
How to analyse good design, from crafts to architecture - introduction
From Talk Architecture by Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
May 19, 2026 · 22 min · Season 20 · Episode 23
About this episode
The episode discusses how to analyze good design using Vitruvius' timeless principles of beauty, strength, and utility.
Send us Fan Mail The Timeless Principles of "Venustas, Firmitas, and Utilitas" (Vitruvius, 1st century BC) is one way to analyse any product, may it be craft or architecture, in terms of the quality and how good that design is. In the history of architectural theory, few ideas have proven as enduring as the Roman principles articulated by Vitruvius: Venustas (beauty or delight), Firmitas (firmness or structural strength), and Utilitas (utility or function, sometimes called commodity). These c...
People in this episode
Host: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Topics covered
- design analysis
- architecture
- Vitruvian principles
- crafts
- quality assessment
Keywords
- design
- architecture
- Vitruvius
- Venustas
- Firmitas
- Utilitas
- crafts
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Vitruvius
More episodes of Talk Architecture
- From Commodity to Functionality: What Vitruvius Didn't Tell Us About Accessibility · May 28, 2026 · 27 min
- How architecture students study 'business' in school - similarities in practice and entrepreneurship · May 27, 2026 · 18 min
- How architecture students study 'business' in school - introduction · May 27, 2026 · 22 min
- Interlude: 2 months break and soon we will be back! · May 12, 2026 · 6 min
- System thinking in Architecture and Disability · March 28, 2026 · 21 min
- Kevin Mark Low and Naziaty Mohd Yaacob Shared Views on Education · March 19, 2026 · 18 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Talk Architecture podcast page.