o The erection of structures without beauty is a mere building, and not an art Only when the

idea of beauty is added to structure other than use; It can make an impact

o Aesthetic features should be as appealing in future years as when they were built.

o The aim of architects, Interior Designers is to create functional spaces keeping in mind the
aesthetics

Some factors to consider for aesthetics could be

1. Contributive Details – intensification, ornamentation

o Formal transition, composition
 o Timeless Features- Various Arts and artforms

Ex. Pietra Dura artform

o Geometry and Proportion

o Proportion in design refers to the relationship between the different elements and
components of a building in terms of size, scale, and visual balance.

o It involves the calculation of ratios and the use of mathematical ratios and geometric forms
to determine the size and placement of architectural elements.

o Ancient Greek architecture used the Golden Ratio to determine pleasing dimensional
relationships between the width of a building and its height

o The size of the portico , the position of the columns supporting the structure. The final result
is a building that feels entirely in proportion

o The golden ratio, 1:1.618, is often used in architectural design to create proportion and
balance in a building.

o The Fibonacci Sequence is the series of numbers: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...The next
number is found by adding up the two numbers before it.

o Dividing each number by the previous number gives: 1 / 1 = 1, 2 / 1 = 2, 3 / 2 = 1.5, and so on

up to 144 / 89 = 1.6179…. T

o The resulting sequence is:

o 1, 2, 1.5, 1.666…, 1.6, 1.625, 1.615…, 1.619…, 1.6176…, 1.6181…, 1.6179

 o In designs every detail has a style.

o The design style may be influenced by practical use, vernacular impression, expression of
designer for a particular space, or a particular era of design that may have existed in past.

o Humans have always been attracted/ influenced by art from primitive age.

o The history of architecture / Interiors is also the history of building materials.

o Studying ancient building materials enables us to understand how far our society has come,
and how criteria for choosing these materials have changed over time.

Evolution of built forms-

o Construction started thirty thousand years ago, where people used to roam from one
place to another, hunting animals and looking for wild plants to eat.
o As they were always travelling, they did not build any shelter at the beginning.
o the early humans began to put up shelters to protect them from harsh climates made by
animal skin, leaves and branches that were perishable.
o That's how humankind started finding ways of building shelters that were larger, stronger
and comfortable.
o At the beginning the only building materials that were available were what nature would
provide
1. Stone
2. Clay
3. Timber
4. Metals

Prehistoric - 2.5 million years ago to 1,200 B.C

o Before recorded history, humans constructed earthen mounds, stone circles, megaliths.

o Prehistoric architecture includes monumental structures such as Stonehenge, cliff dwellings

in the Americas, and thatch and mud structures

o The era can be divided into Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic inclusive of bronze and Iron age

o Common materials- Animal skin, Wooden frames, Animal bones, clay for pottery

o Tools – Stone tools, wood, bones, shells

o The evidence of using stone tools was found in the animal bones with tool marks.

o Artifacts – Stone-made artifacts, skull portraits,

Primitive dwellings-

 Caves- natural / artificial

 Construction of hut/ teepee tents/ Igloos- Mostly one room

 Construction methods-

 Prehistoric humans moved earth and stone into geometric forms, creating our earliest
human-made formations.

 Humans constructed earthen mounds, stone circles, megaliths, and structures.

Megaliths-

Three different types of these massive stone structures :Menhir, dolmen, and cromlech

o Menhir/ monolith - a single great stone often in the form of a monument or column.
o Dolmen- tomb standing stones with large horizontal slabs
o Cromlech/ henge- enclosure formed by huge stones in circular form Henges which are
circles of stone or wood in a circular ditch
o common structures in the Stone Age which is associated to religious or astronomical
significance.

Examples of dwellings-

SHIELINGS

o One of the early dwellings is similar to the types of nests of birds.

o Huts were of branches of trees and covered with turf.

BEEHIVE HUTS

o The structures were using local stone quarried locally – thin and small. They were roughly
laid in horizontal layers to fit together. Each horizontal layer was one above the other
reducing in length to create a vault shape in the interiors.

o Beehive shape.

o These types of stone structures were multifunctional – for shelters (both humans and
animals) and storage of grains.

DOLMEN- - tomb standing stones with large horizontal slabs

Introduction to Materials- Exterior to interiors

List of Few building Materials that are commonly known

o Stone

o Bricks

o Lime

o Cement

o Concrete

o Mortar

o Timber

o Set of furniture that is going to be used if bought out or custom made and preferred finishes

For any room; basic surfaces that need to be treated and other elements which need to be
considered are

1. Floor

2. Walls

3. Ceiling

4. Lighting

5. Windows/ doors

6. Window coverings

7. Furniture / Upholstery

Types of few Floor finishes as an example

1. Screed (cement, magnesia, gypsum based),

2. terrazzo,
3. natural and artificial stone,
4. Ceramic/ Vitrified Tiles
5. glass
6. wood
7. polymers
8. metal
 1. Screed

o Screed is a thin layer of cement paste and sand/ fine aggregates, laid on to a concrete floor
to act as a smooth flat levelling surface for taking on the final floor finish.
o Screed is a proportionate mix of cement, aggregates and water..& is usually applied on top
of the concrete slab
o Most commonly used to level the floor prior to final floor such as tiles, natural stone,
linoleum, wood flooring, resin coatings etc.
o It is a must to screed over the floor to make is levelled and even.
o Screeds generally follow a mix proportion of 1Cement: 3-5Sand (0-4mm washed sharp sand
for levelling screeds).

2. Terrazzo

o Terrazzo flooring is traditionally made by exposing marble chips on the surface of

concrete and then polishing until smooth. However it can be found in tile form as
well. It's often used in public buildings because it's long-lasting- 40 to 100 years and
can be refinished repeatedly.

3. Natural stones-

o Properties of natural stones depend upon their parent rock and its formation.
o All natural stones are dense, heavy, and available in slabs as well as tiles, veneers.
o Can be used in exteriors/ interiors depending upon their properties.
o The vein pattern may vary.
o Some examples- Marble, Granite, Travertine, Sandstone etc.
o Artificial stones that are engineered to mimic the look of natural stone are also
available.

4. Ceramic tiles/ vitrified tiles-

5. Glass Floor- Glass floors are made with transparent glass when it is useful to view
something from above or below; whereas translucent glass is used when there is no need to
view through. In either case, toughened glass is usually chosen, for its durability and
resistance to breakage.

6. Wood Floor

7. Polymer/ Resin based floor- Finishes may very based on polymers however Epoxy and
Urethane floors are common ones. Patterns can be created by using different shades and
finishes can be made in high gloss, semi-gloss and satin. Resistant to a large number of
chemicals such as solvents and acids; which is why preferably used in laboratories,
Warehouses, food and beverage plants, hospitals. Also used in heavy traffic areas such as
showrooms, garages, sports room

8. Metal floor- for heavy traffic areas.

Wall –
o Function : Separate spaces from each other vertically; also may or may not carry load.
o Use: Protect the space against effects of water, moisture, heat, noise, light, fire etc.
o Three layers of a wall
Core- Structural part/ Bricks/ blocks
Exterior Coating
Interior Coating

Core -

Core is the structural part of the wall and its primary function is load-bearing.
1. At solid masonry buildings, wall core has to carry all the loads which effect building.
2. At skeleton systems; wall has to carry its own load and transfer it to the system.
3. Other functions such as; heat, water, moisture, noise, light and fire resistance are shared by
all layers.
Exterior Coating -

Functions of the coatings can change depending on its position on the wall.
o Exterior coating takes a role in forming the architectural character of the building.
o It has to be resistant to atmospheric, mechanic and chemical effects and easy to clean.

Internal Coating/ Finishing-

o Not exposed to external weather conditions such as heat, rains etc hence thinner.
o Interior finishing has to be porous enough to emit the noise and provide the acoustic
balance.
o Interior finishing has to be nonflammable, vapor permeable and non-toxic. In addition,
interior finishing has to be compatible with the function of the space by appearance, color
and texture

Wall Finishes

o Plaster
o Paint
o Wood
o Gypsum panel
o Sandwich panel
o Ceramic
o Natural Stone
o Artificial Stone,
o Glass
o Metal sheet etc.

Plaster

o Plaster finishing is done after constructing the wall to ensure the evenness of the top
surface of the walls and to achieve an aesthetic finish by use of mortar.
o Protect surface from atmospheric effect such as heat, snow fall, rain etc.
o To create decorative effect as well as to improve the aesthetics
o To hide defective and poor workmanship ( Cracks, Leakages etc )
 Type of plasters-

o Conventional – Cement, Lime, Mud Plaster

o Special type – Waterproof, Stucco, Gypsum, Keen’s cement, Martin’s cement, Parian
Cement, Acoustic plaster, Asbestos- Marble Plaster, Snow crete and color crete Cement

Paint
o
o Protects the surface from weathering effects of atmosphere.
o Prevents corrosion of metals and decay of timber.
o Provides smooth surface for easy cleaning also increases the durability of surface.
o Provides a good appearance of the surface
o Paint provides waterproofing, protection of the surface from sunlight, dampness, dust,
abrasion, and weathering.
o Interior spaces can be redefined by the use of color, light or darkness, matt or reflective
surfaces and texture.

Characteristics of a Good Paint

o Good Spreading power

o Consistency
o Drying up capacity
o Satisfactory adherence
o Impervious and weather resisting
o Neither crack nor shrink
o Should not reveal brush mark
o Attractive appearance
o Should not affect the health of the workers

o paints are considered to be used primarily for aesthetics, while coatings are used principally
to prevent surface deterioration or provides corrosion protection
o Other architectural coatings- Stains, Varnishes, Lacquers, Sealers etc,

Types of wall paints

1. Oil paint
2. Enamel paint
3. Emulsion paint
4. Cement paint
5. Timber stains
6. Bituminous paint
7. Aluminum paint
8. Anti corrosive paint
9. Plastic paint

Wall Paint finishes

o Matte – solid color without and shine and least durable due to fewer coats.
o Eggshell – Durable than Matte, Lustrous and with a low sheen and water resistant.
o Satin- satin has a velvety sheen and smooth finish. Easy to clean.
o Semi-gloss- Semi-gloss paints are shiny and reflective. They’re extremely durable and
mildew-resistant, so they’re best used in rooms that get a lot of wear and tear or moisture,
like kids’ rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Also used on doors, moldings etc, offers a hard
finish.
o Gloss- used on woodwork and metal and have high shine.

Ceiling

o Ceiling is the lower part of the floor. it is usually straight and can be finished directly by
plaster and paint or can be treated in multiple ways.
o If the ceiling has an acoustic, HVAC, lighting or sprinkler system equipment on it, a
suspended ceiling has to be created in order to conceal the services
o Suspended ceilings are usually composed by a Finishing material such as gypsum, metal,
Timber board, ceramic, glass, plasterboard, upvc
o Based on the project requirement exposed ceilings can be proposed as it is cost effective
with ease for maintenance.

Window & Doors

o A window is an opening Formed in the wall or a roof of building with transparent or
translucent material fixed to the window opening supported by frames/ casements
o Windows can be fixed or openable.
o As window is the part of wall or roof envelope of the building it should exclude wind and rain
and act as a barrier to excessive heat transfer, sound transmission similar to wall and roof.

o As a component part of a wall or a roof a window should satisfy following functional

requirements.
1. Strength and Stability
2. Resistance to weather
3. Durability and freedom from maintenance
4. Fire safety
5. Resistance to the passage of heat
6. Resistance to the passage of Sound
7. Security
o Window Frames can be made from following
Materials- Wood, Vinyl/ upvc/ plastic, Fiberglass, Aluminum/ Wood clad, Composite

Door

Door is a solid barrier that is fixed in a doorway/ opening in a wall/ partition and is
supported on hinges/ pivot/ sliding tracks to provide access between rooms, compartments,
corridors, landing and stairs.

The functional requirements of door are as follows:

1. Privacy
2. Strength and stability
3. Resistance to weather
4. Durability and freedom from maintenance
5. Fire safety
6. Resistance to the passage of heat and sound
7. Security

o Types of doors

1. Wooden or Timber Door

2. Glass Door
3. Steel Door
4. PVC Door
5. Fiberglass Door
6. Aluminium Glazed Door