The conventional way by which buildings are designed is for the specialist members of design teams (structural, mechanical, electrical, and other engineers, acousticians, and others) to develop in detail the comprehensive concepts of generalists. Thus, architects first develop overall scheme designs, after which consultant engineers and others develop specific subdesigns for the structures, mechanical systems, lighting, and so on that will make that particular overall scheme work. There are some important objections to this kind of process, not the least the handicap that is thus placed upon the input of the engineering and other consultants. A "three-axis design strategy" by which, from the earliest stages of a design problem, solutions are built up from the best common compatible options of all the contributing consultants is described. Key words: building design, systematic design methods, design strategy, multiprofessional, integration, design process, design decisions.