Architectural design refers to the design to meet certain architectural purposes (including people's requirements for its use function and visual experience), so that concrete materials can form a product that can become an aesthetic object under the conditions of technical and economic feasibility.

In a broad sense, it includes all relevant designs that form buildings.

According to the design depth, there are architectural scheme design, preliminary architectural design and construction drawing design.

According to the design content, there are architectural structure design, architectural physical design (architectural acoustics design, architectural optics design, architectural thermal design), architectural equipment design (architectural water supply and drainage design, architectural heating, ventilation and air conditioning design, architectural electrical design) and so on.

In a narrow sense, it refers to the scheme design, preliminary design and construction drawing design of buildings.

As an important part of the construction industry, architectural design has produced SOM, KPF, Shanghai Modern Architectural Design Co., Ltd., Tongji University Architectural Design Institute and other companies specializing in architectural design.

Some famous designers at home and abroad: Sha Lining, Mies, Wright, Tadao Ando, paul andreu, Koolhaas, Qi Kang, Zhang Jinqiu, etc.