THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1  SURFACE – AREA – surface with two-

Shape and Form Development dimensions, as the façade of a building.

By: Archt. Chris Luna, uap  Texture – quality of surface treatment
usually associated with materials either
rough or smooth, etc.
II. The VISIBLE STRUCTURE

It is composed of:

FORM:

 MASS- VOLUME or evidence of the 3rd

dimension. It has:
 DIRECTION - it is either vertical or
horizontal in direction
 SHAPE – geometric qualities (square,
cylindrical, etc.)

Primary Shapes:
There are three primary shapes which are  Tone – light & shade caused by
viewed and distorted in perspective: openings, projections, etc
 circle – a series of points arranged equally
and balanced about a point
 triangle – a plane bounded by three sides,
and having three angles
 square – a plane figure having four equal
sides and four right angles

PLATONIC SOLIDS
 The primary shapes can be extended or
rotated to generate volumes whose forms
are distinct, regular and easily recognizable.
 These forms are referred as the platonic
solids.
 Circles generate spheres and cylinders;  Color – either inherent or applied
 triangles generate cones and pyramid caused by spectrum hues.
 And squares generate cubes.

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FORM: SEVEN VISUAL PROPERTIES of FORM:
 In architecture usually mass is volume, and
the surfaces which enclose space have 1. Shape - The principal identifying
area. characteristic of form; shape results from the
 A plane extended in a direction other than its specific configuration of a form’s surface and
intrinsic direction becomes a volume. edges.
 Volume has three dimensions; length, width
and depth.
 All volumes can be analyzed and
understood to consist of
 points (vertices where several planes
come together)
 planes ( surfaces, the limits or
boundaries of a volume)
 lines (edges, where two planes meet).
 A volume can either
 be solid displaced by mass,
 or void space contained or enclosed by
planes.
 Form is the primary identifying characteristic
of a volume,
 It is determined by the shape and
interrelationships of the planes that describe
the boundaries of the volume.

2. Size - The real dimensions of form, its

length, width and depth; while these
dimension determine the proportions of a
from, its scale is determined by its size
relative to other forms in its context.
 There are seven visual properties of form.
 These are affected by the conditions under
which we view them in terms of:
 the perspective or angle of view
 our distance from the form,
 the lighting conditions and;
 The visual field surrounding the form.

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3. Color - The hue, intensity and total value of
form’s surface; color is the attribute that
most clearly distinguishes a form from its
environment. It also affects the visual weight
of a form.
6. Orientation - A form’s position relative to
the ground plane, the compass points or to
the person viewing the form.

4. Texture - The surface characteristics of a

form; texture affects both tactile and light-
reflective qualities of a form’s surfaces

7. Visual Inertia - the degree of concentration

and stability of a form; the visual inertia of a
form depends on its geometry as well as its
orientation relative to the ground plane and
our line of sight.

5. Position - A form’s location relative to its

environment or visual field.

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TRANSFORMATION OF FORMS: 2. Subtractive Transformation – a form can
be transformed by subtracting a portion of its
Transform: volume.

1. To change in composition or structure

2. To change the outward form or appearance of
3. To change in character or condition

3. Additive Transformation – a form can be

transformed by the addition of element to its
volume.

All other forms can be understood to be

transformations of the platonic solids, variations
that are generated by the manipulation of their
dimensions, or by subtraction or addition of
elements.

1. Dimensional Transformation – a form can

be transformed into one or more of its
dimensions and still retain its family identify.
ORGANIZATION OF FORMS
1. Centralized forms – consists of number of
secondary forms clustered about dominant,
central, or parent form.

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2. Linear forms - consist of forms arranged
sequentially in a row.
 A series of forms may be repetitive, or
they may be dissimilar in nature and
organized by a separate and distinct
element. It can be segmented or
curvilinear.
3. Radial forms - are compositions of linear
forms that extend out from a central form in
a radial manner.
 It can grow into a network where several
centers are linked by their linear forms.
 Its organization can be best seen and
understood from an aerial view.
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4. Clustered forms - consist of forms that are
grouped together by proximity or the sharing
of a common visual trait.
 A clustered organization groups its
forms according to functional
requirements of size, shape or
proximity.
 It is flexible enough to incorporate forms
of various shapes, sizes and
orientations into its structure.
5. Grid forms – are modular forms whose
relationships are regulated by three-
dimensional grids.
 A grid may be defined as two or more
intersecting sets of regularly spaces
points (where the grid lines intersect)
and regularly shapes fields.
 It based on the geometry of the square.
 It is essentially neutral non-directional.
ARTICULATION OF FORM 3. Removing the corner to physically separate
the adjacent planes
Articulation refers to the manner in which the
surfaces of from come together to define its
shape and volume. A form and its surface
planes can be articulated by:

1. Differentiating adjacent surfaces with a

change in material, color, texture or pattern.

4. Lighting the form to create sharp distinctions

of light and dark at its corners.

2. Developing the corner as a distinct linear

element independent of the surface.

Topic Reference:

 Architecture Form, Space And Order by

Francis D.K. Ching, John, Witley & Sons,
2007.
 Concept Sourcebook by Edward White.
 Architectural Design by E. Pickering
 Prepared by: Arch. Norma Alarcon and
Arch. Willa R. Solomon

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