The conceptual modelling of software architectures is of central importance for the quality of a software system. A rich modelling
language is required to integrate the different aspects of architecture modelling, such as architectural styles, structural
and behavioural modelling, into a coherent framework. We propose an ontological approach for architectural style modelling
based on description logic as an abstract, meta-level modelling instrument. Architectural styles are often neglected in software
architectures. We introduce a framework for style definition and style combination. The link between quality requirements
and conceptual modelling of architectural styles is investigated. The application of the ontological framework in the form
of an integration into existing architectural description notations such as ACME and UML-based approaches, and also service
ontologies is illustrated.
Keywords Software architecture modelling - architecture ontology - architectural style - description logics - quality-driven development