-
1
Primary Elements
"All pictorial fonn ile9ins with the point that sets itself Inmotion ..•
The point moves .•. and the line comes into U!lmg-the flrstdlmension.
If theline shifts to fonn aplane, we obtain atwo·dlmenslonal element.
In the movtment from plane to spaces. the clash of planes gives rise to
body (tlnu·dirnensional) ... A51Jmmal)' of the kinetic energies
which movt the point into aline. the line into aplane.
and the plane Into aspatial dimen51on."
Paul !(lee
The 1hlnbng Eye: The Notebooks [Link] Klee
(English trlnsliltion)
1961
PRIMA RY ElEMEN TS
This openi!14 clllpter presents the pnnury eltments of form in the O!lkr of
their growth from the p<llnt to' one-d [Link]~e. from the lnt to~ two-
[Link] [Link]. and from the [Link] to~ tlvu·[Link]. E.1d1
dtrntnt is first c:onsidtred as aGOIIU~I element. then~~ visual dtmtnt
In the >OGabu~ry of ardl1teaural design.
As co~Ieltmtnts. the poont. hne. [Link]. a'ld volumt are not visilk
exupHo the mond'seye Whitt they do not,ctwflymst. we nevertnele55 fed
thtlr presenct. We [Link] sensea pointat themtttmg of two lines. aline martmg
the contour of' [Link].~ [Link] enclo5tng a volume. and the volume of an object
that ocwpies space.
When made V>sible to the eye on paper or in thru·[Link] space. these
elements becon1e fonn w1th characteristics of substance. shape. size. color.
and texture. As we experience these forms In oor enVIronment. we should be
abltto peruiw:'" thelrstnJGCUre the eldstenceof the primary elements of
po1nt. hne. p~ne. and volume.
21 U CHIIfClUIE FORM, SPACE, l 010!1
PRIM ARY ELEMEN TS
0
Poinl
Apotn~exttn<lell~a
line With propett1e5 of :1·]) line
• length
• d1rectlon
• Jmitlon
Aline exttnded bewmes a
Plane wl'h properties of: 2 ·]) Plane
• len~th and wtdth ---------------~
• shape
· surbce
• orientation
• poSition ----------~-
Apbneexttnded ~a
Volume 101th properties of: Volume
• length. wtdU1. and depth
• fomund space
· surfau
• orientatiOn
• poS!toln
PRIMARY El£MENTS I 3
POINT
\I
\i I I
• Apcllnt marts apositl0t11n SfJU· Conctpt<ully.l~ has no
length. width. or depth. and 15 therefon: static, centr.~liztd,
and dlrectlonless.
As the pnme dement 1n the YOGill>ubl)' of form. apoint can
smttomart:
· the two ends ofaI ne
• the lnters«tion of two lines
• the mectltiiJ of lines at the comer of aplane or volume
· the center of a fldd
Although apoint theoretically has ne1ther shape nor fonn.
It btgins to make Its presenct felt ~ilen placed Wlti!O! a~I
fldd. At the center of Its etMronmen~. apoint is stiible and
at rest. organizingsurrounditiiJ elements aliM Itself and
tlorninabtiiJ itsfldd
When thepomtlsmovell off-center. however. its fldd liecomes
man: aggres5iveand lit4J'ns to compett for VIsual supremacy.
VISUJI tenslo!115 created ~een the point and Its fldd.
4 I AICHIIEaURE: FOUl, mCE, & OIOEl
POINT ELEMENTS
Apoont ~5 no d1menslon To ~slbty mart a po5it10n In spau or on the
~round plant, apoont mU5tf>e projecttd vertbl~ lntu linearfonn. as a
oolumn. o~d!51:. or tcwer. lvrj such columnar element i5 seen in pbn as a
pocntand therefore [Link] the ~I cluracteristicsof a poont Other
J
poont·~ted forms that share these [Link] ~I atttil>utes are the: P'loUza del umpid~lio, RDnle.c.l544. MIGIIetatJtdo.
The [Link] statue of MarrusAurehus marts the untc'of tl-.6 [Link] spac:e.
• circle
©
Tholos of Polycleltos. Epi<Uuros,
GrucM. 350 6.C. f\
~~~
.&.~
• cylinder 6aptistery at Plsa. Ita~.
1153-1265, Dlotl5alvi
• spllere Cenot;Jph for Sir Isaac Newton.
Projert. 17&4. Et!enne-loui5 !louie
Mont 5. Michel. [Link]. 13th century and later.
The pyramk:lal compo5iUon culminates In aspire that 5t:rves to establish
th~ fortified monastery as aspecific ~ace In the landscape.
PIIMAIY ElEMUII I I
LINE
a·· ···· · ···· ··············· · ······················· ····· · ····· · ···· > - - - - - - - - - - -
:·.
·. Apoint extended becomes a line. Conceptually. a
line haslength.l>ut no I'Adth 0<' depth. Whereas a
point 15 by nature static.a [Link] desc;nbing the path
·. ·. of a poont In motion. i5 capal>le of Yi5ually ~ng
·. direction. movement, and growth.
·.
·. ·.
·. ·.
··.
·~ A Une Is aGlltical element Inthe
0 0 It can serve to:
· Jotn. link. support. surround. 0<'
Intersect other l'isual elements
DDO • de5Gnlle the edges of and give shape to planes
••
• artiGuilte the surfaces of planes
I / Al(HIIICTUlE: FORM, SPACE, & OlOER
LINE
Altllou9h a bne ~lly has only one dnnen51on.
it must 11M 50ine dtgru of thiel:nt55 to beGome
1'151ble. it 15 seen as abne simply l>eGause its length
domliL1te5 its width. The character of a line.
~ uut or limp. bold or tentative. gractful or
ragged. is detmnlned lly our ptrUptlon of its -··•ltllti___ S'I_ _ _ &Iiliilllll
length-wwfth ratlo.lt6 wntour. and lt6 de4ru of
GOnt<nuity.
Even the sim~e repetition of like or similar
t~bc9dt:ffghbjjklmMJ){fmiiVHJ$~z(&/?$.J.2J+S6?89o
element,,lfcontlnuous enough. can l1e re<jarded
as aline. This type of [Link] slgnlftcant textural
qualilies. '*''*''*'*'*''*''*''*''t".t''*''*'*'*''*' ***************
The onerrtatlon of a line affeas its role In al'isual
constnJalon. While avertical line can express a
~\WJ,
state of equ,ll>rfum 'Nith the foru of f'Mty.
~
symllolize the human condition. or mart aposition
r''l
In sp;Kt. ahorizDntal kne can represent stability.
the ground pbne. the horizon. or abody at rest.
I
w
Ull
'
An oblique line Is adeviation from
the vtrtjcaJ or horizontal.
lt'maylleseen as a I __ /
~ ~v
vtrtbl une falhng or a
horizontal line rismg In either
c:ase. whether it 15 falling toward a
point on the ground pbne or rising to a
piau In the sky. it 15dynamJG and >1sually
active 11 tt5 unbalanced state
I
I ________ j___
\
7 (-
•
~~ ~
PIIMAIY ELEMENTS I 9
LINEAR ELEMENTS
Vertleal lma r tltmtnts. sudlascolumns. ol>eli5ts. and [Link], haw: llan
use<l tlv'oughout hlsl<lf)' to GOm11'ot11101att signdlcant eYents and establisll
partial1M pointsIn space.
6ell Tower. Church at Vuoksenniska,
Anland. 1956. Alvar Aalto
Menhir. Column of Marcus Au...Uus, Obelisk.
aprehistoric monumentccnsls~ng ofan Piazza Colonna, Rome. AD. I74. Place de Ia Coocon:le,l'arls
upri9htJne4!lith, usually standing alone l>ut This cylindriGal shaft GOmmemoratts
sometimes aligned with othtrS. the emperor's victory rNer Germanic
tril>ts north of the Danul1e.
.. ...... ---·~··----- ---..--..·· - ;
I
\
Vertleal linear elements can also define a transparent volume of space. In
the exam~e illustrated to the left. four minaret towers outline a spa~l
fleld from which thedcme ofHagla Sophia rlstS In s~endcr.
[Link] Selin Mosque,[Link]. Slnan Ed1me. Turl:ey.
AD 1569-75
10 I UCHITHTUIE: FOIM, SPACE, & OIDEI
PL~Nf
------- -----· __.. Aline extended In.a direaion other than lt5
lntl'tnsic direction becomes a plane.
.. -----·--- __ ..
______ ...... - [Link]. .a plane ha51ength and width. but
no depth.
---------
_______ - -~
.... I
--- ---- -~
I
I
I
... ------ ---
I
:
---------- ---- ~--------------J
----------
DD DD 00
511ape I& the primary Identifying characteristic
of a [Link]&determlned l>y the contour of the
line forming the edge& of aplane. llecause our
perception of &hapt can be dl&torted 1>y
perspmive foreshortening, we see the true
&hapt of .a plane only when we view it frontally.
The &upplementary properties of.a plane----It&
&[Link] color. [Link]. .and texturt-affea lt5
vl&ual weight .and stability.
In the composition of avl&ual construction, a
plane serves to define the limit& or l>oundarles
of.a [Link] architecture .a& .a vl&ual artdeal&
&peclflcally with the formation of three·
dimensional volume& of mass and &pace, then
the plane &hotJid be regarded as akey element In
the [Link]>ulary of architectural de&ign.
18 / ARCHITECTURE: FOUl, SPACE, & OlOER
PLANE
f'l;lne5ln an;hltecUJre define three-dimensional
volumes of mass and space. The pro~rtles of each
ptane-siU. sha~. color, texture -as well as their
spatial relationship to one another ultimately
deU:nmlne the visual attrll>utes of the form they
define and the qualities of the space they enclose.
In an;hltecUJral design. wemanipulate three generic
types of planes:
Overhead Plane
Theovemead [Link] l>e either the roof plane that
sheltersthelnterlorspacesofa~ullding from the
climatic elements. or the ceiling plane that forms the
upper enclosing surface of a room.
Wall Plane
The wall plane. ~[Link] of Its [Link] orientation. Is
aGtlve In our normal field of vision and vitalto the
shaping and enclosure ofan;htttaural space.
Base Plane
The ~ase plane [Link] ~e either the ground plane that
smes as the [Link] foundation and ~sua I~ase for
~rltlrng forms, or the floor plane that forms the lower
enclosing surface of aroom upon which we walk.
PRIMARY ELEMENTS / 19
VOLUME
Aplane el<tended Ina directlcn other than Its Intrinsic
dilUtiOn 1>twnes aI'Oiume. Coraptually. a volume has
tlvu dimensions: length. width. and dept~!.
AJII'Oiumes can be analyzed and understood to wnslst
of:
- • points or vertlus when! several planes come together
- -· lines or edges when! two planes meet
- - - -...... planesor5Urfmswhld! define the limits or
boundaries of avolume
Form Is the primary Identifying characterlstlc of a
volume. lt Is esta~llshed by the shapes and
lnterrelarlonships of the planes that describe the
boundaries of the I'Oiume.
As the thn!e-dimenslonal element in the vocaoolary of
architectural design. a volume can be either a solld-
spaa dlsplaad by mass-oraI'Oid-spaa contained
or enclosed by planes.
21 I UCHITEUUIE: fOUl , SPACE, & OlDER
VOLU ME
.J
• E
Plan • nd Section In arthittcttJn:. avolume can l>t; sttn to l>[Link] aportiOn of5paa ccnta•ned
5pau defined by wall floor. and ceihng or roof planes and defined by wall, floor. and U1l ngor roof planes. or aquantity of 5p.1a
displae&J by tlu: mass of a building. It is ll!l~nt to peruiYe u,,~duality.
especially when reading orthographic plan~. elmtiOn~. and~.
Elmtlon
Spacedi5plaad by
tlu: mass of abuilding
Notre Dame DuHaut , Ronchamp. France. 1950-55. ~ Cori>u~ler
PIIMUY ElEMENTSI 29