Customer Reviews

Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer

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If you're interested in architectural programming--defining a project's requirements prior to designing--then this book is a "must read." Why "Problem Seeking?" Pena explains that since design is problem solving, programming is, "the search for sufficient information to clarify, to understand, to state the problem."
Part One of the book is a primer, focusing on theory and principles. Part Two is the "how to do it" section, providing details and examples. The book is based on decades of real-life project examples from one of the most experienced architectural programming teams in the nation.


The core idea is profound: Separating programming (analysis) from design (synthesis), brings tremendous clarity to the design problem. Focusing first on the goals, facts and concepts, then translating those into quantifiable needs (independent of the solution!) facilitates decision-making and encourages innovation.


Reading this book won't make you an architectural programmer, but it provides an essential foundation for anyone involved in a building project--architects and owners alike. The book is used as a text book in architecture schools across the country, and is required reading before taking the Architectural Registration Exam. A 9 out of 10 only because it will leave you yearning for more.

This book was recommended to me by a practicing architect when I had nearly finished my architecture degree. I think all design students should read this first year. In the book, design is transformed from an arbitrary process into a calculated method of finding, then solving a problem. It embodies the very essence of programming.

Problem seeking is a comprehensive and concise reference for the act of discovery prior to the act of design. Recommend even older editions over more recent programming publications. Great read, graphical examples, and future reference material for practicing designers and students alike.