Visual and Experiential Symmetry in Architecture.

Submitted by: - Indrajit Rajesh Gaikwad.

MET School of Architecture, Nashik..

Symmetry occurs when there is congruence in dimensions, due proportions

and arrangement. It provides a sense of harmony and balance. Symmetry
can be explained as an object that is invariant through any geometric
transformation such as reflection, rotation or scaling.
Symmetry can also be explained as the passage of time, a spatial
relationship and an aesthetic element found within abstract objects,
theoretic models, language, music and even knowledge itself.
Symmetry can be seen from three main viewpoints – mathematics;
especially geometry, science; nature and in the arts encompassing
architecture, ar.t and music.  Symmetry is the direct opposite of
asymmetry.

Symmetry helps bind various elements of a structure together into a single, unified whole. It
is also commonly used to create a sense of rational order and calm logic, a favoured aesthetic
of the ancient Greeks and Romans. We can look at symmetry on many scales, from the
relationship between single details, to the layout of the complete structure, and even to entire
urban centres built on a symmetrical grid pattern.
Symmetry is a simple yet powerful tool for creating a visual order and a stable balance, and
as a result, it reduces the time needed for visual perception of a space.
The most important types of symmetry are reflective or mirror, glide-reflection, rotational,
and transitional symmetry.

Salk Institute (Louis Kahn)

Kahn believed in monumentality, servant and served spaces, and measurability versus
immeasurability. Louis Kahn rejected the use of light materials like steel and glass that
appeared in many other Modern or International Style works in favour of heavier materials
like reinforced concrete and brick. Many of his buildings were comprised of large, monolithic
geometries to convey the sense of monumentality he hoped to achieve. While most other
Modern architects were using balanced asymmetry in their floor plans, Kahn often utilized a
more classically influenced symmetrical plan for his designs.
Symmetry is found in the parts of a building that we see, we may take a look at how
symmetry relates to the part of the building we don't see, which is the void that is the
architectural space.
Two concepts are fundamental in describing architectural space: centre and path centre
relates to a single important place within the larger architectural space, such as the altar in a
church. Path relates to the spectator's movement through the space.

In Roman architecture, strictly observed axial symmetry gives rise to spaces that are
monumental and static, that is, generally embodying a sense of equilibrium rather than
expressing a sense of dynamic movement.

In most buildings we find more than one kind of symmetry. For example, in the Chinese
pagoda, we can see at the same time both the cylindrical symmetry inherent in the building's
organization about the vertical axis, and the similarity symmetry of the diminishing sizes of
the layered roofs.
A colonnaded temple facade may demonstrate bilateral symmetry, but it also demonstrates
translation. These are examples of multiple symmetries that can be observed without
requiring us to change our viewpoint of the building.

Multiple symmetries also arise when a building is composed of multiple elements, some or
all of which having its own symmetry. The symmetry type that we identify at any given
moment, then, is a result of our physical position in relation to the building. It is important to
make this point about multiple symmetries, because most architecture of any complexity at
all is designed as a series of spaces that are meant to be experienced sequentially, as though
the architect is telling us a story.