's response
The presenter initially thought the curves looked awful.
The presenter thought that the likely uses of the park required curves.
The presenter thought use of the park would include a running track.
The presenter thought the use of straight lines would be controversial.

3. The second part of the critique
The questioner thinks the presenter's design has features from two styles of park.
The questioner thinks the presenter's design is preferable to the other parks.
The questioner compares the design with two parks which share the same features.
The questioner compares the design with a park that has a looser geometry.

4. The student presenter's response
The presenter's design mixes a family garden with a nineteenth century style of park.
The presenter believes that contemporary architecture mixes design forms.
The presenter accepts the jury and teacher's judgement of his design.
The presenter believes that curves are a nineteenth century feature.

Here is a transcript of this part of the critique, which you may wish to refer to:
Transcript (pdf, 56KB). You may wish to print this document.

Activity 2: English language use when critiquing

The skill of effective critiquing requires careful and moderated use of language to perform specific functions during an interaction.One way to improve your own skill at critiquing others is by noticing the kind of language used by questioners who are experienced at critiquing. In this activity you are going to...

Instruction

Study these examples of language used when critiquing in English. Match examples from the left side with the function that they perform in discussion from the right side. Then read the feedback.

© Archi21 Project Consortium: Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture Paris-Malaquais, Open University, University of Ljubljana, Aalborg Universitet, University of Southampton and eLanguages. Image courtesy of Anne Petersen (Flickr).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND Licence.