20 Principles of Architecture Final Book Palak Sharma

principles of architecture

palak sharma fall 2021

preface architecture is most efficiently conveyed through the use of specific terms that focus on important nuances within the field. these terms inform the viewer of details that aid the reading of a building as a whole. however, different perceptions of these principles can change an entire reading of any given building. the lens that one uses to understand the world will inherently impact the way they comrpehend art, and more specifically, architecture. in this book, perception will be looked at within twenty-six principles of architecture.

table of contents 01 movement 02 light + shadow 03 perspective 04 transformation 05 solid + void 06 structure 07 space 08 geometry 09 context 10 fabrication

11 defamiliarization 12 grid 13 symmetry 14 datum 15 pattern 16 repetition 17 scale 18 form 19 mass 20 material

movement

Rokko Housing, Kobe, Japan

movement directs the viewer’s attention throughout a composition and can highlight multiple areas through this progression, creating a sense of dynamism. different perceptions of movement can suggest an overall dynamic or stoic reading of the work

the movevent in this image leads the viewer’s eyes to the grid. additionally, the common perception of the color red as more stark and yellow as more mellow aligns with the directional movement of the lines of those colors.

the upward movement in these images highlights the varying scale of the masses.

light + shadow

Church of the Light, Ibaraki, Japan

the use of light and shadow can reveal different forms and volumes based on their strategic placement. color can also be used in combination with light to create intended effects, for example stained glass in churches evoking a sense of spirituality, based on a religious perspective.

The angle and proximity of the light’s arrangement allows for the shadows to have a stark contrast.

The direct light condition creates a deep shadow which conveys the form of the object.

perspective

perspective creates a main focal point, or multiple points, where the rest of the composition is directed to, creating depth. this also makes forms that are three-dimensional. perspective relies heavily on a viewer’s perception and point of view since it can be the difference between onepoint or two-point perspective.

Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, India

Schocken Department Store, Stuttgart, Germany

Le Corbusier, Villa Savoye, Poissy, France

These perspective drawings show both faces of the buildings.

Georgia Tech Alumni Association, Atlanta, Georgia

As the drawing goes further back, the distance is proportional to the size of the windows.

Hinman Building, Atlanta, Georgia

transformation

when an object is transformed, it has departed from its original form and now takes on a new one, though keeping some qualities of the former. a transformation can be percieved as destructive, effective or even irrelevent based on the context.

this transformation can be pereived as constructive, since the now form has different elevations to work with, but can also be percieved as deconstructive since it has lost its rigid structure.

solid + void

the relationship between solid and void can be tied to positive and negative space, light and shadow and even elevation and depression. it is consituted by the presence of mass and the absence of it.

Aurelio Galfetti, Castelgrande Museum, Bellinzona, Switzerland

the wooden dowels compose the solid of this model, however the void that is encapsulated within also aids in conveying a cuboid form.

sometimes, void can be percieved as more useful since it can be inhabited, while other times solid is seen as more integral in creating these spaces to be occupied.

structure

structure is defined by what gives any building a foundation to be built upon. it can also be interpreted as how sound a building is in its creation.

Dom-Ino House, Le Corbusier

this structure has been used in many greek temples to reinforce structure and enfore a sense of similarity.

Secion of the Observatory House, Tatiana Bilbao (Boeri)

the structure used in this house comprised of a semi-circle inscribed in a rectangle. this drawing completes the circle, suggesting that it is implied in the structure.

space Crematorium, Berlin

space is created between objects, usually understood as able to be occupied. space can be percied as dramatic if it is open and enclosed, but can also be seen by some as a congregation space, therefore having a positive connotation.

the first image has a lot of space around the objects, and even between them. the second image has more space around the objects and smaller, more enclosed spaces between the objects. this can be percieved as more intimate, while the first can be seen as a public space.

geometry

Renaissance church as Greek cross space

geometries include linear, angular and curved forms. it allows the building to have a sense of order and structure, and can also be applied as a motif to emphasize different aspects of a building. usually, rigid geometries can be percieved as more orderly and serious, while the absense of geometries can seem careless or unprofessional.

in this charcoal drawing, there are many rigid polygons that compose the geometry of the piece, however, there is one curved element in the middle which stands out because it is a different geometry than the rest.

context

the context of any given building means the things that it is surrounded by, whether it be other buildings or even the absense of other buildings, whether it be a rural or an urban area. it also included the history of the building and its site, and how each of these factors inform the overall meaning and reading of the building.

Geometrical pattern of Palladio’s Villas

the previous context of a building can inform a future iteration of it. if the site had been disputed, the building that is built upon it is more likely to be percieved as problematic. but if it was built on a historically significant site (assuming that the building is not problematic itself), the public perception of it is more likely to be more positive. similarly, the Georgia Tech Interdisciplinary Building was once not much to look at or for the viewer to engage with in general, so renovating it and changing the exterior changed the campus’ perception of it.

fabrication

fabrication is the process of using materials to create something. this process usually requires many iterations and time spent considering the function of the building, the site and the design. the materials are also a major part in this process since they dictate the exterior facade and part of the structural integrity.

defamiliarization

defamiliarization includes departing from the original to create a new product. this process can change one’s perception of any given building, since it can offer a new outlook into it.

this process of defamiliarizing a symmetric building resulted in two decompositions: one that is also symmetrical and one that is asymmetrical. this allows for the parts of the original building that stood out on the facade to be interpreted in other ways. the second decomposition offers a very different take on these pieces, warping them and placing them at different angles to create movement and dynamicism.

grid

San Cataldo Cemetery, Modena/Aldo Rossi

a grid is an organizational layer that allows for ordering of different parts of a composition. grids usually are comprised of vertical and horizontal lines overlapping, but in some cases they depart from this convention. when grids are implemented, a composition can be percieved as orderly, and when they are absent, they can be interpreted as disorganized.

Elevation, Rietveld-Schroder House, Utrecht, Gerrit Rietveld the grid extracted from this drawing was used to later create a dowel model. the grid emphasizes the linear relationships in the composition and also illustrated implied lines, which vary from perception to perception.

symmetry

Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome

symmetry is how similar one aspect of a composition looks in relation to its adjacent side, usually flipped horizontally or vertically. because many government official buildings are symmetrical, it subconsciously causes the public perception of symmetrical buildings to be be more professional and orderly. asymmetrical buildings, though more visually complex, aren’t as frequently implemented for official puposes, rather art museums or residential buildings.

Atlanta Women’s Club

datum

datum connects things that are outwardly dissimilar together. this can include grids, lines (axes) and even space.

Valerio Olgati, School in Paspels

datum can be used simultaneously with other principles of architecture like space and mass.

pattern

a pattern is the repetition of a idea or concept. it can create a guideline for the composition, and it also works with other principles, since it can create rhythm, movement and symmrety. a common perception of patterns is that they can make a facade look aestheically pleasing, but they also may be interpreted as redundant.

Bangkok Project Studio, Katana Film and Animation Institute, Thailand

the alternating of light and shadow in this observational sketch show a pattern between dark and light, but this also creates movement and a sense of rhythm in the composition.

repetition

Looshaus, Adolf Loos

repetition is the process by which a concept or idea is reimplemented multiples times, though it does not have to be in a particular fashion, differentiating it from a pattern. it is most commonly used to place emphasis on a certain aspect.

in this arrangement, the same materials, the same colors and the same gradual decrease in size of the masses create repetition.

scale

the scale of an object is its relative size. buildings at larger scales suggest a sense of grandiose and importance, while those at smaller scales suggest more intimate and private spaces. similarly, a relative large scale implies that the viewer should place their attention on that respective object.

the trees in this sketch convey the scale of the building.

the larger scale of the shadow at the right of this image emphasizes it relative to those at the left of the image. the viewer percieves this large semi-circle first as well since it is a focal part..

form

the form of any given object is what three-dimensional shape it takes on. forms usually dictate the purpose of the building, since it is an integral part in its composition.

Nicholas Hawksmoor, St. Mary Woolnoth, London

the form of this image is very distinct, also reinforced by the colors and the shadows that are cast.

mass Pueblo architecture

mass composes everything that relates to the built environment. mass creates space with its absence. it creates a sense of gravity and dimension ot any compositions, because it is esential in creating it. masses can be carved into or built upon to create thresholds or occupiable spaces.

the hatched areas in the drawings convey mass, showing accesible spaces and enclosed space.

material

the material used in any building dictates its structural integrity and facade appearance: both physical and aesthetic components. a darker material can be percieved as heavier or more serious, while a lighter colored material may be understood as lighter.

Aires Mateus, House in Monsaraz, Portugal

the differet faces of cardboard can be used for different purposes. for example, the corrugated side can allow light into a space, so the model can convey controlled light in the building as a whole.

bibliography Boeri, Stefano. “Gabriel Orozco, Tatiana Bilbao, Orozco’s House-Observatory, Oaxaca (Mexico) 2008.” Gizmo, http://www.gizmoweb.org/2011/03/gabriel-orozco-tatiana-bilbao-gabriel-orozcos-house-observatory-oaxaca-mexico-2008/.