THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE
- art and science of designing & constructing buildings and other physical structures
- also used for the profession of providing architectural services
- from latin architectura; greek arkitekton “master builder”

ARCHITECTURE THEORY
- aid/support architectural work and improve the finished product
- for better and more efficient design process
- basis of knowledge for design skills

THEMATIC THEORIES
Paradigm (=style) of architecture: Basic presentation of its theory:
Doric, Ionian and Corinthian style and their Vitruve: De Architectura libri decem. It was mainly documentation of
varieties in ancient Greece and Rome earlier architectural traditions.
Medieval anonymous tradition of trade guilds has not survived to us;
Romanesque and Gothic styles.  minor fragments are the following: Villard de Honnecourt and
Schmuttermayer.
Renaissance, baroque, rococo, neo-
Alberti: De re Aedificatoria. Serlio, Vignola, Palladio...
classical style
Large constructions: bridges and halls.
Galilei: Discorsi e dimostrazioni matematiche intorno a due nuove
"Structuralist" styling (=which emphasizes
scienze. Hooke, Bernoulli, Euler...
the structure).
l'Art Nouveau. Personal styles of Viollet-le-Duc: Entretiens sur l'Architecture. The book showed logical
architectural geniuses: Gaudi, Le Corbusier basis for new form languages but it did not create them yet. Notice
etc. also Owen Jones and John Ruskin.
The teaching of Gropius and Bauhaus. Adolf Loos. Neufert (1936):
Functionalism.
Bauentwurfslehre
Systems Building from prefabricated The lectures and exemplars given by Mies van der Rohe and others.
components Habraken.
Ecological architecture (energy collectors Eco-philosophy by Henryk Skolimowski was one of the pioneering
etc) works.
Symbolic architecture. Norberg-Schulz: Intentions in Architecture, Jencks... 
Postmodernism and Deconstruction Robert Venturi: Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

- Roman architect; wrote the oldest research in architecture “Ten books on Architecture” (De Architectura
libri decem)
- Said that a good building should satisfy/ strive to fulfill 3 principles as possible:
1. firmitatis – durability/ strength
2. utilitatis – function / utility
3. venustatis – beauty

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
1) LINE
Mary Davis Gillies - “All design or composition begins with line. Line encloses spaces, outline masses, and are the
basis of surface ornament.” It is said that when you have learned to analyze and understand the meaning
conveyed by lines, the first step to mastery of design has been accomplished.

Lines, through association, have come to assume emotional and aesthetic significance.
BOLD LINES gives a feeling of strength and determination.
FINE LINES look fragile and delicate.

“A straight line is a shortest distance between two points.

Since it can be drawn by a ruler, a straight line signifies : simplicity and directness, strength and virility,
restraint and discipline, formality and artificiality.
 VERTICAL – lead the eye upward gives a feeling of austerity and spiritual uplift

HORIZONTAL – unconsciously remind us of the horizon and of our bodies while we are asleep, therefore,
suggests repose and serenity

COMBINATION gives an expression of strength, power

and energy

slanting from left to right lead the eye forward, suggest force and activity

slanting from right to left lead the eye backward and suggest lack of stability

impression of stability, permanence and finality

impression of restlessness and agitation, as though an action has been suspended

curved lines are lines of nature

suggest lightness and freedom, gaiety and relaxation, grace and informality

2) FORM
The shape and structure of an object
If it is 2 dimensional, it is a PLANE.
If it is 3 dimensional, it is a SOLID.

Form is defined by lines.

The eye immediately grasps when parts of the shapes are of the same length and no movement
is suggested

If shapes are obviously multiples of squares or cubes, they are monotonous

If shapes have some parts longer than the others, the eye is carried along the length of the space
or object thereby not making the shape interesting.

Proportions are a great factor in shapes. If the length is more unrelated and incomparable to the
width, the shape is not so pleasing to look at.
.

3) TEXTURE
The character of a surface - whether it is smooth, rough, shiny, course, fine.

Texture has a tactile quality- which means one will know from association the feel of the surface without actually
touching it.

Texture also has an emotional significance, through association.

A course texture suggests ruggedness and rusticity, directness and strength, informal living and closeness to the
earth.
A fine texture suggests refinement and sophistication, elegance and finish, formality and efficiency.

4) COLOR
When white light or a narrow beam of sunlight passes through a prism, it splits into a multi-colored beam, known
as the spectrum. It is composed of the wavelength of colors ROY-G-BIV. There are other colors, but their
wavelength is longer than those of red or shorter than those of violet.
Light can also be broken up by absorption or reflection. If an object absorbs all the light, it is black (lack of all
color). If it reflects all the light, it is white (presence of all colors). That is why according to scientists; black and
white are not really colors.
Color has three qualities:
1) Hue – quality which names colors
2) Value – amount of light
3) Intensity – brightness of color
THE COLOR WHEEL
Primary Colors – those that cannot be broken down and from which other hues can be mixed
Secondary – obtained by mixing 2 primaries
Tertiary – further intermixing the colors
Complementary – opposite each other in the chromatic scale. When using this, the most intense contrast can be
achieved.
Analogous – one of two or three closely related colors on a color wheel
Triad – a combination of three colors forming an equilateral triangle on a color wheel
Split complementary – a combination of one color and the pair of colors adjoining its complementary color on a
color wheel
Double Complementary – a combination of two analogous colors and their complementary colors on a color
wheel
Monochromatic – having only one color or exhibiting varying intensities and values of a single hue
Polychromatic – having or exhibiting a variety of colors

The value of a color may be changed by adding black or white.

Shades – produced by mixing black with normal hues
Tints- produced by mixing white.

5) VALUE
For practical purposes:
BLACK – lowest dark 0-10%
LOW DARK – 10-20%
DARK – 20-30%
HIGH DARK – 30-40%
MEDIUM – 40-50 %
LOW LIGHT – 50-60%
LIGHT – 60-70%
HIGH LIGHT – 70-80%
WHITE – highest light – 80-90%
100% - none because surfaces always absorbs a portion of the light that strikes it.
The proper manipulation of values is one of the means wherein he gives an illusion of depth and distance.

6) SPACE
7) LIGHT

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION OF SPACE

DIMENSION I. CONTRAST Variety
II. PROPORTION Relationships
III. SCALE Size
GRAVITATIONAL CURVES IV. BALANCE Equilibrium
HEIRARCHY V. RHYTHM Repetition
VI. UNITY Harmony
VII. CHARACTER Expressiveness

I. CONTRAST
-show difference when compared
-to oppose, to resist

Typical contrast
1. contrast of form
2. contrast of line
3. contrast of size
4. contrast of tone

CONTRAST in Architectural Subject:

1. Contrast in MASS
2. Contrast in DIRECTION
3. Contrast in CHARACTER
4. Contrast in TREATMENT
II. PROPORTION
-comparison which the eye makes between the Size, Shape, & Tone of various objects or parts of a composition
-mathematical relationship using real dimensions

Based on:
1. Natural material proportion
2. Manufactured proportion
3. Mode of Construction or structural proportion
4. Requirement of program, function and government ordinances
5. Traditions and generally accepted taste

III. SCALE
-fixed proportion used in determining measurements and dimensions
-deals with the relation of space or architectural motifs as compared to other forms (or to the human figure)

In Architecture, 2 Types:
1. Generic Scale – size of a building relative to other forms in context
2. Human Scale – size of a building relative to dimensions and proportion of the human body

Factors that affect scale:

1. Normal requirements of human beings
2. sizes of familiar materials
3. beauty or appearance
4. character
5. function or purpose
6. location or visual distance
7. economics

SCALE TYPES:
Intimate
Normal
Monumental
Shocking

IV. BALANCE
- gravitational equilibrium in a single unit or space
- feeling of equality in weight, attention or attraction
- pair of objects arranged with respect to an AXIS or FULCRUM
- In Architecture, it is achieved when all parts are equally distributed around a central point

3 TYPES OF BALANCE in the study of composition

1. SYMMETRICAL
a. Central Axis
b. Formal
c. Radial
2. UNSYMMETRICAL
3. GRAVITATIONAL or PICTURESQUE

V. RHYTHM
- organized movements
- elements (some parts) recur regularly
- regular or harmonious recurrence of lines, shapes, forms or colors
- In architecture, it is used as a device to organize forms and spaces

2 KINDS OF RHYTHM
1. UNACCENTED RHYTHM 2. ACCENTED RHYTHM
– repetition of same elements
 *Rhythm may be one of the following:
a. rhythmic use of color
b. rhythmic use of line
c. rhythmic use of motion
d. rhythmic use of direction

VI. UNITY
- state of being one
- well organized (all unimportant parts must be kept in their places and serve only to assist the major units

7 ways of producing UNITY

1. Existence of a focal point.
2. Domination of major masses over lesser ones.
3. Introduction of an emphasis.
4. Formation of a compact and coherent ensemble.
5. Limitation of treatment.
6. Selection of details, materials in harmony with the basic idea.
7. Selection of styles, furniture, furnishings in harmony with the surroundings.

*HEIRARCHY
Achieved through:
1. Exceptional Size

2. Unique shape

3. Strategic location
a. termination d. focus of radial organization

b. centerpiece

c. offset

VII. CHARACTER
- external expression of internal qualities
- distinguishing feature

derived from 3 types:

1. character from FUNCTION
-use
2. character from ASSOCIATION
-influence or traditional type
3. character from PERSONALITY
-human quality or emotional appeal
ANTHROPOMETRICS
- study of human body measurements / dimensions

ANTHRO – man
METRIC – measurements

- measurement of size and proportions of the body; objectively and scientifically obtained
- tangible basis for producing man-machine relationships

ERGONOMICS
- application of elements to produce a desired effect
- study of workplace design: how a workplace and the equipment used there can best be designed for
COMFORT, EFFICIENCY, SAFETY & EASE OF USE

Gk. ERGON – work

NOMOI – natural laws

- measurements of man implemented to accommodate him to machines

PROXEMICS
-coined by Edward T. Hall
- study of personal space
- study of the distance individuals maintain between each other in social and its significance

PERSONAL SPACE
*4 DISTICNT TERRITORIAL CATEGORIES
1. PUBLIC
– individual has freedom of access but not of action
2. HOME
- regular participants have freedom of behavior and sense of control over an area
3. INTERACTIONAL
- areas where social gatherings may occur
4. BODY
- area immediately surrounding the body

*4 DISTANCE ZONES

1. INTIMATE DISTANCE
- involvement with another body
a. CLOSE PHASE – protecting, wrestling
b. FAR PHASE – 0.15 to 0.45m

2. PERSONAL DISTANCE
a. CLOSE PHASE – 0.45 to 0.75m
b. FAR PHASE – 0.75 to 1.20m

3. SOCIAL DISTANCE
- limit of domination
a. CLOSE PHASE – 1.20 to 2.10m
b. FAR PHASE – 2.10 to 3.60m

4. PUBLIC DISTANCE
a. CLOSE PHASE – 3.60 to 7.50m
b. FAR PHASE – 7.50 and more

9.00m – distance automatically set around important public figures

TERRITORIALITY
-space living beings call their own
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
- architectural interpretation of territoriality and personal space