Associate prof.

Mona Naguib

Landscape form and space

EA 554 Landscape - Spring 2022-2023
Landscape form organization
 Landscape form organization
Objective of landscape architectural site design
Is to impart a spatial organization for human use and
enrichment by orchestrating a broad palette of elements in
an inspiring and coordinated manner.

Without form, space exists as an amorphous void that lacks

clarity and legibility (top figure ).

Form is the cornerstone for forging landscape site design

and provides the most elemental means for coherently
aligning elements so that space is discerned (bottom
figure).
 Landscape form organization
Form
• Form is defined as the “structure of a work—
the manner of arranging and coordinating the
elements and parts of a composition so as to
produce a coherent image” (Ching 2007, 34).

• The term “form” is often interchanged with

“shape” although “form” more accurately
refers to the three-dimensional expression of
volume while “shape” refers to a two-
dimensional edge or outline (Bell 1993, 50;
Ching 2007, 34).
 Landscape form organization
Form
• The notion of form is not limited to the shape of areas on the ground plane but
is the totality of a design that encompasses both flat planes and three-
dimensional volumes
• Form may be simple, complex or organic; repetitive or variable; symmetrical or
asymmetrical, and so on….
 Landscape form organization
Form
• Form is articulated in the landscape by edges and shape. The silhouette of form
is easiest seen around structural elements that have mass and extend upward
from the base plane like walls, fences, steps, decks, planters, etc….
 Landscape form organization
Form
Form is articulated in the landscape by edges and shape. The edges could be in :
• Vertical plane
• Ground Plane
• Overhead Plane
 Landscape form organization
Primary Shapes
The most famous shapes are the square,
triangle, and circle .

Simple polygons like pentagons and

hexagons are sometimes also considered
among the basic geometric shapes.

The square, triangle, and circle can each

serve as the underpinning for a simple, single
landscape space . Such spaces are fitting for
an individual function, a place of restrained
emphasis, and/or as one space among
others. Their simplicity makes them easily
recognized and understood, thus providing a
feeling of familiarity and comfort.
 Landscape form organization
Primary Shapes
The primary geometric shapes can be combined with one another to forge
innumerable additional compositional possibilities.
 Landscape form organization
Primary Shapes
The primary geometric shapes can be combined with one another to forge
innumerable additional compositional possibilities.
 Landscape form organization
Primary Shapes
The primary geometric shapes can be combined with one another to forge
innumerable additional compositional possibilities.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation
The square, triangle, and circle can be transformed to generate more complex
configurations.
The purpose of transformation is to generate forms that are appropriate to the
particular circumstances of each design setting and to be a vehicle for creatively
molding landscape space.

There are 5 fundamental strategies for transformation discussed in the following

paragraphs: subtraction, addition, rotation, intervention, and synthesis of the others .
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Subtractive transformation)
Subtraction also applies to removing a volume from a solid as a
means of defining a void in the ground plane, a mass of trees,…
Too little extraction appears to be an incidental mistake while
too much causes the original shape to lose its identity.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Subtractive transformation)
Landscape Uses: Subtraction permits a form’s interior to be composed of multiple spaces
and/or materials, a viable tactic where the perimeter of a form or site is structurally fixed in
place, restrained by site conditions, or where a form or site cannot be expanded because of
surrounding spatial limitations.
The areas that are subtracted from the original form can reveal the contextual background or
be converted to alternative materials and elements
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Additive Transformation)
Additive forms are often composed of a similar basic geometric form to assure
overall cohesiveness, although dissimilar primary forms can be combined when
more varied design configurations are desired. There are 3 methods for
appending forms in landscape architectural site design based on the amount of
space between forms: interlocking, face-to face-contact, and spatial tension
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Additive Transformation)
Landscape Uses: Interlocking addition occurs when one form partially overlaps
another. This attachment of forms establishes the strongest visual bond possible
and is a suitable maneuver to allow adjoining spaces to support two
interdependent functions. The amount of overlap among merging forms should
be approximately 1/4 to 3/4 the area of each. Less than this produces a
composition that appears more accidental than intentional. Too much overlap
causes the initial forms to be visually absorbed and lost in one another.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Additive Transformation)
Face-to face-contact is the connection of one form to another along a common
side. This technique of addition requires the affiliated forms to have planar or flat
sides like squares, rectangles, triangles, and polygons. These forms are able to
join along a common uniform face, resulting in a stable and compositionally
strong relationship between the attached forms.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Additive Transformation)
Landscape Uses: Additive transformation is appropriate when the exterior of the
initial form is not dimensionally constrained, when space around it is available for
expansion, and when multiple spaces are required, each within its own identity.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Rotation)
Rotation is the transformation process of pivoting a primary
geometric form around an axis or point in one of several ways.
• The entire form can be turned to a new orientation in relation
to its original position.
• To treat it as additive process in which each new component is
turned in relation to the first, thereby suggesting cumulative
action and movement .
• To consider rotation as a subtractive process in which a
selected portion of a form is extracted and then pivoted in
relation to the initial form
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Rotation)
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Rotation)
Landscape Uses. Rotation is suitable to provide an accent and/or divergent
orientation within a site, perhaps toward a point or view not otherwise
appreciated. Rotation can energize a design configuration with varied relationships
among spaces and areas. It is also an appropriate strategy for generating an
unconventional association among spaces and to the site itself.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Intervention)
Intervention is the process of inserting a contrasting form or element into a
primary form. The term intervention is also applied to the interjection of a
complete design proposal into an existing landscape setting.
The intervening component or design typically represents a profound departure
in form, order, character, style, and/or material from the setting in which it is
placed.
 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Synthesis)
• It is the fusion of more than one type of modification. For example, both
subtractive and additive transformational processes can be applied to the same
or different areas of a form. This approach furnishes the greatest freedom for
creative expression and gives the designer the ability to simultaneously apply
independent design tactics to accomplish different design objectives.

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 Landscape form organization
• Form Transformation (Synthesis)
• It is often advisable to use one means of transformation as the primary method
of modification while others are used in a supplementary role. This helps to
ensure that the resulting composition will have one prevailing quality that
consolidates the overall design.

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Organizational Structure
 Organizational Structure
In essence, an organizational structure is the underlying skeleton or infrastructure
of a composition and is akin to a tree’s trunk and branch configuration or to a
building’s wood/steel frame. It defines the overall configuration of a design. The
purpose of an organizational structure is to provide compositional order and to
give a design a sense of legibility for people who experience it. The most common
organizational structures typologies are: mass collection, line, grid, symmetry, and
asymmetry.

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 Organizational Structure
Mass collection: it is the easiest and most rudimentary method
of organization. While this design structure appears chaotic and
thrown together to many eyes, it is nevertheless ordered by the
fact that the design elements are gathered together.

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 Organizational Structure
• Line: A linear organization may be straight, angled, curved, and so forth,
depending on the design context and the desired disposition of movement along
it. Cadence or rhythm is established when multiple elements are spaced in a
recurring pattern within the serial construct
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 Organizational Structure
• Line: A linear organization can establish a direct or indirect path of movement
between spaces.

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 Organizational Structure
• Grid: A grid is an assemblage of elements
arranged in contiguous parallel lines, a
more advanced organizational structure
than the previous two. The intersecting
lines establish points and interstitial spaces
that are the basis of the four primary types
of grid: line, mesh, point, and modular. Modular grid

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 Organizational Structure
• Grid: A grid has no inherent points of emphasis or dominant areas. Similarly, a
grid is a neutral, nondirectional configuration. In essence, a grid is a standardized
template that similar or varied design elements can be inserted into in a
predictable and regular fashion

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 Organizational Structure
• Symmetry: Symmetry is the balanced distribution of equivalent forms and
spaces around a point, line, or plane. The centering element or plane is called an
axis and may be a line such as a walk or road, or it may be an elongated element
like a pool, panel of lawn, bed of plants, and so forth. There are three
fundamental symmetrical typologies: bilateral, cross-axial, and radial.

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 Organizational Structure
• Bilateral Symmetry: it is the organization of spaces and elements along one
dominant axis, thus producing two distinct sides .
• Cross-Axial Symmetry: it is the organization of spaces and elements along
multiple axes.
• Radial Symmetry: Radial symmetry is the organization of spaces and elements
along radii and/or concentric circles around a single center point.

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 Organizational Structure
• Asymmetry: it is an organizational structure that intuitively
orchestrates and balances constituent design elements to achieve
overall compositional order. The feeling of equilibrium is created by
subjectively distributing design elements so that one area of the
composition appears to equate to another in terms of visual
weight. There is typically no definitive center point in an
asymmetrical organization although hierarchy is frequently created
with a commanding element or space.

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Thank You
Reference Book