Theory of Architecture 1 Lecture Notes

Vocabulary practice cards covering the entire lecture on the Theory of Architecture 1, including human needs, environmental and human influences, design elements, color psychology, and principles of composition.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

Physiological Needs

Basic human requirements such as food and clothing positioned at the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy.

Safety Needs

The second level of Maslow's hierarchy, which includes needs like job security.

Self-preservation

A general physical need involving food, shelter, clothing, power, transportation, ecological balance, education, sports, medical, and livelihood.

Reproduction

A general physical need necessary for the population to increase and continue its existence.

Necessities (Shelter)

Modern shelter requirements including a warm, dry house with glazed doors, windows, sanitation, and permanency.

Conveniences (Shelter)

Modern shelter requirements where rooms are arranged economically and circulations are studied according to functions.

Comfort (Shelter)

Modern shelter requirements containing labor-saving devices for heat, ventilation, and instant communication, along with specially designed furnishings.

Emotional Needs

Reactions stirred by the forces of religion, art, and the desire to indulge in recreation.

Intellectual Needs

Demands for a proper architectural setting for education, science, and government.

Desire for Preservation

A stimulus to action involving food, shelter, clothing, and security, which calls for structures related to commerce, government, and religion.

Desire for Recognition

A desire for prestige, social status, and intellectual attainment, resulting in palaces, skyscrapers, cathedrals, and monuments.

Desire for Response

Arises from the gregarious nature of man and his wish for sociability, leading to fraternal buildings, city clubs, and residential living rooms.

Desire for Self-expression

The urge to assert oneself as an individual, responsible for buildings like theatres, museums, and stadia.

Climate

An influence of nature that affects habits, temperaments, and architectural characteristics such as wall thickness and roof protection.

Topography

The general terrain or contour of the surface of the country that influences architectural character and similarity.

Social Conditions

The reflection of social structure in architecture, where stable government eliminates the need for protective features like barbed wire.

Economic Conditions

The status of trade, commerce, and industry that determines standards of living and types of building materials used.

Point

An element that marks a position in space, conceptually having no length, width, or depth; it is static, directionless, and centralized.

Line

A point extended that has length but no width or depth, capable of expressing direction, movement, and growth.

Vertical Line

A linear element representing dignity, formality, stability, and strength.

Horizontal Line

A linear element representing calm, peace, and relaxation.

Diagonal Line

A linear element representing action, activity, excitement, and movement.

Curved Line

A linear element representing freedom, naturalness, and a soothing feeling.

Plane

A line extended with properties of length, width, shape, surface, orientation, and position.

Overhead Plane

The roof plane that shelters interior spaces or the ceiling plane forming the upper surface of a room.

Wall Plane

A vertically oriented plane vital to the shaping and enclosure of architectural space.

Base Plane

The ground plane serving as a physical foundation or the floor plane forming the lower surface of a room.

Volume

A plane extended that has length, width, and depth; can be either a solid (space displaced by mass) or a void (space enclosed by planes).

Form

The primary identifying characteristic of a volume established by the shapes and interrelationships of planes.

Visual Inertia

The degree of concentration and stability of a form depending on its geometry and orientation relative to the ground plane and gravity.

Circle

A centralized, introverted primary shape representing unity, stability, and infinity.

Triangle

A primary shape signifying stability when resting on a side and precariousness when standing on a vertex.

Square

A static and neutral primary shape representing the pure and the rational, with no preferred direction.

Sphere

A solid generated by the revolution of a semicircle about its diameter, being centralized and self-centering.

Cylinder

A solid generated by the revolution of a rectangle about one of its sides, centralized about an axis.

Cone

A solid generated by the revolution of a right triangle about one of its sides.

Pyramid

A polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular faces meeting at a common vertex; it is relatively hard and angular.

Cube

A prismatic solid bounded by six equal square sides, lacking apparent movement or direction.

Regular Form

Forms whose parts are related to one another in a consistent, orderly, and symmetrical manner.

Irregular Form

Forms whose parts are dissimilar and asymmetrical, often resulting from subtraction or irregular composition.

Dimensional Transformation

Altering a form by changing one or more of its dimensions while it retains its identity as a member of a family of forms.

Subtractive Transformation

Transforming a form by removing a portion of its original volume.

Additive Transformation

Transforming a form by relating or physically attaching one or more subordinate forms to its volume.

Spatial Tension

A type of additive relationship relying on close proximity or the sharing of a common visual trait like shape or color.

Edge to Edge Contact

A type of additive relationship where forms share a common edge and can pivot about it.

Face to Face Contact

A type of additive relationship requiring two forms to have corresponding planar surfaces parallel to each other.

Interlocking Volumes

A type of additive relationship where forms interpenetrate each other's space.

Space within a Space

An organization where a large space envelops and contains a smaller space within its volume.

Interlocking Spaces

A relationship resulting from the overlapping of two spatial fields, creating a zone of shared space.

Adjacent Spaces

The most common type of spatial relationship where two spaces are clearly defined and separated/linked by a plane.

Centralized Organization

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

Linear Organization

A series of forms or spaces arranged sequentially in a row.

Radial Organization

A composition of linear forms or spaces extending outward from a central form.

Clustered Organization

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

Grid Organization

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

Articulation

A way to give definition to the elements of a structure's form, emphasizing distinct parts, planes, and edges.

Hue

The color itself or the name of the color in the spectrum, such as red, blue, or yellow.

Tonal Value

A property of color describing its darkness or lightness, modified by adding white (tint) or black (shade).

Chroma

A property of color describing its brightness or dullness, also known as intensity.

Warm Colors

Vibrant colors like red, yellow, and orange that advance toward the observer and increase energy levels.

Cool Colors

Calming colors like blue and green that appear to recede and have a relaxing influence.

Neutral Colors

Hues that appear to be without color, such as black, white, brown, and grey, typically used to compliment primary and secondary colors.

Contrast

A visual principle where there is a distinguishable difference between objects in terms of size, shape, color, or texture.

Proportion

The harmonious relation of one part of a building to another or to the whole.

Scale

The size of an object compared to a reference standard or to the size of something else like a human being.

Golden Ratio

A proportion system involving a special number approximately equal to $1.618$ (Phi).

Modulor

An anthropometric scale of proportions created by Le Corbusier based on a man at $1.83\,m$ and his arms raised at $2.262\,m$.

Ken

A traditional Japanese unit of measurement used to designate the interval between two columns.

Anthropometry

The measurement of the size and proportions of the human body and their influence on building components.

Symmetry (Formal Balance)

A state where weight is equally distributed on both sides of a central axis, creating stability and a static visual.

Asymmetry (Informal Balance)

A state where both sides of a central axis are not identical yet appear to have the same visual weight, creating a dynamic effect.

Hierarchy

The organization of design elements into different levels of importance to create prioritization and centers of interest.

Emphasis

The creation of a focal point in a design composition to command attention to what is important.

Rhythm

A compositional principle using repeated elements with variety in size or relationships to create organized movement.

Unity

The state of being in accord or harmony where all elements are organized into a whole.

Character

The external expression of internal qualities, derived from function (purpose), association (traditional links), and personality (emotional appeal).

Visual Acuity

The sharpness of vision and the process of seeing fine details, localizing objects, and distinguishing between close objects in space.

Stereoscopic Vision

The ability to overlap two slightly different views into one image, creating an illusion of three-dimensional depth.

Kinesthetic Vision

The experience of space through movements of the eye from one part of a whole work to another.

Gestalt Psychology

A theory stating the mind organizes sensory data into complete forms, following the motto "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Figure and Ground

A Gestalt principle where part of the visual field is differentiated as the object of focus (figure) against its background (ground).

Proximity Principle

A Gestalt law stating that objects near or close to each other are perceived as a group.

Similarity Principle

A Gestalt law stating that items similar in shape, color, or texture are perceived as a group.

Closure Principle

A Gestalt law stating that people perceive incomplete objects as being whole by filling in visual gaps.

Continuity Principle

A Gestalt law stating that aligned objects or intersecting lines are perceived as a group or single uninterrupted objects.