Architecture; Form, Space & Order

Form

Properties of Form
Visual properties of form

1.Shape

2.Size

3.Color

4.Texture

Properties of Form
_shape

1. Shape
Shape results from the specific configuration of a forms surfaces and edges.
Characteristic outline of a plane figure or the surface configuration of a volumetric form.
Form often includes a sense of 3-dimensional mass or volume, shape refers more
specifically to the essential aspect of form that governs its appearance the
configuration or contours that delimit a figure or form.

Properties of Form
_shape

The characteristic outline or surface

configuration of particular form.
Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, 1551-58, Sinan

Properties of Form
_shape

Shape is the principal aspect

by which we identify and
categories forms.

Central Pavilion, Horyu-Ji Temple, Nara, Japan

Properties of Form
_size

2. Size
Physical dimension of a form; length, width and depth.
While these dimensions determine the proportions of form, its scale is determined by its
size relative to other forms in its contexts.

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), Istanbul, Turkey

Nestl Waters Headquarters, Beirut, Lebanon

Properties of Form
_colour
Weightiest & dark
shaded

Light & Bright

Weightier & Shaded

3. Colour
The hue, intensity, and tonal value of a forms surface.
Distinguishes a form from environment.
Affects the visual weight of a form.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Falcon Headquarters, San Angel, Mexico

Copenhagen, Denmark

PalaisMosque),
des congrs
de Montral
The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed
Istanbul,
Turkey

Properties of Form
_texture

4. Texture
the visual and tactile quality given to a surface by the shape, arrangement, and
proportions of the parts.

The surface characteristics

of a form.

The external skin of the

building is composed of 36,000
ceramic rods in an assortment
of 23 custom colors.
Textures create a different
experience; they allow more
than one sense to be used at
once by just seeing it.
Textures allow viewers see the
building as well as imagine
how it would feel.

Brandhorst Museum, Munich, Germany

Pixel / studio505, Melbourne, Australia

The panels providing maximised

daylight, shade, views and glare
control.
Creating a harmonious surface
that wraps around all sides of the
building, giving a vibrant and
unique identity.

Singapore Life Church, Singapore

an elegant component that helps to define

the unique architectural aesthetics of the
building
The visual and tactile quality given to a
surface by the shape, arrangement, and
proportions of the parts

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is located at Central Taiwan

Stained Glass House at the Brooklyn Bridge

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is located at Central Taiwan

Stained Glass House at the Brooklyn Bridge

Stained Glass House at the Brooklyn Bridge

Properties of Form
ALL OF THESE VISUAL
PROPERTIES OF FORM ARE
AFFECTED BY THE CONDITIONS
UNDER WHICH WE VIEW THEM:
1.Perspective or angle of view
2.Distance from a form determines
its apparent size
3.Lighting conditions.
4.Visual field surrounding the form.

Changing perspective /angle of view presents

different shapes or aspects of a form to our eyes.

The lighting condition under which we view a form affects its clarity of its shape and
structure.

Stained Glass House at the Brooklyn Bridge

The visual field surrounding a form influences our ability and identify it.

Shape
Refers to the edge contour
of a plane.
it depends on the degree of
visual contrast between the
form and its background.

Shape
In architecture, we are
concerned with the shapes of:
Planes (walls, floors, ceilings)
that enclose the space.
Openings (windows and
doors)
The silhouettes of the building
form.

Shape
_Primary Shapes
Form geometry we know the regular
shapes to be the circle, and the infinite
series of regular polygons that can be
inscribed within it
Circle - A plane curve every
point of which is equidistant
from a fixed point within the
curve.
Triangle - A plane figure
bounded by three sides and
having three angle.
Square - A plane figure having
four sides and four right angle.

Shape
_Primary Shapes
1.

Circle

centralized, introverted figure that is

normally stable and self-centering
in its environment.
Placing a circle in the center of a field
reinforces its inherent centrality.

. Compositions of circles and circular segments

Associating it with straight or angular

forms or placing an element along
its circumference, however, can
induce in the circle an apparent
rotary motion.

. Epidaurus Theater

Shape
_Primary Shapes
2. Triangle - a plane bounded by 3
sides and having 3 angles
Signifies stability.
When resting on one of its sides, the
triangle is an extremely stable figure.

. Modern Art Museum, Caracas, Venezuela, 1955, Oscar Niemeyer

When tipped to stand on one of its

vertices, it can either be balanced in a
precarious state of equilibrium or be
unstable and tend to fall over onto one
of its sides.

Vigo Sundt House,Wisconsin,

. 1942, Frank Lloyd Wright

Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza,

. Egypt, c. 2500 B.C

Shape
_Primary Shapes
3. Square represents the pure and the
rational.

Compositions resulting from the rotation

. and modification of the square

All other rectangles can be considered

variations of the square
It is a static and neutral figure having no
preferred direction.
Resting on one side, identifies extreme
stability.
Dynamic when standing on one of its
corners
Bathhouse, Jewish Community
Center, Trenton, New Jersey,
. 1954-59, Louis Kahn

. Agora of Ephesus, Asia Minor

Primary Solids

.cubes, cones, spheres, cylinders or pyramids are the great primary forms that light reveals to
advantage; the image of these is distinct and tangible within us and without ambiguity. Its for this
reason that these are beautiful forms, the most beautiful forms. - Le Cabusier

Primary Solids

Maupertius, Project for an Agricultural Lodge, 1775, Claude-

.Pyramids, Giza, Egypt, c. 2500 B.C

.Nicolas Ledoux

Chapel Massachusetts Institute of technology, Cambridge,

Massachusetts, 1955, Eero Saarinen

Hanselmann House, fort Wayne, Indiana, 1967,

.Michael graves
.Project for a Conical Cenotaph, 1784, Etienne-Louis Boulee

Primary Solids
Sphere, Cylinder

Sphere
A solid generated by revolution of a semicircle
at all its diameter
Centralized & highly concentrated form
Self-centering & stable
Cylinder
A solid generated by revolution of a rectangle
about one of its sides.
Is centralized along the axis (y-axis).
ls stable if rest on one of its circular space.
Unstable if inclined from vertical.

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is located at Central Taiwan

BMW headquarters, Munich, German

Primary Solids
Pyramid, Cone

Pyramid
Polygonal & triangular faces meeting at a common
point @ vertex.
Has a similar properties to cone - because of its flat
faces.
Stable when rest in all surfaces
If cone is soft, then pyramid is harder & angular.
Cone
A solid generated by revolution of a right triangle about
one of its sides.
Is highly stable form - resting on its circular base.
Unstable when vertical axis is tipped @ overturned.

The Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington

Primary Solids
Cube

Square - cube, rectangular - cuboids

A prismatic solid bounded - 6 equal sides.
A plane figure having four equal sides & right
angles.
Represent the pure & the rational.
Can be considered variations of the square deviations from the norm (standard) by
addition of height @ width.
Its dynamic when standing on one its
corners.

Bathhouse, Jewish Community Center

Agora of Ephesus, Asia Minor.

Cube Tube in Jinhua, China

Cube Tube in Jinhua, China

Exercise 1
.Make a discussion about the following buildings, using primary solids characteristics

Regular & Irregular Forms

Regular forms are those whose parts are related
to one another in a consistent and orderly
manner, they are stable and symmetrical about
one or more axes.
Eg: sphere, cylinder, cone, cube, and pyramid.
Forms can retain their regularity even when
transformed dimensionally or by the addition or
subtraction of elements.
Irregular forms are those whose parts are
dissimilar. They are asymmetrical and more
dynamic.
They can be regular forms from which irregular
elements have been subtracted or an irregular
composition of regular forms.
Regular forms can be contained within
irregular forms and irregular forms can be
contained within regular forms

Regular & Irregular Forms

Forms

Regular

Irregular

Nature
Characteristics

Similar

Dissimilar

Stability

Stable

Dynamic

Connectivity to
others

Consistent & orderly

Inconsistent

Shape

Symmetrical

Asymmetrical

Formation

Transformed Dimensionally,
additive, subtraction

Subtracted or irregular
composition of regular
forms.

Regular & Irregular Forms

:A Regular Composition of Regular Forms

:Irregular Forms

Coonley Playhouse, Riverside, Illinois, 1912, Frank Lloyd Wright

Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, 1956-63, Hans Scharoun

:Irregular Forms within a Regular Field

Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, 1956-63, Hans Scharoun

:An Irregular Composition of Regular Forms

Katsura Palace, Kyoto, Japan, 17th century

:Regular Forms within an Irregular Composition

Masjed of Sultan Hasan, Cairo, Egypt, 1356-63

Exercise 2
Make a discussion about the projects of architect Frank Gehry, using the concept design
. of the irregular forms

Transformation of Forms
All other forms can be understood to be
transformations of the primary solids,
variations which are generated by ;
1. Dimensional Transformation; by
altering one or more of its dimensions.

2. Subtractive Transformation; by
subtracting a portion of its volume.

3. Additive Transformation; by addition

of elements to its volume.

Transformation of Forms
Dimensional Transformation of a cube into a vertical
:slab
United dHabitation, Firminy-Vert, France, 1963-68, Le Corbusier

Subtractive Transformation Creating Volumes of

:Space
Gwathmey Residence, Amagensett, New York, 1967, Charles
Gwathmey/Gwathmy Siegel

Additive Transformation of a Parent Form by the

:Attachment of Subordinate Parts
United dHabitation, Venice, 1577-92, Andrea Palladio

Transformation of Forms
_Dimensional

Altering one or more of its

dimensions.
Still retain its identity members of a family of
forms.

Sphere - transformed into ellipsoidal forms by elongating

it along an axis

Pyramid - altering the dimensions of the base, modifying the

height of the apex, or tilting the vertical axis

Cube shortening or elongating its height, width or depth

Transformation of Forms
_Dimensional

Dimensional Transformation of a
cube into a vertical slab;
United dHabitation, Firminy-Vert, France,
1963-68, Le Corbusier

St. Pierre, Firminity-Vert, France, 1965, Le Corbusier

Transformation of Forms
_Subtractive

When regular form have fragments missing from

their volume, they can retain their identity if we
perceive them as if they were whole and
complete.
Subtractive forms can be used to create
entrances, private courtyard spaces or window
openings

A square

L configuration of
2 rectangles

Transformation of Forms
_Subtractive

Gwathmey Residence, NY, 1967, Ar. Charles

Gwathmey

Kanchanjunga Apartment, Mumbai, Shodan House, Ahmedabad, India,

India, 1983, Ar. Charles Correa
1956, Le Corbusier

Transformation of Forms
_Subtractive & Additive

Le Corbusier comments on form:

Cubic Composition (Pure Prisms)
-very difficult (to satisfy the spirit)

Villa at Garches, France

Cumulative Composition
-additive form
- a rather easy type
-picturesque; full of movement
-can be completely disciplined by classification and
hierarchy
La Roche - Jeanneret Houses, Paris

Subtractive form
-very generous
-on the exterior an architectural will is confirmed
-on the interior all functional needs are satisfied
(light, penetration, continuity, circulation)
Villa Savoye, Paris

Transformation of Forms
_Additive

The Basic possibilities for grouping forms are by;

SPATIAL TENSION
close proximity of the forms or their sharing of a common
visual trait, such as shape, colour or material.
EDGE TO EDGE CONTACT
share a common edge and can pivot about that edge
FACE TO FACE CONTACT
2 forms has corresponding planar surfaces - parallel to
each other.
INTERLOCKING VOLUMES
The forms interpenetrate others space. The forms need
not share any visual traits.

Transformation of Forms
_Additive
Additive forms configuration;
CENTRALIZED FORMS
A number of secondary forms clustered about a dominant,
central parent-form.
LINEAR FORM
Series of forms arranged sequentially in a row
RADIAL FORM
Composition of linear forms extending outward from a
central form in a radial manner
CLUSTERED FORM
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 3dimensional grid

Additive Form
_Centralized
It needs the visual dominance of a
geometrically regular, centrally
located form. e.g. sphere, cone,
cylinder.
These forms share the self- center
properties of the point & circle.
Ideal as free standing structures
isolated within their context,
dominating a point in space,
occupying the centre of a defined field
They can embody sacred @ honorific
places @ commemorate significant.

Borobudur temple, Indonesia

Additive Form
_Centralized

S.Maria Della Salute, Venice, 1631-82,

Baldassare Longhena.

Beth sholom Synagogue, 1959, Frank Lloyd

Wright

Villa Capra (The Rotunda), Vicenza, Italy,

1552-67, Andrea Palladio.

To be continue.