UNIT II

Introduction to architecture

BY
AR.ASIA BEEVI
Measi academy of architecture
UNIT II: FORM IN NATURE AND MANMADE ENVIRONMENT :

• Understanding form in all its attributes as the basis of creating architecture.

• Characteristics of form and its relationship with use/function/evolution as

manifested in first hand examples from nature and everyday manmade
environment including artefacts, objects buildings, cityscapes.

• Human body and sensory environment.

• Cognitive experience of form- ideas of Gestalt, visual perception,

proxemics. Tactile, auditory, olfactory senses and human environment.

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FORM :
• Form in the architecture refers to the
shape , structure , and Arrangement of a
building or object.
• It is an essential aspect of architectural
design, as the form of a building can
impact its functionality, aesthetic PYRAMID
appeal, and overall impact on the
environment .
• Form is often influenced by various
factors such as cultural, historical,
social, and technological contexts .
• It can also be determined by practical
STUPA
considerations such as building use ,
climate , and construction methods .
• The relationship between form and
function is a key consideration in
architecture , as the form of a building
must support and enhance its intended
use.
• Form in the architecture can be
described as both two-dimensional ASHOKA PILLAR
(shape) and three-dimensional
(volume).

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Form due to climate

WINTER RAINY SUMMER

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CORBY CUBE BY THE ACADEMY MUSEUM LOUVRE MUSEUM, PARIS
HAWKINS\BROWN’S OF MOTION PICTURES

WHITEPOD ALPINE SKI CATHEDRAL AND

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO
RESORT IN SWITZERLAND BELL TOWER

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What is a Form?
The form is an inclusive term that has several meanings and
synonyms and is used in architecture as an important element
of design. It refers to the shape or configuration of a building.
The Form in Architecture may refer to

• An external appearance that can be recognized. Ex: A

chair/bed.
• A particular condition manifests. Ex: water in the form of
ice.
• Art and design – a structural form of work.
• Internal structure and external outline.

“Architecture form is the point of contact between mass and

space…Architectural forms, textures, materials, modulation of
light and shade, color, all combine to inject a quality or spirit
that articulates space. The quality of the architecture will be
determined by the skill of the designer in using and relating
these elements, both in the interior spaces and in the spaces
around buildings.” –
Edmund N. Bacon
The Design of Cities
1974

BURJ AL ARAB EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR

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FORM IN ARCHITECTURE

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FORM AND ITS PROPERTIES
FORM

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VISUAL PROPERTY OF FORM

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SHAPE

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SIZE

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COLOR

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TEXTURE

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FORM AND ITS PROPERTIES:
RELATIONAL PROPERTIES OF FORM

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POSITION

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ORIENTATION:
• The direction of form relative to the ground plane , compass person viewing the form

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VISUAL INERTIA:
• The degree of concentration and stability of form .
• The visual stability of a form that depends on its geometry as well as orientation
relative to the ground plane . The pull of gravity and our line of site

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Primary shapes

Form geometry we know the regular shapes o be

circle , and the infinite series of regular polygons
that can be inscribed within it . Of these shapes :
the circle triangle and the square

CIRCLE :A plane curve every point of which is

equidistant from a fixed point within the cure .

TRIANGLE:
A plane figure bound by three sides and having
three angle.

Square : A plane figure having four sides and four

angle.

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Primary shapes
CIRCLE:

• The Circle is the centralized , introvert

figure that is normally stable and self
centering in its environment.

• Placing a circle in the center of a field

reinforce s its inherent centrality.

• Associating it with straight or angular form

or placing an element along its
circumference , However , can induce in
the circle an apparent rotary motion.

Composition of circle and circular segments

Epidaurus Theater

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Primary shapes

TRIANGLE:

• The triangle signifies stability . When

resting on one of its sides, the triangle
is an extremely stable figure .
• When tipped to stand on one of its
vertices, however , it can either be
balanced in a precarious state of
equilibrium or be unstable and tend to
fall over onto one of its sides

Vigo Sundt House , Madison, Wisconsin,

1942, Frank Lloyd wright

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Primary shapes

SQUARE :

• The square represents the pure and the

rational.
• It is a static and neutral figure having
no preferred direction .
• All other rectangles can be considered
variation of the square deviation from
the norm by the addition of the height
or width .
• Like the triangle , the square is stable
when resting on one of its sides , and
dynamic when standing on one its
corners

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TYPES OF FORM:

PRIMARY FORM:
SPHERE

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CYLINDER:

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CONE:

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PYRAMID:

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CUBE:

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TYPE OF FORMS
REGULAR FORM:

• The sphere , cylinder, cone , cube and pyramid are prime example of form

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TYPE OF FORMS
IRREGULAR FORM:

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TRANSFORMATION OF FORM

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SHAPE TRANSFORMATION

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ROTATION:

• A form transformation by rotating the basic form

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REFLECTION:
• A form transformation by mirror reflection of the basic form

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SCALING:
• A form transformation by Increasing the size of the basic form

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TRANSLATION:

• A form transformation by Repetition the basic form

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STRETCHING:
• A form transformation by increasing on dimension of the basic form

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SHEARING:
• A form transformation by changing the angle of the basic form

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COMBINATION TRANSFORMATION :

Addition Transformation:

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Addition Transformation:

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Addition Transformation:

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Addition Transformation:

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COMBINATION TRANSFORMATION :

Addition Transformation:

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COMBINATION TRANSFORMATION :

Addition Transformation:

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COMBINATION TRANSFORMATION :

Subtraction Transformation:

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COMBINATION TRANSFORMATION :
Formal collisons Transformation:

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FORM ORGANIZATION:

Centralized form:

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Linear form:

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Radial form:

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Clustered form:

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Grid form:

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• Characteristics of form and its relationship with use/function/evolution as
manifested in first hand examples from nature and everyday manmade
environment including artefacts, objects buildings, cityscapes.

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 Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - ARTIFACT
Bjarke Ingels completes Serpentine Gallery
Pavilion that is "both solid box and blob"
• Viewed side-on, the pavilion is rectangular. But
when seen from the front or at an angle, its
curving silhouette is revealed.
• It also changes from opaque to see-through,
depending on the viewing angle.
• The structure is located outside the Serpentine
Gallery in London's Kensington Gardens.
• It is made up of translucent fibreglass frames,
stacked on top of each other in a typical brickwork
pattern.
• The design supposed to be a mixed between
building and furniture

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - ARTIFACT

• The Canadian architect Frank Gehry designed a golden fish for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
• It is placed at Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta (Port Olímpic) in front of the Barcelona Art Hotel and serves as roof for a
commercial center. The structure has a height of 35 m and a length of 56 m.
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 Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - ARTIFACT
The Big Pineapple, Bathurst, Eastern Cape, Kansas City Library, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
South Africa

• The Kansas City Library contains a unique "Community

Bookshelf" wall on its exterior, designed to showcase the spines
of 22 books suggested by the citizens of Kansas City. What’s
great is that residents got to pick what books would get be on the
facade of this building.
• In the village of Bathurst, South Africa is a very ambitious
building - the biggest pineapple on Earth. Standing nearly 17
meters tall and located on the Summerhill Estate pineapple
plantation. Built between 1990-1992, it is made from steel
and concrete with a fiberglass outer skin
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 Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - OBJECT

Coney Island Hot Dog Stand, Bailey, Colorado, Twistee Treat Ice cream shop, USA
USA

One of the most famous roadside architecture is this 42-feet-

Designed by Robert G. Skiller,the 28 ft tall and 20 ft wide
long hot dog. It was originally built in 1966 in Denver. In
buildings have been painted in a wide variety of colors
1970 it was moved to Aspen Park and then eventually to Bailey
in 2006

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - OBJECT

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Florida, USA Adidas Shoe Box, Barcelona, Spain

• The multi-million dollar expansion and development of the

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida, • The attention-grabbing exterior of the store is a large-
completed in 2019, is an adventurous and visually stunning scale replica of the famous brand’s bright blue shoebox
architectural project which pays tribute to Hard Rock’s from its “Adidas Originals” range, complete with a sizing
iconic status. label and over-sized laces peeking out from underneath
• The centerpiece of the 638-room hotel and casino the askew lid.
development is a 140 metre tower of blue glass windows,
offering guests numerous restaurants, luxurious lounges and
spa facilities – all boldly designed in the unique form of two
back-to-back guitars, complete with strings.
• The complex will also boast a 10-acre lagoon pool, an
expanded casino, a beach club and water sports.

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - CITYSCAPE

The Elephant Building (Chang Building), Beijing Airport Terminal 3, Beijing, China
Bangkok, Thailand

• The new airport terminal is supposed to resemble a dragon,

• The Chang Building in Bangkok is designed to look like an
complete with triangular windows cut into the ceiling as
elephant with cartoon eyes and yellow tusks.
though they were scales. It was designed by British
architect Norman Foster..
• The impressive terminal’s nearly 3-km (2-mile) long
concourse, which is divided into three sections and
connected by a shuttle train.

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 Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - CITYSCAPE
Metropol Parasol,
Seville (Spain)

Setas de Sevilla ("Mushrooms of Seville is a large, predominantly

wood structure located at La Encarnación square in the old quarter of
Seville, Spain. It accommodates a traditional market, restaurants, a
performance square, archaeological museum and 'rooftop' terrace with
a panoramic view of Seville's old city.

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 Example from nature and everyday manmade environment - CITYSCAPE

Palm Jumeirah, artificial offshore island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the site of private residences and hotels. The
master plan was drawn up by Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock, an American architectural firm

• Trunk, spine, fronds, and crescent are the names by which the principal
sectors of Palm Jumeirah are known.
• The broad trunk, connected to the mainland by a bridge, serves as the
entrance to the development. Another bridge connects the trunk to the
spine, a narrow central axis from which 17 fronds protrude.
• The crescent is a breakwater that nearly surrounds the other sectors. It is
divided into three sections so as to facilitate the circulation of seawater.
• The crescent is 650 feet (200 metres) wide and about 10.5 miles (17 km)
long altogether. At least 1,380 acres (560 hectares) of new land were
created in all, within an area about 3.1 miles (5 km) in diameter.
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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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Example from nature and everyday manmade environment

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 • Cognitive experience of form- ideas of Gestalt, visual perception,
proxemics.

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 GESTALT THEORY Gestalt theory originated in Austria and Germany
toward the end of the 19th century. Since then, Gestalt theory has become
fundamental to several related disciplines, including art, graphic design, web
design and interior design.

What is Gestalt Theory?

• Gestalt theory focuses on the mind’s perceptive processes
• The word "Gestalt" has no direct translation in English, but refers to "a way a
thing has been gestellt; i.e., ‘placed,’ or ‘put together’";
• common translations include "form" and "shape"
• Gestalt theorists followed the basic principle that the whole is greater than
the sum of its parts

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VISUAL PERCEPTION

Figure Ground Segregation;

• When you look at the environment, you look at it as a whole picture, not separate parts.
• There are images in the environment that people are aware, this would be the figure. • Images
people are not aware of make up the ground.
• The figure is what a person is concentrating on
• The ground would be everything else in that environment;
Some properties of figure ground:
• Figures hold more memorable association than the ground.
• Figures are seen as being in front of the ground.
• The ground is seen as uniformed material and seems to extend behind the figure.
• The contour separating the figure from the ground appears to belong to

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Reversible figure/ground
• There are no correct interpretations to what the figure is and what the ground is; it
is the individual’s choice.
• People have different memories and experiences that influence their perception of
images.
• We have seen that meaningfulness can help determine which area we see as
figure.
• If something has meaning to someone, it normally "jumps out" at them, and is
more noticeable

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PROXEMICS :
A study of spatial relationships between people and their effects on human behavior.
Proxemics - the interrelated observations and theories of man’s use of space as a specialized
elaboration of culture — Edward T Hall, anthropologist.

What is proxemics in design?

Proxemics is the study and application of personal space zones-how close we like to be to
other people. ... So designers need to allow this amount of space between chairs in public places
and understand cultural differences that affect this phenomenon.

What is proxemics in space planning?

Proxemics is the understanding of space in the holistic sense, as well as the cultural
association we place upon space. It is the study of how an environment, at the interactive and
interpretive level, is bestowed with meaning by people in daily life.

Hall coined the phrase in the 1960s, and completed several studies associated with how people
behave across distances. He has attributed four zones where thresholds are crossed and behaviors
therefore alter:

1. Intimate space: under 450mm apart

2. Personal space: 450mm to 1.2m apart
3. Social space: 2m to 3.6m apar
4. Public space: 3.6m to 7.6m
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Of course, there are many variables to this, from culture appropriations to context. An Indian
train experience is very different to that in Singapore; a loud rock concert is very different to a
peaceful picnic on a Sunday afternoon. Hall’s point is to be aware of how human behaviour is
inherently linked to the size of our immediate environs

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The relationship to architecture is obvious. If a certain behavior
or atmosphere is to be encouraged, take note where this sits in
the proxemics' ‘zones’ and design accordingly.
Eg: A cozy restaurant desires to foster connections in the
‘personal space’, so ensure your dining chairs are spaced no less
than 450mm and certainly no more than 1.2m. If you have a
large dining room area, break the space down into smaller
‘rooms’ to create a greater level of intimacy. This may be as
transparent as partitions that imply spatial divisions, or more
solid to create private exclusive dining rooms.

Conversely, if designing an urban space to be used by the

public as a thoroughfare, consider distances over 3.6m to
facilitate movement. If you wish for people to loiter and stay in
the urban space, ensure distances between the extents of the
space do not go beyond the social space zones.

In short, an awareness of proxemics is important to understand

how people will use a space. As architects, we can harness this
knowledge to our advantage — with these insights, the way
people interact can be fostered and encouraged through careful
forethought in design.

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 • Human body and sensory environment.
• Tactile, auditory, olfactory senses and human
environment.

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Human body and sensory environment.

• Architectural design is more than just designing functional spaces; it is an enigmatic profession that seeks to
stimulate feelings and enrich experiences.
• Exploring and integrating the tactile elements is an important aspect of this art form.
• Architects have the ability to build environments that fascinate and engage people more deeply by carefully
integrating taste, smell, sound, touch, taste, and perception into their work

A space is much more than just its appearance. Textures, smells, and sounds can strongly affect the user's experience. Based on
this, sensory architecture can transform the interaction between people and the built environment into something even deeper.

• Multi-sensory surroundings can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost cognitive performance.
• In a period where psychological wellness is becoming a more significant societal problem, architecture’s role in creating our
mental environment is important.
• Architects can greatly improve the emotional and psychological health of a community by developing environments that
soothe, energise, and inspire through a variety of sensory experiences.

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Visual Sensation:
• The UAE Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 fascinates visitors with its stunning visual exhibit. Its futuristic design inspires awe and
curiosity as it rises like a beacon of invention.
• The pavilion’s remarkable architecture embraces the nation’s ambition for the future while reflecting its rich legacy in a
fascinating blend of tradition and modernity. Visitors are enticed into a world of infinite possibilities by the dynamic visual
experience created by the interaction of light and form.
• The UAE Pavilion captivates the imagination with its flawless fusion of technology, art, and culture, creating a lasting effect on
everyone who witnesses the breathtaking beauty.

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Auditory Sensation:
Consideration of sound in design extends beyond noise abatement and soundproofing. Different sounds can evoke
different feelings in a space. For instance, music used in mindfulness meditation can induce calm, while energetic songs
can induce euphoria. With a little more ingenuity, we could even have architecture itself produce music.

The Sea Organ in Zadar, Croatia, is made up of a system of resonant cavities and polyethylene tubes that sing as the wind and waves
gently caress the shore. The world’s largest aerophone consists of thirty-five separate pipes that are seventy meters long in total
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n86pF-wQKrw&t=13s

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Tactile Sensation:

• “The Pool,” has been built by LIKE architects

under the skylight at the Colombo shopping mall
in Lisbon. 20,000 white and black textile strips
are suspended from a circular frame that is fixed
to the domed window that looms over the
commercial centre by the Porto-based
architecture studio.

• The 14-foot-diameter and 4-foot-tall “wonder

wall” is characterised by its radial arrangement
of many fabric strips, providing tactile and
flexible walls that may be penetrated by visitors
and move to create airflow.

• The exhibition chamber’s construction creates a

circular area that aims to highlight the rounded
shape of the artwork that’s displayed within.

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Olfactory Sensation:
“Smell: The Art of Scent”, Museum of Art and Design in New York City. When they weren’t working on the High Line, Diller Scofidio +
Renfro explored the world of sensory design in New York. Their presentation at the Museum of Art and Design marked the first major show to focus
on fragrance as an artistic medium rather than merely a commercial product controlled by luxury businesses. Each invisible artwork attempts to elicit
memories and influence visitors’ mental processes.

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Gustatory Sensation:
• Architecture built environment does give impact to sense of taste. Normally, taste sense is less tangible than the other
four senses.
• However, designing a place to dine, taste senses considerations definitely can easily set up different expectations to those
who can perceive and enjoy taste very well.

American artist Edward Ruscha

created the ‘covering’ of this
room by silk-screen printing 360
sheets of Nestlé chocolate for the
35th Venice Biennale in 1970.

• How architects can design spaces that deliberately engage with the five human senses, creating immersive and
transformative architectural experiences. A space is far more than its appearance.
• Textures, Fragrances, and noises have a significant impact on the user experience. Based on this, sensory architecture has
the potential to deepen people’s interactions with their built environment.

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 buffet

Sushi Zanmai Restaurant

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