WEEK 2

Focus on architectural terminology covered in Week 2 to aid understanding of concepts discussed.

Overview of fundamental principles in architecture, particularly targeted at first-year B.Arch students.

Key Concepts:
- Definition of architecture, including fundamental shapes such as line, point, sphere, cube, and plane.
- Exploration of external forms, proportions, balance, symmetry/asymmetry, and internal spaces.
- Consideration of factors like human needs, function, aesthetics, and the relationship of elements within space.
- Aspects of architectural organization: centralized, linear, clustered, and radial.
- Dominance in built form, using principles of texture, color, and circulation.

Origin of the word "architecture" from Greek "Architekton" (chief builder).
Architecture as an art that combines functionality and aesthetic pleasingness, involving deliberate use of materials and design principles.
The role of architecture in societal functions and human experiences.

Involvement across multiple fields: art, history, computer science, design, sociology, etc.
Emphasis on architecture's nature as a language expressing relationships between structure, site, and orientation.

Types of Needs Addressed by Architecture:
- Physical: Shelter, food, clothing.
- Intellectual: Education, government, science.
- Emotional: Art and recreation.

Importance of understanding the client to reflect needs in architectural design.
Translation of activities into physical requirements for spatial design, facilitating human activities.

Examples of functional architecture: Pompidou Center by Renzo Piano; The Interlace by OMA; School of Art Design and Media by CPG Consultants.

Key elements: mass, space, proportion, symmetry, balance, contrast, and decoration.

Case studies emphasizing aesthetic considerations in design:
- Heydar Aliyev Center, Zaha Hadid Architects.
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Frank Gehry.
- Bund Finance Center, Norman Foster.
- Gardens by the Way, Wilkinson Eyre Architects.

Research indicates the value of integrating natural features in designs to enhance human experience in spaces.

Key Components:
- Site: Location for construction.
- Structure: Organization of elements in material form.
- Materials: Natural and artificial substances used in construction.
- Services: Systems in buildings for comfort, safety, and functionality.

Movement through a building, from approach to entrance and space configuration.
Importance of understanding circulation paths and their influence on building experience.

Overview of Gestalt Principles: psychological laws of visual perception.
Gestalt Principles: Closure, Common Fate, Common Region, Proximity, Continuation, Convexity, Figure-Ground.
Application of these principles in architecture for optimal user engagement and experience, as seen in Tadao Ando's works.