The main aim of the structures discipline is to integrate the structure into the architectural design to create the optimum solution within the available budget. A great deal of time and effort goes into analysing the design brief: what does the client want, what does the architect want?

In other words, what budget is available and what are they hoping for? Various solutions are proposed based on the analysis. The structures discipline always looks for the most creative, innovative solution.

The discipline investigates new construction materials and more efficient material use and building methods. In practice this investment pays for itself, because designing and building a structure as efficiently as possible generally results in much lower construction costs.
The development phase mainly focuses on careful structural detailing. After all, real structural beauty lies in the detail.