Chapter Seven: Principles

 The following terms are concepts used in the ordering of principles to promote unity.

Axis

An axis is an imaginary line that is formed by two points in space. It can arrange forms in a regular or irregular manner and helps to promote movement. 

Resource:rt.com 

As you can see in this image of the Washington Monument, an axis is being created by the placement of the Lincoln Memorial directly across a reflecting pool from it. 

Symmetry

When a line is drawn through the center of a space and each side has objects distributed in a equivalent manner, that space is considered to be symmetrical. 

Resource: lonny.com

 
In the image above, the physical features of the room and the furniture on each side of the line are identical. This creates a unity throughout the space. 

Hierarchy

Hierarchy is the scale of importance of elements within a space. To articulate its importance, the element can be emphasized by exceptional size, a unique shape, or a strategic placement. 

Resource: wikimedia.org

In the example at the top, the hierarchy of the forms is indicated by a difference in the shape. In the bottom image of the Colorado State Capital building, the hierarchy of the structure is dominated by the height of the tallest point of the building. 

Datum

A datum is a repetitive similarity, usually a line, plane, or volume, that reoccurs within the elements of a random pattern. This repetitive element serves to organize and relate these otherwise random element. 

 Resource: aasarchitecture.com

 In the above example of datum the random shapes are being organized by the lines, in the form of a grid. In the second example the different buildings are being organized once again by line, but this time the elements just surround it. 

Rhythm & Repetition

Elements are often grouped by either their closeness to each other or by their visual commonalities. The arrangement and regularity of their spacing can be referred to as Rhythm. The reoccurring similarities in size, shape, and the detailed characteristics of elements that help to relate a group of objects can be called Repetition.

Resource: forum.skyscraperpage.com

In both the examples above, repetition is utilized in the form of shape. Though the size for the shapes may change, the form remains the same, creating unity among the different elements. 

Transformation 

A transformation is the manipulation of an existing space through discrete modifications to make it more suitable for the context of a new design.

The first image is of the Farnsworth House designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. A transformation was later made to the designs when Ronnie Tallon recreated his own version of the house for his family to live. Though subtle changes where made in the design, major characteristics of the structure remain the same. 

Chapter Six: Proportion & Scale

Golden Section:

 

A golden section is the ratio between the two dimensions of a plane. In this ratio, the proportion of the lesser plane to the larger plane is the same proportion as the larger plane is to the size of the two planes together as a whole.

Resource: www.creativebloq.com

 

 



Resource: www.ranario.com

 

In the above example, you are able to see a visual of the golden section. First you see it in an example of lines, then you can see the relation of these proportions in the image of the interior living space.

 

 

The Orders

An expression of beauty and harmony found in the proportioning of elements, mostly columns, to the Greeks and Romans of classical antiquity. Its basic unit of measurement used was the diameter of a column but since column size varied, the unit of measurement was not fixed. The dimensions of the shaft, capital, pedestal, and entablature were then derived from that measurement.

 

Resource: www.chestofbooks.com

 

Resources: meddiodesign.com

 

In the example image, you can see how the different columns are being proportioned based on their diameter. In the image of the outdoor space, you can see that the columns are being proportioned  to not overwhelm the space. 

 

Renaissance Theories

One of the main theories of the Renaissance comes from Pythagoras’ discovery that the Greek musical system could be expressed by a numerical progression -1,2,3,4- and their ratios, 1:2, 1:3, 2:3, 3:4. The Greeks believed that this scale expressed the harmonic structure of the universe.

Andrea Palladio followed this theory by proposing several methods for determining the proportional height of a room based upon its length and width. The height of a room with flat ceilings would be equal to its width. The height of a square room with vaulted ceilings would be one-third greater than their width.

resources: http://londonsquares.net/design-issues/

Resources: http://www.aboutscotland.com/harmony/968.gif

In these two examples you can see the Renaissance theories proposed by Pythagoras and Palladio. The first shows the different ratios of the musical proportioning system along with the room height ratios by Palladio. In the second you can see the proportioning of the room with its length and width determining each room height.

The Modulor
Developed by Le Corbusier, the Modulor proportioning system was meant to order “the dimensions of that which contains and that which is contained.” Inspired by the measuring tools of the Greek, Egyptians, and other high civilizations, he based his measuring tool off of both mathematics (like the Golden Section) and the proportions of the human body. Le Corbusier believed the Modulor to be a system of measurements that could govern lengths, surfaces, and volumes, and “maintain the human scale everywhere.”

Resource: thearchitectstake.com

 

Resource: caliescribe.com

 

The top image is an example of the Le Corbusier's Modulor proportioning system based on human proportioning. The second image shows Modulor proportioning system evaluation the different measurements required for certain activities to be carried out.
 

The “Ken”
The Ken is a Japanese unit of measurement that was standardized for residential architecture. The use of the Ken in a grid coincides with the use of tatami floor mats and their arrangement in a space.  

    Resource: markstephensarchitectss.com

Resource: realizingdesign.com

The first image displays the layout of a room that is being proportioned to fit six tatami floor mats. In the second image, the size of the rooms of this home are also being determined based on the "Ken" measurements. 

Anthropomorphic

The size and proportion of the human body is referred to as Anthropometry. The theory of anthropomorphic proportioning is based on architecture’s dimensions being determined by the human body since it is either a container of the human body or an extension. Along with inspiring the applied science of ergonomics, it also helps to accommodate our need for maintaining personal space and appropriate social distances.

Resources: www.dzinedirections.com

 

Resources: cetoine.com

The top image is of the scientific study of ergonomics being demonstrated in the workplace. In the interior space at the bottom, to keep an appropriate distance of personal space, the bar stools have been spaced 24" apart from one another.

Scale

 Scale refers to how large an object is in relation to the objects around it.  In architectural drawings, a scale visually shows the measured relationship between the illustration and the size of the structure once it is built.

Resource: exchange.autodesk.com

Resource: st.houzz.com

 

One example of scale is an architectural scale that is drawn onto floor plans to relate the drawing measurements to actual dimensions. The interior picture has a human silhouette added in to show the proportion of the space to the actual size of its user.

Chapter Five: Circulation

Building Approach

 

The building approach is the way in which you are led up to a building’s exterior. The approach can be frontal, oblique, and spiral. With frontal approach, you are led directly to the front of a building along a straight path. With oblique approach, the path has multiple ways of getting to the entrance of the building. Spiral approach shows off the building in the round by the path circling the building. 

 

 

Resource: confessionsofadesigngeek.com

 

In the top image you can see an example of a frontal building approach. In the final images you can see the oblique approach to the building though the multiple pathways that lead into the one frontal entrance.  

Building Entrance

The entrance is the space defining the boarder of the exterior from the interior of the building.  

 

 

resources: buildingdata.energy.gov

 

In these images you can see the entrance to the building is defined by the door. This separates the exterior entrance of the building from the interior.

 

 

Configuration of the Path

A configuration of the path is the sequence of spaces a user is taken through in order to reach their destination. This path can be linear, radial, spiral, grid, network, or a composite of these configurations.

resource: thegreatamericangrid.com

 

The first example image shows a linear path. Though it is segmented, it still keeps to a straight path. The second example image shows the gridded pathways that organized the city of Pennsylvania. The intersecting horizontal and vertical lines help to create rectangular fields of space.

 

Path-Space Relationships

Spaces are linked by paths passing by spaces, passing through spaces, and paths terminating in a space.

 

resource: en.wikiarquitectura.com

 

In these floor plans of architect Ronnie Tallon's home, you can see the path passing through the different spaces of the home outlined with the arrow. The spaces are all linked together as the pathways slices through each area.

 

Form of the Circulation Space

A circulation space is the pathways of movement within a building. Its form varies depending on it boundaries, scale, entrances, and changes in level. These space can also be either enclosed, open on one side, or open on both sides.

resource: design-simply.com

resource: en.wikipedia.org

 

In the top image you can see an example of an enclosed form of circulation of space while in the bottom picture you can see a circulation of space that is open on both sides.  

Chapter Four: Organization

Spatial Relationships

Spatial Relationship defines how different spaces interact with one another. There can be spaces within another space, interlocking space, adjacent space, and spaces linked by a common space.

 

Space within a Space

 

Resource: 2014interiordesignarticle.com

 

These images show a clear picture of a space within a space being implemented in an interior space. In this large, open office area, a renovated shipping crate is being used as a seating area. Utilization of this spatial relationship helps to separate the different areas of used space and great a feeling of intimacy.

 

 

Adjacent Spaces

When two volumes of space stand beside one another, sometimes sharing a boarder, they are considered to be adjacent spaces. The different spaces can be separated by two physical borders, a freestanding plane, columns, or a change in elevation.
 

 

 

 Resources: onekindesign.com

 

 In this image you can see that these two interior spaces are being both separated and connected at the same time by a difference in elevation. Although each is a space within itself, their shared border, which is a change in floor height, makes them adjacent and unified.  

 

Spaces Linked by a Common Space

When two separate volumes of space are connected to one another by a third space, it is considered to be a space linked by a common space.

 

Resource: scad.edu

 

It is easy to see an example of spaces linked by a common space in this image of the SCAD Museum of Art and Eichberg Hall. The two buildings have been linked by the rectangular courtyard that is created between them. Though each structure is a space of its own, this outdoor space creates a unites among them.

 

 

 

Spatial Organization

 

The organization of buildings or the spaces within a building is used to satisfy specific functions, to create privacy, and usable outdoor spaces. Types of spatial organization include centralized, linear, radial, clustered, and grid.

Radial Organization

Radial organization occurs when a dominant, centralized space has a number of radial, linear spaces radiating from its center.

 

Resource: thetimechamber.co.uk

In this aerial shot of the Devon County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, its radial organization is obvious. The dominant space of the structure is the cubic space in the center surrounded by a semicircular space. There are six linear wings extending radially from the dominant structure.

 

Grid Organization

The grid organization occurs when a three dimensional grid arranges multiple spaces into a repetitive, organized physical position.

 

Resource: savannah.com

 

In this aerial image of the Historic District of Savannah, you can see the buildings have been organized into a grid. From above it may look only two dimensional but at street level, the three dimensional organization becomes evident.