Identification and ranking of concept production methods in architectural design using the AHP method

The subject of concept as an important part of the design process in the architecture industry has been always interested in domestic and foreign architecture researcher and literature. Therefore, in this study, with using a descriptive-analytical methods and AHP mathematical technique, the process of creating a concept and its difference with synonyms was examined and the methods of creating concepts in architecture, identifying and with pairwise comparisons by a sample of 25 experts, the importance of each of them has been determined through a field study. The results of the investigations in the first phase of the study show that there are eight methods for creating a concept. Therefore, creating a concept may be done whit using by one methods of analogy, metaphor, experience, symbolism, context, Scheme, and scenario.The second phase of the study, which was also conducted by performing paired comparisons and ranking analysis, shows that from the experts opinion, there is almost a similarity in importance of using concept methods in commercial and office complexes, and three methods of Analogy, Metaphor and Theme have more weight and importance. In residential complexes, unlike concept creation in office and commercial complexes, the context method has the most importance and weight. In these complexes, the metaphor method is also important as in administrative and commercial complexes and is among the first three most important methods.