"conceptual plans"

[sagehen]

>I came across this puzzling expression in the Palo Alto Daily News of
>6/16/05, in "High school plans unveiled" by Luke Stangel, which begins:
>
>-----
>Conceptual plans for a new $17 million performing arts center at
>Menlo-Atherton High School were unveiled to the public last night at
>a meeting planned for gathering feedback.
>-----
>
>The "concept" in "conceptual plans becomes clearer in a later paragraph:
>
>-----
>Hodgetts + Fung have designed several high-profile public buildings,
>such as the Minneapolis Orchestra Amphitheater.  Their design--which
>Craig Hodgetts admitted was still a "very loose concept"--faces
>Middlefield Road and has room for a 500-seat theater and 100-seat
>orchestra.
>-----
>
>Later it becomes clear that the conceptual plans are not mere rough
>sketches, since numerous specific details are mentioned in the story.
>
>Google gives ca. 31,700 webhits for "conceptual plans", including the
>following definition in the home design context:
>
>-----
>Conceptual plans are home designs that have not yet been
>finalized. ... Each of
>the conceptual plans includes a "copyright release" that gives you
>and your ...
>www.conceptualhouseplans.com/faqs.shtml
>-----
>
>I would have used "preliminary plans" here, but I suppose that
>architects and designers prefer to present themselves as dealing in
>*concepts*.
>
>I also noted the metonymy that has the *design* facing Middlefield Road.
>
>arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)
~~~~~~~~~~~
We had an electric stove some years ago -- don't remember the maker -- that
had the (to me) rather mysterious words "Concept Series" written on the
console. I guess it was intended to be impressive (which, perhaps it was,
since I remember it!) but I never did figure out why or what it was
supposed to mean.

On "bailing wire," it could be useful for bailiffs, perhaps, since their
duties are so multifarious.
 AM

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