THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1

CHAPTER 2: FORM
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 Internal structure & external outline • Texture
Relational Properties
• Position
 The principle that gives unity to the • Orientation
• Visual Inertia
whole Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
 3D mass or volume • Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
VISUAL PROPERTIES RELATIONAL PROPERTIES • Texture
Relational Properties
 SHAPE  POSITION
• Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
 SIZE  ORIENTATION Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
 COLOR  VISUAL INERTIA • Subtractive
• Additive
 TEXTURE • Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
SHAPE • Texture
Relational Properties
 characteristic outline; surface configuration
• Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
SHAPE • Texture
Relational Properties
 3 Primary shapes • Position
• Orientation
 CIRCLE: centralized, introverted figure • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
 TRIANGLE: stable (sides) or unstable(corners) • Additive
• Types
• Categories
 SQUARE: pure & rational; stable (sides) or Formal Collisions of
Geometry
unstable(corners) Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
SHAPE • Texture
Relational Properties
 5 Primary solids • Position
• Orientation
 SPHERE: centralized & • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
highly concentrated • Dimensional
• Subtractive
• AdditiveTypes
 CYLINDER: stable • Categories
Formal Collisions of
(circular face) or Geometry
unstable (curved surface) Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
SHAPE • Texture
Relational Properties
 5 Primary solids • Position
• Orientation
 CONE: stable (circular • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
face) or unstable (tip or • Dimensional
overturned); soft form • Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
 PYRAMID: stable (flat Formal Collisions of
planes) or unstable (tip); Geometry
Articulation of Form
hard & angular • Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
SHAPE • Texture
Relational Properties
 5 Primary solids • Position
• Orientation
 CUBE: static; stable (flat • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
planes) or unstable (tip) • Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
SIZE • Texture
Relational Properties
 Physical dimensions (length, width & depth) • Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
COLOR • Texture
Relational Properties
 Phenomenon of light & visual perception (hue, • Position
• Orientation
saturation & tonal value) • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
 Clearly distinguishes a form from environment • Dimensional
• Subtractive
 Affects visual weight • Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: VISUAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
TEXTURE • Texture
Relational Properties
 Visual & tactile quality • Position
• Orientation
 Degree of surface reflectance & light absorbance • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: RELATIONAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
POSITION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Location of a form relative to environment (left,
• Position
• Orientation
right, top, bottom, middle etc.) • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: RELATIONAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
ORIENTATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Direction of a form relative to the ground plane,
• Position
• Orientation
compass points or to the person viewing the form • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORM: RELATIONAL PROPERTIES Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
VISUAL INERTIA • Texture
Relational Properties
 Degree of concentration & stability of a form • Position
• Orientation
 Depends on its geometry, orientation, pull of • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
gravity & line of sight • Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 DIMENSIONAL TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 SUBTRACTIVE TRANSFORMATION
• Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
 ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 DIMENSIONAL TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Altering one or more of its dimensions, retain • Position
• Orientation
identity • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 SUBTRACTIVE TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Subtracting a portion of its volume • Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Addition of elements to its volume • Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
4TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS • Position
• Orientation
 SPATIAL TENSION • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
 EDGE-TO-EDGE CONTACT • Dimensional
• Subtractive
 FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT • Additive
• Types
 INTERLOCKING VOLUMES
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
4 TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS • Position
• Orientation
 SPATIAL TENSION: close proximity or sharing • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
common visual trait • Dimensional
 EDGE-TO-EDGE CONTACT: share common edge & • Subtractive
• Additive
can pivot about that edge • Types
• Categories
 FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT: parallel planar surfaces Formal Collisions of
Geometry
 INTERLOCKING VOLUMES: interpenetrate each Articulation of Form
other’s space • Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
4 TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS • Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 • Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
FIGURE 3 • Corners
FIGURE 4 • Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
TRANSFORMATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 ADDITIVE TRANSFORMATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 CATEGORIES • Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Centralized Linear Form Radial Form Clustered Grid Form Formal Collisions of
Form Form Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORMAL COLLISIONS OF GEOMETRY Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 Collision & interpenetration of 2 forms with • Texture
Relational Properties
different geometry or orientation • Position
• Orientation
 Visual supremacy & dominance • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORMAL COLLISIONS OF GEOMETRY Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 2 Types: • Texture
Relational Properties
 CIRCLE & SQUARE • Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
 ROTATED GRID Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORMAL COLLISIONS OF GEOMETRY Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EVOLUTION THRU COLLISION: • Texture
 The 2 forms can subvert their individual identities & Relational Properties
• Position
merge to create a new composite form. • Orientation
• Visual Inertia
 One of the 2 forms can receive the other totally Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
within its volume. • Subtractive
• Additive
 The 2 forms can retain their individual identities & • Types
share the interlocking portion of their volumes. • Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
 The 2 forms can separate and be linked by a 3rd Articulation of Form
element that recalls the geometry of one of the • Edges
• Corners
original forms. • Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
FORMAL COLLISIONS OF GEOMETRY Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EVOLUTION THRU COLLISION: • Texture
Relational Properties
• Position
• Orientation
• Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
FIGURE 1 • Subtractive
FIGURE 3 • Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
FIGURE 2 FIGURE 4 • Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 A FORM CAN BE ARTICULATED BY: • Texture
Relational Properties
 Differentiating adjoining planes with a change in • Position
• Orientation
material, colour, texture or pattern • Visual Inertia
 Developing corners as distinct linear elements Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
independent of the abutting planes • Subtractive
• Additive
 Removing corners to physically separate • Types
neighbouring planes • Categories
Formal Collisions of
 Lighting the form to create sharp contrasts in Geometry
Articulation of Form
tonal value along edges & corners • Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EMPHASIZING THE CORNER • Texture
Relational Properties
 Corners simply touch & unadorned: emphasizes • Position
• Orientation
volume of form • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EMPHASIZING THE CORNER • Texture
Relational Properties
 Introduce a independent, separate & distinct • Position
• Orientation
element to join surfaces: defines edges of the • Visual Inertia
adjoining planes Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EMPHASIZING THE CORNER • Texture
Relational Properties
 Opening at one side: weakens volume of form; • Position
• Orientation
emphasizes planar qualities • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EMPHASIZING THE CORNER • Texture
Relational Properties
 Unextended planes (no defined corner): • Position
• Orientation
deteriorates the volume of form; interior space • Visual Inertia
leaks out; plane surfaces are clearly revealed Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 EMPHASIZING THE CORNER • Texture
Relational Properties
 Rounding off corners: continuous surface; • Position
• Orientation
compactness of volume; softness of contour • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 SURFACE ARTICULATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Color, texture and pattern: influence the visual • Position
• Orientation
weight of the form • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 SURFACE ARTICULATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Orientation & position: Frontal views reveals true • Position
• Orientation
shape of a plane; oblique view distort it • Visual Inertia
Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
 CHAPTER 2: FORM
Definition of Form
ARTICULATION OF FORM Visual Properties
• Shape
• Size
• Color
 SURFACE ARTICULATION • Texture
Relational Properties
 Proportion & Scale: Elements of known size within • Position
• Orientation
the visual context of a plane can aid our perception • Visual Inertia
of its size & scale Transformation of Form
• Dimensional
• Subtractive
• Additive
• Types
• Categories
Formal Collisions of
Geometry
Articulation of Form
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface Articulation
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