The commissioning client must understand that all architecture should at least have the following basic properties:

• functionality
• firmness
• delight
• environmental sustainability

'Functionality' means that the building must be practical and functional. It must work effectively for the purposes in which it was intended. No matter how aesthetically pleasing that a building may be, if it does not work, then it is a useless piece of architecture.

'Firmness' means that the building must be structurally stable and be environmentally effective in offering protection from the climatic elements as well as provide an acceptable level of internal comfort.

'Delight' means that it must be aesthetically pleasing. This is often difficult to prove or disprove but it should not be intentionally ugly.

There is no quantifiable standard to measure aesthetic value. Society cast values in accordance to their perception, cultural, experience and educational background The enrichment of these values depends on the amount of exposure and inputs the society receives. If arts and cultures are not a priority, the level of sophistication is expectedly low. Conversely, if the society is already sophisticated in aesthetic, it demands higher standards of buildings and structures that are going to be put in its environment.

Environmental Sustainability' means that it should respect the natural environment. For example, its construction should not result in extensive devastation of the natural environment, extensive earthworks and siltation of rivers, its construction should use environmentally low-impact materials and systems, its operations must not pollute the environment and create heat-island effect, its internal engineering systems should engender recycling of materials, conservation of energy, etc.