THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE LESSON 1-4

Theory

• plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain the phenomenon

• a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something

Architecture

It is the art and science of designing and constructing buildings.

Arts

the product or result of architectural work, buildings, collectively.

Science

Style or method of buildings characteristics of a people, place, time.

Designing

The profession of designing buildings and other habitable environments.

Constructing

The conscious act of forming things resulting in a unifying or coherent structure.

Building

The different types of structures such as residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, open spaces, and infrastructure.

Point

marks a position in space.  Conceptually, it has no length, width, or depth, and is therefore static, centralized, and directionless.

Line

• has length, but no width or depth.

• is capable of visually expressing direction, movement, and growth.

Vertical Line

express a state of equilibrium with the force of gravity, symbolize the human condition, or mark a position in space

Horizontal Line

can represent stability, the ground plane, the horizon, or a body at rest.

Oblique Line

deviation from the vertical or horizontal.  It may be seen as a vertical line falling or a horizontal line rising. In either case, whether it is falling toward a point on the ground plane or rising to a place in the sky, it is dynamic and visually active in its unbalanced state.

Plane

Two parallel lines have the ability to visually describe

• Overhead Plane

• Wall Plane

• Base Plane

Types of Planes

Volume

either a portion of space contained and defined by wall, floor, and ceiling or roof planes, or a quantity of space displaced by the mass of a building.

length, width, and depth

Three dimensions of volume

Point, Line, Plane, Volume

Primary elements of design

Form

suggests a reference to both internal structure and external outline and the principle that gives unity to the whole.

Shape, Size, Color, Texture

Properties of Form:

Shape

refers to the characteristic outline of a plane figure or the surface configuration of a volumetric form. It is the primary means by which we recognize, identify, and categorize particular figures and forms.

Dimensional Transformation, Subtractive Transformation, Additive Transformation

Transformation of Forms

DIMENSIONAL TRANSFORMATION

altering one or more of its dimensions and still retain its identity as a member of a family of forms

SUBTRACTIVE TRANSFORMATION

A form can be transformed by subtracting a portion of its volume. Depending on the extent of the subtractive process, the form can retain its initial identity or be transformed into a form of another family

ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION

A form can be transformed by the addition of elements to its volume. The nature of the additive process and the number and relative sizes of the elements being attached determine whether the identity of the initial form is altered or retained.

Centralized Form, Linear Form, Radial Form, Cluster Form, Grid Form

Organization of Forms

CENTRALIZED FORM

• A number of secondary forms clustered about a dominant, central parent-form.

LINEAR FORM

• A series of forms arranged sequentially in a row.

RADIAL FORM

• A composition of linear forms extending outward from a central form in a radial manner.

CLUSTERED FORM

• A collection of forms grouped together by proximity or the sharing of a common visual trait. 

GRID FORM

• A set of modular forms related and regulated by a three-dimensional grid.

Spatial Tension, Edge-to-edge Contact, Face-to-face Contact, Interlocking Volumes

Possibilities of Groupingp of Forms

SPATIAL TENSION

• This type of relationship relies on the close proximity of the forms or their sharing of a common visual trait, such as shape, color, or material.

EDGE-TO-EDGE CONTACT

• In this type of relationship, the forms share a common edge and can pivot about that edge.

FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT

• This type of relationship requires that the two forms have corresponding planar surfaces that are parallel to each other.

INTERLOCKING VOLUMES

• In this type of relationship, the forms interpenetrate each other’s space. The forms need not share any visual traits.