Gate 2 — Programme Synthesis

Gate 2 produces the room programme — the definitive schedule of spaces, areas, and key requirements that will drive the design. It synthesises the confirmed brief (Gate 0) with the site constraints (Gate 1) to produce a programme that is both aspirationally correct and physically achievable on the site.

What Gate 2 does

1. Generates room types and areas — based on building type, occupancy targets, and applicable standards (NDSS, BB103, HBN, etc.)
2. Checks density and area — verifies that the total GIA fits the site at a reasonable density and plot ratio
3. Groups spaces into functional zones — circulation, primary spaces, secondary spaces, service spaces, external spaces
4. Identifies key adjacency requirements — which spaces must or should be adjacent, and which must be separated
5. Flags regulatory minimums — highlights spaces where the proposed area is at or below the minimum required by regulations
6. Produces the Programme Sheet — a structured, editable room schedule

The Programme Sheet

Column	Description
Room / Space	Name of the space
Qty	Number of instances
Net Area (m²)	Area per instance
Total Net (m²)	Qty × Net Area
Minimum (m²)	Regulatory minimum (if applicable)
Status	✅ Pass / ⚠️ At minimum / 🔴 Below minimum
Zone	Functional grouping
Adjacency	Required neighbours
Notes	Programme-specific notes

Summary totals:

• Total Net Internal Area (NIA)
• Gross Internal Area (GIA) — NIA ÷ target efficiency ratio
• GIA as % of site — density check
• Plot Ratio (GIA ÷ site area)

Editing the programme

You can edit the programme at Gate 2 in two ways:

Direct editing: Click any cell in the Programme Sheet to edit it — area, quantity, zone, notes.

Natural language: Type in the chat:

Increase all bedroom areas to 14m² minimum

Add a roof terrace of 200m² shared amenity space

Split the open-plan office into two separate 400m² suites

After each edit, the totals recalculate and any constraint violations are re-evaluated.

Approving Gate 2

Once the programme looks right:

1. Click Approve Programme
2. The Programme Sheet is written to the Purple8 Graph as Space nodes with their properties set
3. Adjacency requirements are written as graph relationships
4. Gate 3 (Design Options) begins

TIP

The approved programme is the foundation for all subsequent gates. If you find the programme needs changing after Gate 3 or 4, you can return to Gate 2, edit, and the later gates re-run automatically.