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Architectural Composition - II
Principles of Architectural Composition
Harmony is pleasing agreement of parts or combination of parts in a
composition.
Harmony in visual design means all parts of the visual image relate to and
complement each other.
All the elements compliment each other and though they may have different
forms but they coexist such that there is a sense of unity and balance in the
composition.
Example Taj mahal. elements like minarets, domes, drum, cube that exist however
the way they are composed.
Hence there is definite sense of harmony.
Harmony with Site and Nature
1. In this composition the
architecture does not dominate
nature but belongs to the site
and nature.
2. In this case the building may be
made up of the same material
that is available in the site and
thus may even seem to merge
with the site.
Example
Falling water by FLW.
Most of the vernacular architecture
is harmonious with the nature.
Harmony with climate
1. In this, architecture responds to the climatic
conditions of the site.
2. For example the courtyard houses of dry and
arid regions or the airy houses of hot and
humid regions are in harmony with the
climate.
3. The whole green architecture movement is
an attempt to make the building harmonious
with the climate.
Harmony with immediate context
It’s very important for architecture to respond to the context as well, especially if the
context is very strong like historical precincts, heritage structures etc.
Its advisable to respect the context.
For example
I M Pei’s extension of Louvre Museum in Parliament library, New Delhi by Ar Raj
Paris Rewal.
Harmony with culture
If the architecture is set in a place which has a distinct culture, harmony can be
achieved by interpreting the culture in architectural ways.
For example Charles Correa’s architecture attempts to harmonize with the local
culture. His kala academy at Goa harmonizes with Goan culture, similarly his Jawahar
kala Kendra at Jaipur harmonizes with Jaipur or Rajasthan culture.
Other architects who have made such attempts are Hassan Fathy, Riccardo
Leggoretta, Geoffery Bawa, Laurie Baker etc.
Other architects who have made such attempts are Hassan Fathy, Ricardo Legorreta,
Geoffrey Bawa, Laurie Baker etc.
the accentuated
element may be kept in
the most important
position in the
composition such as in
the center of centralized
or radial organization or
termination of an axis or
set apart from the rest
of the composition.
It’s to control the design so that it may be broken down in its purest
and simplest forms.
Most of the interior spaces of museum and art galleries show restraint to
emphasize art work
RESTRAIN IN ARCHITECTURE FOR THE SAKE OF CONTEXT
Sometimes architecture may be put up against a very strong existing
context in terms of heritage or historical precincts, in such cases
restraint comes as a tool so that the new addition may not dominate
the existing.
I M Pei’s extension of Louvre Museum ,Paris
Parliament library, New
Delhi by Ar Raj Rewal.
RESTRAIN IN ARCHITECTURE FOR ITS OWN SAKE
Modernism, by choice got itself freed from ornamentation and overdoing.
Minimalism, a movement which is very popular believes very strongly in
restraint as a tool to avoid overdoing and thus forms a totally new vocabulary
of aesthetics.
Bauhaus, Germany
Vitality in architecture does not mean that architecture should look like a living
organism but when we come in the proximity of such space or building we feel
the life that makes it a great piece of architecture.
The architecture that seems to be almost alive and seems to have its own life
can be called as architecture that has vitality as its character.
It’s very difficult to really say what makes architecture vital or living as all good
architecture seems to have the vital energy that makes it almost living.
DYNAMIC FORMS
These forms are not static or stable but represent a sense of motion or dynamism
which is a characteristic of life.
Pierres Vives building, France by Zaha Hadid
multimedia library, public archive and sports department of the Herault regional government
Santa Maria della Salute Basilica
Venice, Italy
ARCHITECTURE
INSPIRED BY
NATURE
Sometimes forms may be
directly inspired by nature or
they may be abstracted
natural forms.
Casa Milà in Barcelona, Spain. designed by Antoni Gaudí.
Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain. by Antoni Gaudí.
SYMBOLIC VITALITY
Colour red > yellow > white > green > blue > black
Texture rough>plane
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