Abstract. Two types of novel architectured cellular materials have been developed [1,2]. To estimate the effective material properties and to optimally design such materials, a suitable homogenization method was needed. An existing asymptotic homogenization process has provided an effective means for the multiscale modeling of continuum solids; however, that method was not easily adapted to the aforementioned materials, which are naturally discrete systems. First, we developed a strain-based homogenization method equivalent to the existing asymptotic homogenization method, but it was developed based on an engineering approach rather than on a mathematical approach such as the one used in asymptotic homogenization. The new approach separates the strain field into a homogenized strain field and a strain variation field in the local cellular domain superposed on the homogenized strain field. The Principle of Virtual Displacements for the relationship between the strain variation field and the homogenized strain field is then used to condense the strain variation field onto the homogenized strain field, and the homogenization process becomes a coordinate reduction process comparable to the Guyan Reduction used in structural dynamics analyses. The characteristic modes and the stress recovery process are also discussed. The new method is then extended to a stress-based homogenization process based on the Principle of Virtual Forces, and it is further applied to address the discrete systems of the aforementioned architectured cellular materials.