TOA 123

THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2
Module 1:
Basic Principles of Design
DESIGN
Activity of generating proposals that change something that already exists into
something that is better; it include the most purposeful changes to the physical
environment;
The main goal of design is to organize the environment; without organization, the
environment will be chaotic.
Design can be viewed as a three-part process (design components):
Initial state;
A method or process of transformation; and
An imagined future state
Functions of the architectural designer:
To identify problems (programming)
To identify methods for achieving solutions (generating alternative building
design)
To implement solutions (implementing plans)
All environments are designed: in a sense that they embody human decisions and
choices and specific way of doing things.
Design happens whenever activities change the face of the earth and create built
environments.
All environments result from choices made from among all possible alternatives.
The specific choices tend to be lawful, reflecting the culture of the people
concerned.
One way of looking at culture is in terms of the most common choices made.
The lawfulness of decisions make places and buildings recognizably different
from one another; lawfulness also leads to a specific way of dressing,
behaving, eating and so on. It affects the way people interact, the way they
structure space and time.
Architecture is a result primarily of sociocultural factors; design is defined to include the
most purposeful changes to the physical environmentthen, architecture is any
construction that deliberately changes the physical environment according to some
ordering schemata.
Two types of environment: Natural environment and built environment.
Why do people build environments?
To understand why people build environments, how the human mind work must
first be understood.
Schemata represent one product of what seems a basic process of the human
mind, to give the world meaning, to humanize it by imposing order on it a
cognitive order often achieved through classifying and naming, or differentiating.

The world is chaotic and disorderly; the human mind classifies, differentiates and
orders.
Order is thought before it is built; people think environments before they build
them.
Thought orders space, time, activity, status, roles, and behavior.
Examples of this ordering activity are settlements, buildings, and landscapes.
Built environments are one way of ordering the world by making ordering
systems visible.
GENERAL CATEGORIES BY WHICH CONCERNS AND ISSUES MAY BE ADDRESSED IN
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN:
1. Functional Zoning the need for adjacency
2. Architectural Space a concretization of mans existential space
Space is the most influential aspect of design problem solving.
The designer must know what activities, conditions, and people he is planning
for.
3. Circulation and Building Form circulation may be conceived as the perceptual
thread that links the spaces of a building or any series of interior or exterior spaces
together. Building forms are conceived as structures.
4. Response to Context depending on the environment and the meaning of the
structure in that environment.
5. Building Envelope the imaginary shape of a building indicating its maximum volume.
- Used to check the plan and setback with respect to zoning regulations.
Creativity, which is the process of generating new ideas, is an essential tool in design.
THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN DEVELOPING CREATIVITY
1. IDEATION the mental process which gives the ability to think or ideate.
2. IDEA QUANTITY the capacity to produce the largest number of ideas per unit of time.
3. IMAGENEERING the process of letting imagination soar and then engineering it back
to reality.

MODULE 2:
Stages in Designing
1. DESIGN ANALYSIS
The stage in which we identify the PROBLEM in order to come up with the ideas
to solve it.
Creativity needs a positive attitude. Ideas should not be dismissed too quickly.
They should first be articulated, added on or discussed with another person or
group so that they can be further developed.
2. TENTATIVE SOLUTUONS
CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
ALPHABETICAL LISTING begins with all letters of the alphabet. Then for
each letter, list a word or phrase that begins with that letter and pertains to the
problem you are attempting to solve or a potential solution to it.
FUNCTIONAL VISUALIZATION thinking about what function the object will
perform instead of thinking how it will look like.
MORPHOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS making a list in a more direct manner to seek
alternatives.
INVERSION instead of thinking of how to improve the situation, think of how to
make it worse so that you are given a new set of perspective or concepts.
BIONICS back-to-nature solutions
DESCRIPTION BY ASSOCIATION offering a description of the object by
associating it with something else.
BRAINSTORMING a group process in which several people, for a given
amount of time, gathers together and discusses a particular problem, and
everyone contributes positive thoughts to the discussion.
3. CRITICISM
Design may be criticized by others who want to apply further objectives or prioritize other
aspects of the problem. During this stage, the problem may change and the information
and objectives may increase.
The important things that a designer should remember during this stage are:
Have faith and confidence in yourself. Speak out. Seek constructive criticism.
Be tenacious. Stick with your efforts and word toward your goal with conviction.
Play down your mistakes but do not deny them. Evaluate the situation and what
went wrong then come up with ideas on how to improve things.
Recognize the value of criticism.
Be constructive when you give it to elicit a better response from the one receiving
it.

4. OPERATIONAL PROCESS
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN sketches which make up a statement to intent for the
guidance of structural and service engineering consultants and for information of
suppliers and manufacturers who will be involved in the work.
OPERATIONAL DESIGN detailed working drawings and specifications which may be
constantly modified during the process but always within the framework of the basic
concept.
Architecture happens within a broad social, environmental, behavioral, and
economic context such that design and the design process should response to
the same context.

FIVE-STEP DESIGN PROCESS

1. INTIATION
-

Involves the recognition and definition of the problem to be solved.

2. PREPARATION
-

The systematic collection and analysis of information about the problem to be

solved.

The activity is called programming and the product is a building program

Generally includes a written report summarizing the needs of a project and can
include extensive analysis that identifies the important issues to be solved.

Also include activities like gathering of based maps, site data surrounding
environment, traffic utilities, legal constraints, economic and financial data.

Information Gathering can be done through researching information and details

related to the problem through review of literature, direct observation,
interview/checklist, secondary information.

Problem Statement identification and presentation of the problem based on

data gathered.

Analysis of the Problem coming up with ways to approach the problem;

factors that affect the formulation of preliminary solutions.

3. PROPOSAL MAKING OR SYNTHESIS

-

Physical demonstrations of the integration of very large number of issues.

Involves exploring the potentials of different physical arrangement and forms.

Drawings and notes form a tool for successive explorations and iterations that
converge on a solution.

Also regarded as the conceptualization stage through graphic solutions, matrices

and diagrams.

Translation refers to the preparation of sketches, drawings and models.

4. EVALUATION
-

Evaluation of alternative proposals by the designer.

Comparing proposed design solutions with the goals and criteria evolved in the
programming stage.

5. ACTION
-

Stage In design process that includes activities associated with preparations and
implementation of a project.

Preparation of construction
specifications for the building)

documents

(working

drawings

and

written

MODULE 3:
Planning Basics

PLAN COMPOSITION SCHEME

Logical planning should not be done in an aimless way. There must be a reason or a scheme
behind it.

Exterior with symmetry or monumentality = plan balanced about a central axis.

Informal massing = more free flowing

Regardless of the complexity of plans, they may be reduced to simple geometrical
shapes (circle, squares, etc.)

AXIAL ARRANGEMENTS
Axis is determined by the relative importance of the sides which bound the plan.

MAJOR AXIS Carried through the mass as one enters the building; perpendicular to
the main elevation and to the directional quality of the area location of entrance is
more important than shape.
Transverse major axis cuts through the shorter direction
Longitudinal major axis cuts through the longer direction

PRINCIPAL MINOR AXIS extends at right angle from the major axis; parallel to the
main elevation.

In complex plans, the parts may group around several minor axes which show the direction of
units.
PRICIPLES

ORGANIC PLANS all parts must fit together in such a way that the composition will be
disturbed if one element is moved.

EMPHASIS created by contrast in size, shape, character, etc.

Emphasized activity = emphasized area in the plan
(ex. Elements imparting rhythm and point to a monument in the center)

SECONDARY PRICIPLES

1. REPETITION when a number of room, window, arches, etc. of equal size and shape
occur side by side to create unaccented rhythm.
2. ALTERATION alternating varying sizes or contrasting shapes.
3. TRANSITION a satisfactory progression from one unit to another such as
vestibules lobbies; gives preparatory indication of the character and use of the interior.
4. TRANSFORMATION a prototypical architectural model whose formal structure and
ordering structure and ordering are appropriate is transformed through a series of
discreet manipulations to respond to specific conditions and context.

Requires that the principle of the prototypical model is understood so that the design
concept is maintained even after permutation.

FORMAL COLLISIONS OF GEOMETRY

Situation:
Two forms with different orientation and geometry collide and penetrate each others boundaries
(also: border, limitation, edges, etc.)
Resultant forms:

Two forms can be subvert their individual identities and merge to create a new
composite form.

One of the forms can receive the other totally within its volume.

The two forms can retain their individual identities and share the interlocking portion of
their volumes.

The two forms can separate and be linked by a third element that recalls the geometry of
one of the original forms.

THE ARTICULATION OF FORMS

Articulation refers to the manner by which the surfaces of a form come together to define its
shape and volume.
An articulated form clearly reveals the edges of its surfaces and the corners at which they meet.
Its surfaces appear as planes with distinct shape; their configuration is legible and easily
perceived.
Ways by which forms and its surface planes may be articulated
1. Edges

2. Corners
3. Surfaces
How Corners Define the Meeting of two Planes
1. By introducing another element
2. By introducing an opening
3. By cutting planes that define the corner
4. By rounding off the corners