About: Brief (architecture)

In architecture, a brief is a statement of a client's requirements, which form the basis for appointing an architect. The brief describes the requirements that need to be reconciled and accommodated, and is developed first as a design which is submitted for approval, and subsequently constructed as a building or other structure. A brief is a written document that might be anything from a single page to a multiple volume set of documents. The term program is often used today, in conjunction with, and in part as a synonym of, an "architectural brief". "Program" is used more often in the United States whereas "brief" is used internationally. An architect's design is considered the response to the building program.