A building should be more than a sum of functions, architecture should make human activities possible and promote social contacts. An important aspect of structuralism is that the buildings are designed from smaller units, usually of the same shape, which repeat themselves in one way or another. The smaller units then have to do with the human size and of course together form a structure, as for example with a crystal lattice of a mineral, but with more freedom in the overall form and with common areas to emphasize the social aspect. A characteristic of some structuralist buildings is the use of cubes.

Structuralist projects share the designers' appetite for experimentation and the pleasure of designing homes and offices in a particularly spatial way. Voids, split-level sections, inner streets, flexible floor plans, affordable and characterful homes, attention to traditional details and honest, natural-looking materials are shared ingredients of this special architectural period.