PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

APPLIED TO
ARCHITECTURE
VISUAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES

SEVEN PRINCIPLES ENCOMPASS AN INTERESTING DESIGN

BALANCE

RHYTHM

EMPHASIS

PROPORTION AND SCALE

MOVEMENT

CONTRAST

UNITY
 BALANCE

Parts of a design are equally distributed to create a sense of stability. Both physical and visual balance exist. Balance depends
upon visual weights of the architectural and interior elements; visual weight is determined by “the psychological impact an
element makes on us and the attention it demands.

TYPES

SYMMETRICAL OR FORMAL BALANCE

ASYMMETRICAL OR INFORMAL BALANCE

RADIAL BALANCE

VERTICAL BALANCE

HORIZONTAL BALANCE
 SYMMETRICAL OR FORMAL BALANCE

Symmetrical design allows you to draw attention to all areas of an image equally. Since this form of design is usually very
structured and rigid in nature, it’s referred to as formal balance.

The elements within the design are identical in relation to a centerline or axis.

Let’s take a look at an (admittedly very basic) example of symmetrical balance:

OTHER EXAMPLE:

NAME:
REIMS CATHEDRAL
LOCATION:
REIMS, MARNE (51), GRAND EST, FRANCE
 ASYMMETRICAL OR INFORMAL BALANCE

Asymmetrical balance occurs when you have different visual images on either side of a design, and yet the image still
seems balanced. To be considered asymmetrical, a design needs to have unequal visual weight on either side, but those
unequal visuals need to balance each other.

Parts of the design are not identical but are equal in visual weight.

Let’s take a look at an example of asymmetrical balance:

OTHER EXAMPLE:

NAME:
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
LOCATION:
CHARTRES, EURE-ET-LOIR (28), CENTRE-VAL DE
LOIRE, FRANCE
 RADIAL BALANCE

Design elements radiate outward from the center.

See things branching out from a central point, and you've got radial design. It's everywhere: clock faces, spokes around a
wheel, flowers like daisies, and so on. Artists and designers have also been drawn to radial design because it offers a clear focal
point and simplifies organization.

EXAMPLES:

NAME: SOKOLLU MEHMET PASHA MOSQUE NAME: AGHA BOZORG MOSQUE

LOCATION: ISTANBUL, TURKEY LOCATION: KASHAN, IRAN
 VERTICAL BALANCE

The top and bottom parts are equal.

Vertical Balance is also at issue the higher above eye level something is the more visual Weight it carries.

EXAMPLE:

NAME:
FLAT IRON/ FULLER BUILDING
LOCATION:
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY
 HORIZONTAL BALANCE

The parts on the left and right sides are equal.

EXAMPLES:

NAME: NAME:
PLATZ DER REPUBLIK HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING
LOCATION: LOCATION:
BERLIN, GERMANY BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
BALANCE
 RYHTHM

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.

EXAMPLES:

NAME: UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

CADET CHAPEL NAME: INTERIOR OF PANTHEON

LOCATION: UNITED STATES AIR FORCE LOCATION: ROME, ITALY

ACADEMY NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS
 RANDOM RHYTHM

The beats of the element are random or are at irregular intervals

EXAMPLES:

NAME: DOME OF THE ROCK NAME: BEIJING NATIONAL STADIUM

LOCATION: OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM LOCATION: BEIJING, CHINA
 GRADATED RHYTHM

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

EXAMPLES:

NAME: WORLD TRADE CENTER NAME: QUEEN’S TOWER A

LOCATION: NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES LOCATION: YOKOHOMA, JAPAN

 EMPHASIS

The feature in a design that attracts one’s eye – the focal point
Emphasis can be achieved through size, placement, shape, color, and/or use of lines

EXAMPLES:

NAME: KINGDOM TOWER NAME: LIBRARY AND LEARNING CENTER

LOCATION: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA LOCATION: VIENNA, AUSTRIA

PROPORTION AND SCALE

Comparative relationships between elements in a design with respect to size

NAME:
THE PARTHENON
LOCATION:
ATHENS, GREECE
 3:5 ratio is known as the Golden Mean 1 : 1.618

PROPORTION AND SCALE ANALYSIS

CONSTRUCTION OF GOLDEN RECTANGLE
GOLDEN RATIO IN ARCHITECTURE
 SCALE

Refers to the size of an object (a whole) in a relationship to another object (another whole). In art the size relationship between
an object and the human body is significant. In experiencing the scale of an artwork we tend to compare its size to the size of
our own bodies.

NAME:
EIFFEL TOWER
LOCATION:
PARIS, FRANCE

NAME:
CHRIST THE REDEEMER
LOCATION:
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
 MOVEMENT

Movement is the visual flow of your Design. It’s the path that you intend your viewer’s eye to follow. You can create this by
purposefully placing art elements in a way that creates a path for the eye to follow.
Flow or feeling of action

EXAMPLES:

NAME: BODEGAS YSIOS NAME: BEKO COMPLEX

LOCATION: ALAVA, SPAIN LOCATION: BELGRADE, SERBIA
CONTRAST

Noticeably different

CAN BE CREATED WITH

COLOR

PROPORTION AND SCALE

SHAPE

TEXTURE

ETC.
CONTRAST IN COLOR

NAME:
STOBOSA HILLSIDE HOMES ARTWORK
(VALLEY OF COLORS)
LOCATION:
LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET, PHILIPPINES
CONTRAST IN SIZE AND SHAPE

NAME:
BUNDESWEHR MILITARY HISTORY MUSEUM
LOCATION:
DRESDEN, GERMANY
CONTRAST IN TEXTURE

NAME:
BASILICA DE LA SAGRADA FAMILIA
LOCATION:
BARCELONA, CATALONIA, SPAIN
 UNITY

Unity is achieved by the consistent use of lines, color, material, and/or texture within a design.

EXAMPLE:

NAME:
KING TORONTO
LOCATION:
TORONTO, CANADA
 IMAGE RESOURCES

Structurae Version 7.0, from https://structurae.net/en/structures/reims-cathedral

Wikipedia. Retrieved December 30, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agha_Bozorg_Mosque

Wikipedia. Retrieved May 17, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokollu_Mehmed_Pasha_Mosque,_Kad%C4%B1rga

ArchDaily, from https://www.archdaily.com/896165/3-world-trade-center-rogers-stirk-harbour-plus-partners

The Skyscraper Center, from http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/queens-tower-a/2648

TripAdvisor (2020), from https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g293995-d301864-i175258494-

Sheraton_Riyadh_Hotel_Towers-Riyadh_Riyadh_Province.html

Architecture Firm, Retrieved August 10, 2010, from https://www.coroflot.com/christina_cheng/architecture-firm

Arch20, from https://www.arch2o.com/beko-masterplan-zaha-hadid/

 REFERENCES

Design 101: Asymmetrical and Symmetrical Balance. Retrieved October 8, 2019, from
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/asymmetrical-balance
Radial Design: Definition and Examples, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/radial-design-definition-examples.html
The Empire State Building Official Internet Site (n.d.). Retrieved January 7, 2009, from http://www.esbnyc.com/
Great Buildings. (2009). Retrieved January 7, 2009, from www.greatbuildings.com.
Heart Castle – Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument. (2009). Retrieved January 7, 2009, from www.hearstcastle.org