BUILDING MATERIALS AS EXPRESSION

OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
 HONESTY OF EXPRESSION
This is a principle to be observed in connection
with the use of materials. The materials of
architecture have the primary function of
enclosing space for the protection of man’s
interest and activities, an achievement which
can be attained more satisfactorily by paying
the proper attention to the qualities of these
materials.
Common building materials such as wood,
stone, and glass have their own physical
characteristics and are best suited to various
specified situations. Rough field stones would
be inappropriate where the smooth surface of
polished marble is desired. Materials should
also be used in a truthful manner and not to
hide or imitate.
Materials of construction should express in
addition the function of the building. Humble
materials should be used with simple structure
and the more ornate reserves for ambitious
buildings. False fronts, useless columns
inappropriate parapets, and spectacular roofs
and domes usually detract from the functional
and aesthetic qualities of architecture and
should have no place in good design.
False front- a front wall which extends beyond
the side wall of a building or above the roof.
“The subject of material is clearly the foundation
of architecture” – William Moris (1892)
“Architectural design is the method of organizing
materials and forms in a specific way to satisfy a
definite purpose” – Kurt Dietrich (2008)
DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS
PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
Building materials have certain physical
properties to be structurally useful. The
following are the properties that should
be considered in choosing materials:
Elasticity - the ability of a material or
structural member to recover its original
form after loading forces on it are
released.
If a materials were not elastic and
deformation were present in the
structure after the removal of the load,
repeated loading and unloading
eventually would increase the
deformation to a point where the
structure will become useless.
All materials used in architectural
structures such as stone, brick, wood,
steel, aluminum, reinforce concrete and
plastics have become elastically within a
certain define range of loading. If the
loading is increased above that range,
two types of behavior can occur:
Brittleness – will make the material
break suddenly – stone
Plastic deformation – make the material
flow at a certain load ultimately leading
to fracture; plastic flow, plastic yield; the
change in dimension of a member under
load which is permanent and will not be
reversed once the load is released -
steel
 PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
Stiffness - the property of a material or structure to
resist bending, stretching and deformation; defined
by the elastic modulus, which is the ratio of the
stress (force per unit area) to strain (deformation per
unit length) – structural steel – 3 times stiffer as
aluminum, 10 times as stiff as concrete and 15 times
as stiff as wood.
Materials of Nature/ Ancient Materials:
1. Wood – used for building purposes and for
furniture. It can be used in its natural state. Can be
bowed and bend into complicated curved surfaces.
Many production methods permit a good material
expression of wood. It is not as permanent as
masonry but with proper care, it can last for
centuries. Wood is used for structural purposes like
framings, posts, roof trusses, girders, etc. carved for
interior decorations and other uses like sidings,
paneling's, floorings. It may be used in its rough
state surface, planed or smoothed.
2. Stone – the great building material of nature, one of
the oldest and perhaps the most permanent.
a. Granite – a course-grained stone and should be
used for large, bold forms with little carvings. It is
the hardest and perhaps the most durable of the
building stones. It is often applied to basses
courses where protection is desired
b. Sandstone – ranges in color from white to
different tints of red and brown or blue and gray.
This material is popular for use in buildings whose
characters lean more to informality than the
formality, they give variety and interest and the
textures of their walls have found favor in different
structures.
c. Marble – a limestone which sufficiently close in
texture to admit of being polished. It may be
divided into two classes: 1 brecciated marble –
composed pf angular fragments, 2 the serpentine
marbles which are prized for variegated patterns
and often used in large flat planes
 PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
d. Limestone – has fine even texture and
its colors range from light cream to a buff
and from a light gray to darker, bluish gray.
It is an excellent wall or exterior stone and
leads itself very well to carving.
3. Leather – characterized by its high
degree of plastic malleability which it
requires through the soaking process it
undergoes during manufacture. After
dyeing it is no longer malleable but keeps
its form unless a special process enables it
to keep its flexibility.
4. Ceramic materials – can be
manufacture in many different ways. Clay
can be used to make bricks, roofing tiles or
toilet tiles, clay pot, etc.
5. Metal – ferrous and non- ferrous. Steel
has qualities of strength but light. It requires
less area than solid masonry. Its structural
design may be computed accurately which
saves space and cost.
Bronze, wrought iron, copper, lead, chrome-
nickel steel, aluminum, Monel metal, nickel
silvers
6. Glass – like metal can be cast and rolled
and manufactured in some way. The most
important sensation are volume color,
transparency, tactile hardness, smoothness
and coldness.
 PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
7. Textiles – foremost characteristic is the
intertwining of weft with the warp. If a printed pattern
is applied to a uniformly colored piece of textile, a
bad expression will be given to the production
technique as well as the material itself.
New materials
8. Concrete – concrete today is based in
mathematical calculations are used which give the
modern milieu an artificial touch in tis expression of
material and structure. It has strength and a surface
and texture capable of contributing to the aesthetic
quality of a building. Most important characteristic is
its fluidity. It is the only important building material
that can be poured into place and made to assume a
variety of shapes.
9. Plastics – group of artificial materials and more in
use. It may be used in different parts of the building,
especially for the space-enclosing surfaces-such as
walls, windows, floors, and ceiling and for equipment –
such as furniture and accessories.
Classification of Materials
1. Natural – direct product of nature:
Stone – limestone, granite, marble, sandstone
Wood – structural and decorative
2. Manmade – manufactured by man – from clay
Ceramics – brick, tile, terracotta
Glass
Concrete
Metal – steel, iron, lead, copper, aluminum, alloys
Plastics
 INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
I. Sources
1. Inorganic – stones, clay, adobe
2. Organic – abaca, bagasse, bamboo, coconut
(trunk, leaves, husk) sea shells (kapis), lumber,
cane wood (rattan) rice husk, nipa palm, animal
dung, cogon, runo, etc.
II. Qualities
a. Structure: properties that determine the reaction
of the material under stresses and its workability
with tools when used as a construction material
such as its compressive strength, tensile,
characteristics, porosity, lightness, hardness,
durability, rigidity, gracefulness and flexibility of
use.
b. Physical aspects: properties that determine the
aesthetic properties of the material such as texture,
tonal quality, color, sheen, etc.
c. Inherent Weaknesses: rotting, (moisture)
corrosion, susceptibility to infection by termites,
“bukbok” and similar pests, discoloration, (solar
radiation), fungus growth.
d. Life Span of the Material
e. Other inherent properties such as weight , water
resistance, heat resistance, insulating value,
acoustic value, etc.
https://www.slideshare.net/hafidhalraho/the-role-of-
building-materials-in-architectural-design
References: Salvan, George S., Architectural
Theory of Design, The New Leader Type
Curriculum, 3rd Edition , JNC Press, Inc.,1999