LECTURE 2 - ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Prep. by Abubeker B.
April, 2021
“Like voting in
Chicago,
go early and
often.”
—William P. Miles
 Elements of design
• Everything you can see has a design.
• When you describe something you see, you use words
that tell about the lines, shapes, colors, textures and
spaces.
• Line, shape, color, texture and space are the basic
elements of design.
• They are tools and devices used in the process of
architectural design.
 Composition
“ Architecture is a frozen music”
• So, What and where
are the words and
the instruments?

“ one of the most impressive things about the music

of Johann Sebastian is its architecture.”
 Composition
• is an arrangement of things to express something.
• Take a Music: Instrumental

 Building Blocks are Sounds.

 The sounds are arranged in some patterns.
 The arrangement of these sounds put us in
emotion: Excitement, Sadness, Depression, etc.
 Composition
• is organization of things to convey concept.
• And Take a Poem

 Building Blocks are words.

 The words are selected & arranged in a
pattern.
 The arrangement of these sounds put us in
emotion: Excitement, Sadness, Depression, etc.
 Composition
• Like music & poem, architectural design is a
composition.
 Technically the Building Blocks are Wall, Floor,
Roof, Windows, etc.
 Aesthetically the building blocks are Color,
Texture, Point, Line, Shape, Form, etc.

 Elements of design are, therefore, building blocks

of architecture like words of literature or sounds of
music.
• What makes this building as pleasant as we see?
• What makes this
buildings as pleasant
as we see?
• What makes this buildings as pleasant as we see?
• What makes these buildings
as pleasant as we see?
 Elements of design
• Each element is first considered as a conceptual
element, then as a visual element in the vocabulary
of architectural design.
• We can sense a point at the meeting of two lines, a
line marking the contour of a plane, a plane
enclosing a volume, and the volume of an object
that occupies space.
Primary elements
Point
 Point
• The first & the simplest element.
• The prime generator of all pictorial
forms.
• No dimension, length, width, height.
• Static, centralized and directionless
• Marks a position in space
 Point
• As the prime element in the vocabulary of form, a point
can serve to mark:
a. The two ends of a line
b. The intersection of two lines
c. The meeting of lines at the corner of a plane or volume
d. The center of a field
 Properties of a point
 At the Center
• Dominate the field
• Organize elements around it
• At rest and stable
 Off centered
• The field start to dominate
• Tension b/n point & field
• Dynamic composition
 Properties of a point
 A single point
• Static
• Motionless

 Series of points
• Create direction
• Show motion
 Properties of a point
 Points in combination represent
• Shape
• Form
• Idea
• Concept
 Properties of a point
 Points to consider in preparing a composition
• Color
• Size
• Location
• Shape
• Arrangement
 Properties of a point
• Patterns and illustrations using points/dots
Points in architecture
Points in architecture
 Exercise 1
 Using points as design element create a composition
with at least 5 themes such as movement, rest,
fun…….etc.
• Paper size: A4

• Material: The sky is the limit

• Out put: Creativity & Concept

Line
 Line
• A point in motion
• A point is by nature static and a line
is the path of a point.
• Has length, but no width or depth.
• Visually expresses direction,
movement and growth.
 Line
 It can serve to:
a. Join, link, support,
surround, or intersect
other visual elements.
b. Describe the edges of a
plane
c. Articulate the surface of
a plane.
 Line
 Creates sense of:
a. Movement
b. Direction
c. Height
d. Outline
 Line
• Creates pattern
 Line
 Lines in your piece can:
• Convey a mood or an emotion.
• Organize the design.
• Create a texture.
• Create movement.
• Define shape.
• Call attention to a word.
• Connect pieces of information in your layout.
• Frame an image or a word.
Types of line
 Nature of lines
 Vertical Line
• Over powering
• Loftiness
• Greatness
• Gentleness
• Spiritual
 Nature of lines
 Horizontal Line
• Rest

• Calmness

• Stability

• Quite
 Nature of lines
 Diagonal Line
• Dynamic
• Motion
• Active
• Unstable
• Speed
 Nature of lines
 Curved Line
• Comfort
• Relaxation
• Pleasure
• Natural
 Linear elements
 Can perform the following structural functions

a. Express movement across space.

b. Provide support for an overhead plane.
c. Form a three-dimensional structural frame for
architectural space.
 Linear elements
• Patterns and illustration using lines
Lines in architecture
 Exercise 2
Materials Needed: Color Pens & pencil and A4 paper.

• Think of 5 descriptive names for lines and draw them.

For example: Horizontal line: ________

• Next to each adjective, draw a line that expresses the

emotional character of that line.

• Feel the emotion as you draw each line.

Plane
 Plane
• A line in motion
• A flat clearly defined area
• Two dimensional (2D)
 Has length & width
 No depth/ thickness
 Plane
• Shape is the primary identifying characteristic of a
plane.
• It is determined by the contour of the line forming the
edges of a plane.
 Plane
• The supplementary properties of a plane - its
surface size, color, pattern, and texture - affect its
visual weight and stability.
 Types of plane
 Geometric
• Found in Math
• Man made and has straight edges
 Types of plane
 Geometric plane in architecture
 Types of plane
 Organic/ Natural
• Found in nature
• Curved edge
 Types of plane
 Organic plane in architecture
 Types of plane
 Abstract
• Symbolic version of objects
• Used as symbols
 Types of plane
 Abstract planes
in architecture
 Perception of planes
 Round Shapes

• Elegant
• Flowing
• Growth
• Movement
• Reminder of
nature
 Perception of planes
 Geometric Shapes
• Strength, stability, sharpness
and dignity
 Primary planes
 Circle
• When a point rotates around a center with equal distance
• Centralized
• Self centered
• Organize things
 Primary planes
 Circle
 Primary planes
 Triangle
• An area bounded by three edges
• Seat on one side
 Stable
 Spiritual
• Seat at vertices
 Unstable
 Dynamic
 Motion
Primary planes
 Triangle
 Primary planes
 Square and rectangle
• An area bounded by four equal edges
• Seat on its side
 Static
 Neutral
• Seat on its vertices
 Dynamic
 In motion
Plane compositions
 Planes
 In architectural design, we manipulate three generic
types of planes:

I. Overhead Plane
II. The wall plane
III. Base plane
Plane composition in architecture
 Exercise 3
 Using planes as design element create a composition
with atleast five themes such as relaxation, freedom,
peace…..
• Paper size: A4
• Material: The sky is the limit
• Out put: Creativity & Concept
Volume
 Volume
 When a plane extrudes or rotates
 Three dimensional (3D) with length, width
and height
 Volume
 Volume is composed of
a. Points: corners
b. Lines: edges
c. Planes: surfaces
 Volume

• A volume can be either a solid - space displaced by

mass - or a void - space contained or enclosed by
planes.
 Volume
• Form is the primary
identifying characteristic
of a volume.
• It is established by the
shapes and
interrelationships of the
planes.
 Types of form
GEOMETRIC FORM
• Like shapes, they are very regular or precise
• They are more often found in man-made things.

FREE-FORM/ ORGANIC FORM

• Like shapes, they are difficult to describe using
definitions
• Are irregular or uneven
• Are more often found in nature
 Types of form
Examples of geometric forms/ objects are:

• cube,
• cylinder,
• Cone,
• Prism,
• Pyramid,
• Frustum,
• Sphere and so on….
 Form
• Sample composition of forms
Volumetric composition in architecture
 Quiz
• Sketch/ Draw the Development of the ff. geometric
forms.
 Exercise 4
 Using volumes/ forms as design element create a
composition with at least 5 themes such as bounce,
furious, growth…….etc.

• Paper size: A4 size cardboard base

• Material: The sky is the limit

• Out put: Creativity & Concept

Space
 Space
• is the 3D volume that can be empty or filled with
objects.
• It has width, height, and depth.
• Various techniques can be used to show the visual
depth of a space.
• For example, a space that appears 3D in a 2D
painting is an illusion that creates a feeling of actual
depth.
 Exercise 5
 Read and prepare notes about optical illusion.

• Illustrate your sketches or drawings with

color pens & pencils.

• Pages: 3 A4
 Space types
• Open and uncluttered spaces
• Cramped and busy spaces
• Unused vs good use of space
 Types of space
VOID
• It is negative space.

MASS
• It is positive space.
Color
 Color
• Is the aspect of things that is caused by differing
qualities of light being reflected or emitted by
them.
• To see color, you have to have light.
• Our eyes only see the colors that are bounced off
or reflected.
 Color considerations
• Lighting has an important role for the use of colors
in buildings.
• The other key design element related to color is
that of texture.
• Separate items may possess the same color but
alternate or contrasting textures.
 Types of color
PRIMARY COLORS:
• Primary colors are the 3 pigment colors that can not be
mixed or formed by any combination of other colors.

SECONDARY COLORS:
• These are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors.

TERTIARY COLORS:
• These are the colors formed by mixing a primary and a
secondary color.
 Types of color
Primary colors are:
• Red, yellow and, blue
What are the primary colors?
• These are 3 pigment colors that can
not be mixed or formed by any
other color combinations.

• Every color can be created by

blending light of the three primary
colors in differing proportions.
 Types of color
Examples of secondary
colors are:
• Green, orange and
purple.
 Types of color
Examples of tertiary
colors are:
• Yellow – orange
• Red – orange
• Red – purple
• Blue – purple
• Blue – green
• Yellow – green

COLOR WHEEL
 Colors
 There are two different ways to mix colors.
Additive and Subtractive

• What do you get if you use a prism to combine all

wavelengths of light?

• What do you get if you mix a bunch of paint?

 Colors
An additive mixture of wavelengths • Subtractive mixing of
color printers
 Color strength
• Warm Colors
• Reds, oranges, yellows

• Cool Colors
• Blues, purples, greens
Color effects

Colors can affect how humans feel and act

 Colors in architecture
• Color has an immediate and
profound effect on a design.
 Exercise 6
 Read and prepare notes about color psychology.

• Primary & secondary colors psychology

• Relationship of colors and room types

• Paper size: 3 A4
Value
 Value
 The relative lightness or darkness of a color

 Values of color change by adding white or black to

the pure color.
• When white is added to pure color for getting different
value, it is called Tint of that Color.
• When black is added it is called Shade of that Color.
Value
Value
Value in architecture
 Exercise 7
• Making objects look 3D on
a 2D piece of paper.
• This is designed to make
you aware of how value
adds a sense of realistic
volume to otherwise flat
objects.
Texture
 Texture
 The surface look or feel of something
• Create visual interest
• Create contrast within a design composition
 Smooth Surface – Reflects more light and therefore
is a more intense color.
 Rough Surface – Absorbs more light and therefore
appears darker.
 Texture
SMOOTH TEXTURES

Glass façade of a high Exterior metal façade of Disney Concert Hall

rise office building Los Angeles
Texture ROUGH TEXTURE

Park Guell – Barcelona, Spain Architect: Antonio Gaudí

 Types of texture
TACTILE/ REAL
• Is one you can actually feel with your hand.

VISUAL/ IMPLIED
• Is a visual quality of a surface.
• Is an illusion of texture created by an artist.
Tactile textures
Tactile textures
 Texture
Homogeneity & heterogeneity in texture

• When the entities or elements are repeated

throughout the surface in an uniform scale or pattern
then the texture is called a homogeneous texture.

• Similarly when the scale, color, density or pattern

differs distinctly through out the surface then it is
called Heterogeneous Texture.
Texture

Homogeneity in texture

Heterogeneity in texture
Texture in architecture
 Exercise 8
 Practice on the creation of the following texture
types:
• Tactile texture
• Implied texture
• Homogeneity texture
• heterogeneity texture
 Paper size: 1 A4 for each type
 Material: The sky is the limit
 Out put: Creativity & Concept
Questions…..?