Basic Composition in Architecture

Elements of designs, form and space, circulation & organization

Principles of architectural design to other art forms
Principles of design composition
Current theories and principles on architectural
design
 Shape and
Proportion

GOLDEN RULES
 Traditions
GOLDEN RULES • Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
 Traditions
GOLDEN RULES • Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
 Traditions
• Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
GOLDEN RECTANGLE Theories
 Traditions
GOLDEN RECTANGLE • Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
 Traditions
• Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
REGULATING LINES
PRINCIPLES
USED IN
CLASSICAL
ORDERS
PRINCIPLES
USED IN
CLASSICAL
ORDERS
 Traditions
CLASSICAL • Golden Rules
ORDERS • Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
 Traditions
• Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories

CLASSICAL
ORDERS
 Traditions
• Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
CLASSICAL
• Regulating Lines
ORDERS
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
 Traditions
RENAISSANCE THEORIES
• Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
 Traditions
RENAISSANCE THEORIES
• Golden Rules
• Golden Rectangle
• Regulating Lines
• Classical Orders
• Renaissance
Theories
Primary Elements of
Architecture
Point zero dimension . Indicates position in
space.
Line 1D – point extended becomes a
line. With properties of length,
direction & position.
Plane 2D – line extended becomes a
plane with properties of length, width,
shape, surface, orientation, position
Volume 3D – a plane extended becomes a
volume with properties and length, width,
depth, form, space, surface, orientation,
position.
 Plane
• Shape is the primary
identifying characteristics of a
plane.
• Supplementary properties are
surface, color, pattern, texture,
affecting visual weight and
stability.
• Plane serves to define the
limits or boundaries of a
volume.
Volume

Lines or edges
Points or
– 2 planes meet
vertices
Planes or
surfaces
Form
The primary identifying
characteristics of a volume.
Established by shapes &
interrelationship of planes.
A volume can be solid space
displaced by mass or void
contained by planes.
Primary
Solids
Transformation of Forms

Dimensional
Transformation

Subtractive
Transformation

Additive
Transformation
Dimensional Transformations
Subtractive Form
Additive Form
Form & Space
 Elements of form defining space
Horizontal plane

Base plane

Elevated plane

Depressed plane

Overhead plane
roof plane
ceiling plane
Elements of Design
are the tools you work with when you design.

Form/Mass The volume of a structure

Line Creates visual direction
Texture Surface pattern or physical materials
Space Interior or exterior enclosure
Value The play of light & shadow on a structure
Color Applied or inherent to the building material
Texture
Texture is the apparent look
or feel of the surface of an
art object.
Space
Space is the relative position
of one three-dimensional
object to another.
Value
Light and dark are relative
perceptions of light.
Pattern I Repetition
When lines and shapes are
repeated, they create a
pattern.

Patterns can be regular or

irregular, however, architects
try to repeat elements of
design in a regular manner.
Principles of Design are the concepts
that determine how a design is organized.
Unity All parts of the design work together
as a whole.
Proportion The size relationship of a part to the
whole.
Emphasis The focal point of the design.
Balance Symmetrical or asymmetrical
organization of elements
Repetition Creates a visual rhythm
Contrast The variation of opposites
 Rhythm
If you look carefully at the
patterns on buildings, you
can sense a rhythm to
their order.

These rhythmic patterns

give a dynamic quality to a
building, making it seem to
be very lively.

.
Symmetry I
Assymetry
When there is
correspondence in
size or shape of parts
on either side of a
bisected whole we
say it is symmetrical.

.
Balance
Balance is the
characteristic
of equal
weights
opposing one
another
.
 Contrast
Contrast exists when two
adjacent parts are very
different from one another.

In architecture, we speak
about such things as
materials that have
contrasting colors and
textures.

.
 Proportion
Proportion is the term used to describe the
relationship between two things of different
size.
.
Theme
A theme is a dominant feature of a work of
art that is carried throughout the piece.
•Basic Principles
CONTRAST
HIERARCHY
PROPORTION
BALANCE
RHYTHM
CHARACTER
DATUM
evolutionary
architecture
Composition in
Evolutionary Architecture

• Folding architecture
• Morpho-ecologies
• Generative design
• Fluidity
• Topological method
folding architecture
space + form: folding
space + form: folding
space + form: folding
space + form: folding
space + form: folding
space + form: folding
space + form: folding
morpho-
ecologies

morphogenetic process
morpho-
ecologies

by self-organization

morphogenetic process
morpho-
ecologies

by swarm intelligence

morphogenetic process
generative design
generative design
generative design
generative design
generative design
generative design
generative design
generative design
‘fluidity’ pliant
 baroque
fluidity historically appears in
architecture…

casa mila (1905), barcelona, spain, antonio gaudi

non-linear architecture

twa terminal (1962) new york,

saarinen

einsteinturm (1921), germany,

mendelson
chapel at ronchmap (1955) le
corbusier
‘fluidity’ pliant

NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines)

digital manipulation
‘fluidity’ pliant

minimize number of tessellation or surface tiling

save cost
‘fluidity’ pliant
‘fluidity’ pliant
‘fluidity’ pliant
‘fluidity’ pliant
‘topology’ + in-between
topological method

topology- elastic deformation (stretching, tapering, twisting)

topological method

topology- elastic deformation (stretching, tapering, twisting)

space + form:
topological method

form tapering stretching twisting result

 space + form:
topological method

isting, tapering, stretching