Radial Balance

Design elements radiate outward from the center.

Dresden Frauenkirche Deresden, Germay

Vertical Balance
The top and bottom parts are equal.

Horizontal Balance
The parts on the left and right sides are equal.

Chi Lin Buddhist Temple and Nunnery Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Rhythm
Repeated use of line, shape,
color, texture or pattern
Types
Regular rhythm
Graduated rhythm
Random rhythm
Gradated rhythm

Regular Rhythm
An element is repeated at the same repetition/interval each time.

Cube house design Rotterdam, Netherlands

Random Rhythm
The beats of the element are random or are at irregular intervals.

Gradated Rhythm
The repeated element is identical with the exception of one detail increasing or
decreasing gradually with each repetition.

Emphasis
The feature in a design that attracts ones eye the focal point.
Emphasis can be achieved through size, placement, shape, color, and/or use of
lines
created by contrasting size, positioning, color, style, or shape. The focal point
should dominate the design with scale and contrast without sacrificing the unity
of the whole.[3]

Proportion and Scale

Comparative relationships between elements in a design with respect to size
3:5 ratio is known as the Golden Mean
Using the relative size of elements against each other can attract attention to a
focal point. When elements are designed larger than life, scale is being used to
show drama.[3]

Movement
Flow or feeling of action.
The path the viewers eye takes through the artwork, often to focal areas. Such
movement can be directed along lines edges, shape and color within the artwork,
and move.

Contrast
Noticeably different
Can be created with
Color
Proportion and scale
Shape
Texture
Etc.
Planning a consistent and similar design is an important aspect of a designer's
work to make their focal point visible. Too much similarity is boring but without
similarity important elements will not exist and an image without contrast is
uneventful so the key is to find the balance between similarity and contrast

Unity
Unity is achieved by the consistent use of lines, color, material, and/or texture within a
design.
According to Alex White, author of The Elements of Graphic Design, to achieve visual
unity is a main goal of graphic design. When all elements are in agreement, a design is
considered unified. No individual part is viewed as more important than the whole
design. A good balance between unity and variety must be established to avoid a chaotic
or a lifeless design.[3]

SOURCE:
:https://www.academia.edu/7948096/Principles_and_Elements_of_Design_Applied_to_Architecture

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
Line
Line is the visual direction of a design. It can be used to emphasize a pleasing element or
disguise an undesirable one.
Different types of lines have different effects on design.
Types
Vertical
Horizontal
Diagonal
Curved

Vertical Line
Represents dignity, formality, stability, and strength.
Vertical lines can make rooms seem more spacious than they actually are and ceilings
appear higher.
Vertical lines lead the eye up, adding height, formality, and strength to a design.

Horizontal
Represents calm, peace, and relaxation.
Horizontal lines lead the eye to the left or right, suggesting informality and restfulness.
Horizontal lines can make buildings, rooms, and furniture seem wider and shorter

Diagonal
Represents action, activity, excitement, and movement.
Diagonal lines suggest action, movement and excitement.
Diagonal lines can be overpowering and tiring, so they should be used sparingly in
design.

Curved
Represents freedom, the natural, having the appearance of softness, and creates a
soothing feeling or mood.
Too many curved lines create a busy look.
Curved lines add a softening, graceful effect to designs.

Shape
Shape is a flat image with two dimensions:
Length and Width.
The
two-dimensional
contour
that
characterizes an object or area.
Shape is created by intersecting lines to form squares, rectangles, and triangles.
Connecting one continuous line to make a circle also creates shape.
Shape may be:
Shiny and reflect images- mirrors
Transparent and create visual effects - window glass
Textured and absorb light and sound - window treatments and carpeting
Hard or Soft
Plain or patterned
Colored light or dark

Space

It may have two dimensions

(length and width) such as a floor, or it may have three dimensions
(length, width, and height), such as a room or dwelling.
Any space, no mater what size or shape, can be divided into distinct
parts.
Too little space can create a feeling of being exposed.
Space is affected by the number and size of objects in it.
When space changes gradually, it is more pleasing than when it changes abruptly.
When space changes suddenly, the eye shifts from one view to the other without making
a smooth transition.

Types
Open, uncluttered spaces
Cramped, busy spaces

Kohl Children's
Museum
by
Booth Hansen,.
(The overhang of the building is a form
creating space.)

define space with horizontal elements

Texture

The surface look or feel of something

exture is a surfaces tactile quality.
Tactile refers to the perception of touch.
In design, texture appeals to sight as well as touch.
Often patterns or colors are used to create the illusion of texture.

Smooth Surface Reflects more light and therefore is a more intense color.
Rough Surface Absorbs more light and therefore appears darker.

Smooth Texture

Exterior metal faade of Disney Concert Hall,

Los Angeles

Glass faade of a high rise office building

Rough Texture

Park Guell Barcelona, Spain Architect: Antonio Gaud

Color
considered the most important element of design.
Each color has three characteristics: hue, value, and intensity.
Hue is the name of a color.. Red, green and blue-violet are examples of hues. A color may be
lightened or darkened, brightened or dulled, but the hue will remain the same.Value is the
lightness or darkness of a hue. The value of a hue can be made lighter by adding white. This
produces a tint. Pink is a tint of red, made by adding white to red. A hue can be made darker
by adding black. This produces a shade. Maroon is a shade of red.
Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a hue. Adding some of its compliment can lower the
intensity of a hue. The compliment of a hue is the color directly opposite it on a standard
color wheel. Examples of high intensity colors include hot pink and fire-engine red. Low
intensity colors include rust and smoky blue.
Color schemes look best when one color dominates.
Dominate color should cover about two-thirds of the room area.
An equal split between areas of dominate and subordinate color is far less pleasing.

SOURCE:
www.archford.org/pages/uploaded_files/Elements%20of%20Design%201.ppt