Architects are more and more challenged to reuse and redesign existing buildings, instead of designing new ones. Architectural design is known as a highly complex activity, and dealing with an existing building - which forms an enlarged 'context' for the design - is likely to make it even more complex. What information is needed to execute the design, and when and how is it used by the designer?
... [Show full abstract] Protocol analysis of architects -in-action offers a possible starting point to answer these questions. It can reveal some of the underlying mechanisms behind 'redesigning'. This method has been used to investigate the path an architect followed when developing a concept for the extension to an architecture school located in a historical building. By enlarging the understanding of what is going on when redesigning, we hope to help both (novice) practitioners and design educators in performing or teaching redesign.
