Architecture is regarded ultimately as a creative profession by society, on the same imaginative scale as artists, authors, painters and composers. The intangible, abstract, quality, and ability that one refers to as ‘creativity’, is inherent to these professional fields with architecture being no exception. It is an ability that is admired and desired; though when asked to define or explain creativity, often one struggles to answer coherently.

The notion of ‘creativity’ has implications and connotations of originality, intelligence and innovation; though it can be argued that true originality cannot exist, as every human activity, including creating, is influenced by things that we have already seen, learned and experienced through our environment. What are the conditions that facilitate creativity; is it something that can be learned; and if so, how can one be more creative? The answers to these questions themselves, are not definitive, but are ones that students of architecture, including myself, and professionals in all creative fields, most certainly find fascinating. Creativity is what we students of architecture rely greatly on, and are the generation whose creativity will craft and dictate the future of architecture.

This special study intends to reveal and provide an understanding of the creative process and the way in which it operates; carried out by investigating the learning process and morals of creative techniques, and from this, it may give an insight of how one may adjust their own approach and understanding towards creativity. Speculation for the future role that creativity has towards the architectural profession and within education is also made, with ideas and theories presented here with several case studies.