Page 1

PAMANTASAN NG COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA AND URBAN PLANNING

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
FUNDAMENTALS OF
ARCHITECTURE:

ALNIE KHAYZER HAYUDINI, RLA, RMP

Tectonics Page 2

Fo r m h a s s eve ra l co n s i d e rat i o n s i n
a rc h i te c t u re . I t ca n b e a d d re s s e d
co m p o s i t i o n a l l y, a s i t p e r ta i n s to
co n st r u c t i o n , o r i n te r m s o f m ate r i a l o r
m ate r i a l c h a ra c te r i st i c s .

C o m p o s i t i o n a l l y, a rc h i te c t u re ca n b e
u n d e rsto o d a s a m a s s / vo i d re l at i o n s h i p . I n
t h i n k i n g o f a rc h i te c t u re i n t h i s way, t h e vo i d
i s a re a t h at ca n b e i n h a b i te d — s p a c e . T h e
m a s s i s o c c u p i e d by t h e p hys i ca l p re s e n c e o f
t h e b u i l d i n g — fo r m . Fo r m refe rs to t h e
p hys i ca l c h a ra c te r o f a rc h i te c t u re . I t d ef i n e s
t h e l i m i t s o f s p a c e a n d d ete r m i n e s ways i t
m i g ht b e i n h a b i te d .
 Page 3

T h e fo l l o w i n g a re t h e fo u r te c to n i c
e l e m e nt s :
• M a s s i s a fo r m t h at i s p ro p o r t i o n a l l y
s i m i l a r i n a l l d i m e n s i o n s ( b a s e o r p l i nt h ) .
• P l a n e i s a fo r m t h at i s p ro p o r t i o n a l ly
s i m i l a r i n t wo d i m e n s i o n s a n d s i g n i f ica nt ly
s m a l l e r i n t h e t h i rd ( wa l l ) .
• F ra m e i s a fo r m t h at i s p ro p o r t io n a l l y
s i m i l a r i n t wo d i m e n s i o n s a n d s i g n i f ica nt ly
l o n ge r i n t h e t h i rd ( b e a m ) .
• H e a r t h i s a ny fo r m a l e l e m e nt t h at a c t s a s
a fo ca l p o i nt . D ef i n e a p l a c e fo r s o c i a l
i nte ra c t i o n , i t wa s m o st f re q u e nt ly p r i m a r y
to a ny a rc h i te c t u ra l i d e a , a n d c e nt ra l to a ny
s p at i a l co m p o s i t i o n .
Characteristic of Form Page 4

Fo r m i s a n i n c l u s ive te r m t h at h a s s eve ra l
m e a n i n g s . I t m ay refe r to a n ex te r n a l
a p p e a ra n c e t h at ca n b e re co g n i ze d , l i ke
t h at o f a c h a i r o r t h e h u m a n b o d y t h at s i t s
i n i t . I t m ay a l s o a l l u d e to a p a r t i c u l a r
co n d i t i o n i n w h i c h s o m et h i n g a c t s o r
m a n i fe st s i t s e l f.

I n a r t a n d d e s i g n , we o f te n u s e t h e te r m to
d e n o te t h e fo r m a l st r u c t u re o f a wo r k — t h e
m a n n e r o f a r ra n g i n g a n d co o rd i n at i n g t h e
e l e m e nt s a n d p a r t s o f a co m p o s it i o n s o a s
to p ro d u c e a co h e re nt i m a ge . Fo r m s u g ge st s
refe re n c e to b o t h i nte r n a l st r u c t u re a n d
ex te r n a l o u t l in e a n d t h e p r i n c i p l e t h at
g i ve s u n i t y to t h e w h o l e .
 Page 5
Shape
T h e c h a ra c te r i st i c o u t l in e o r s u r fa c e
co nf i g u rat i o n o f a p a r t i c u l a r fo r m . S h a p e i s
t h e p r i n c i p a l a s p e c t by w h i c h we i d e nt i f y
a n d cate go r i ze fo r m s . I n a d d i t i o n to s h a p e ,
fo r m s h ave v i s u a l p ro p e r t i e s o f s i ze , s h a p e ,
co l o r, a n d tex t u re .

Size
S i ze i s t h e p hys ica l d im e n s io n s o f l e n gt h ,
w id t h , a n d d e pt h o f a fo r m . W h i le t h e s e
d im e n s io n s d ete r m in e t h e p ro p o r t io n s o f a
fo r m , i t s s ca l e i s d ete r m i n e d b y i t s s i ze
re l at i ve to o t h e r fo r m s i n i t s co ntex t .
 Page 6
Color
C o l o r i s a p h e n o m e n o n o f l i g ht a n d v i s u a l
p e rc e pt i o n t h at m ay b e d e s c r i b e d i n te r m s
o f a n i n d i v i d u a l ’s p e rc e pt i o n o f h u e ,
s at u rat i o n , a n d to n a l va l u e . C o l o r i s t h e
att r i b u te t h at m o st c l e a r l y d i st in g u is h e s a
fo r m f ro m i t s e nv i ro n m e nt . I t a l s o af fe c t s
t h e v i s u a l we i g ht o f a fo r m .

Texture
Tex t u re i s t h e v i s u a l a n d e s p e c i a l l y ta c t i l e
q u a l i t y g i ve n to a s u r fa c e by t h e s i ze ,
s h a p e , a r ra n ge m e nt , a n d p ro p o r t i o n s o f t h e
p a r t s . Tex t u re a l s o d ete r m i n e s t h e d e g re e
to w h i c h t h e s u r fa c e s o f a fo r m ref l e c t o r
a bs o r b i n c i d e nt l i g ht .
Position Page 7

Po s it io n i s t h e l o cat i o n o f a fo r m re l at i ve to
i t s e nv i ro n m e nt o r t h e v i s u a l f i e ld w it h in
which it is seen.
Orientation
O r i e ntat i o n i s t h e d i re c t i o n o f a fo r m
re l at i ve to t h e g ro u n d p l a n e , t h e co m p a s s
p o i nt s , o t h e r fo r m s , o r to t h e p e rs o n
v i ew i n g t h e fo r m .

Visual Interia
V is u a l i n e r t ia is the d e g re e of
co n c e nt rat i o n a n d sta b i l it y o f a fo r m . T h e
v i s u a l i n e r t i a o f a fo r m d e p e n d s o n i t s
ge o m et r y a s we ll a s i t s o r i e ntat i o n re lat i ve
to t h e g ro u n d p la n e , t h e p u l l o f g rav i t y, a n d
t h e v i ewe r ’s l i n e o f s i g ht .
 Page 8

A l l o f t h e s e p ro p e r t i e s o f fo r m a re
i n re a l i t y af fe c te d by t h e
co n d i t i o n s u n d e r w h i c h we v i ew
them.
• A c h a n g i n g p e rs p e c t i ve o r a n g l e
o f v i ew p re s e nt s d i f fe re nt s h a p e s
o r a s p e c t s o f a fo r m to o u r eye s .
• O u r d i sta n c e f ro m a fo r m
d ete r m i n e s i t s a p p a re nt s i ze .
• T h e l i g ht i n g co n d i t i o n s u n d e r
w h i c h we v i ew a fo r m af fe c t s t h e
c l a r i t y o f i t s s h a p e a n d st r u c t u re .
• T h e v i s u a l f i e l d s u r ro u n d i n g a
fo r m i n f l u e n c e s o u r a b i l i t y to re a d
a n d i d e nt i f y i t .
 Shape
Page 9

S h a p e refe rs to t h e
c h a ra c te r i st i c o u t l i n e o f a p l a n e
f i g u re o r t h e s u r fa c e
co nf i g u rat i o n o f a vo l u m et r i c
fo r m . I t i s t h e p r i m a r y m e a n s by
w h i c h we re co g n i ze , i d e nt if y,
a n d cate go r i ze p a r t i c u l a r
f i g u re s a n d fo r m s . O u r
p e rc e pt i o n o f s h a p e d e p e n d s o n
t h e d e g re e o f v i s u a l co nt ra st
t h at ex i st s a l o n g t h e co nto u r
s e p a rat i n g a f i g u re f ro m i t s
g ro u n d o r b et we e n a fo r m a n d
its field.
 Page 10

I n a rc h i te c t u re , we a re co n c e r n e d w i t h t h e s h a p e s o f :
• F l o o r, wa l l , a n d c e i l i n g p l a n e s t h at e n c l o s e s p a c e
• D o o r a n d w i n d o w o p e n i n g s w i t h i n a s p at i a l e n c l o s u re
• S i l h o u ette s a n d co nto u rs o f b u i l d i n g fo r m s
Surface Page 11

I n t h e t ra n s i t i o n f ro m t h e s h a p e s
o f p l a n e s to t h e fo r m s o f vo l u m e s
i s s i t u ate d t h e re a l m o f s u r fa c e s .
“ S u r fa c e ” f i rst refe rs to a ny
f i g u re h av i n g o n l y t wo
d i m e n s i o n s , s u c h a s a f l at p l a n e .
T h e te r m , h o weve r, ca n a l s o
a l l u d e to a c u r ve d t wo -
d i m e n s i o n a l l o c u s o f p o i nt s
d ef i n i n g t h e b o u n d a r y o f a t h re e -
d i m e n s i o n a l s o l i d . T h e re i s a
s p e c i a l c l a s s o f t h e l atte r t h at
ca n b e ge n e rate d f ro m t h e
ge o m et r i c fa m i l y o f c u r ve s a n d
st ra i g ht l i n e s .
Page 12
Transformation Page 13

A l l o t h e r fo r m s ca n b e
u n d e rsto o d to b e
t ra n sfo r m at i o n s o f t h e D i m e n s i o n a l Tra n sfo r m at io n
p r i m a r y s o l i d s , va r i at i o n s
t h at a re ge n e rate d by t h e
m a n i p u l at i o n o f o n e o r
m o re d i m e n s i o n s o r by
the addition or
s u bt ra c t i o n o f e l e m e nt s . A d d i t i ve Tra n sfo r m at i o n

S u bt ra c t i ve Tra n sfo r m at i o n
Dimensional Transformation Page 14
Subtractive Form Page 15
Page 16
 Page 17

Grouping Forms

S p at i a l Te n s i o n Fa c e - to - Fa c e C o nta c t

Ed ge - to - Ed ge C o nta c t I nte r l o c k i n g Vo l u m e s
Page 18
Surface Articulation Page 19

O u r p e rc e pt i o n o f t h e s h a p e , s i ze , s ca l e , p ro p o r t i o n , a n d v i s u a l we i g ht o f
a p l a n e i s i nf l u e n c e d by i t s s u r fa c e p ro p e r t i e s a s we l l a s i t s v i s u a l
co ntex t .

A d i st i n c t co nt ra st b et we e n t h e
s u r fa c e co l o r o f a p l a n e a n d t h at
o f t h e s u r ro u n d i n g f i e l d ca n
clarify its shape, while modifying
i t s to n a l va l u e ca n e i t h e r i n c re a s e
o r d e c re a s e i t s v i s u a l we i g ht .

A f ro nta l v i ew reve a l s t h e t r u e
s h a p e o f a p l a n e ; o b l i q u e v i ews
d i sto r t i t .
A f ro nta l v i ew reve a l s t h e t r u e Page 20

s h a p e o f a p l a n e ; o b l i q u e v i ews
d i sto r t i t .

Tex t u re a n d co l o r to get h e r af fe c t
t h e v i s u a l we i g ht a n d s ca l e o f a
p l a n e a n d t h e d e g re e to w h i c h i t
a bs o r bs o r ref l e c t s l i g ht a n d
sound.

D i re c t i o n a l o r o ve rs i ze d o pt i ca l
p atte r n s ca n d i sto r t t h e s h a p e o r
exa g ge rate t h e p ro p o r t i o n s o f a
plane.
Page 21
Form and Page 22

Movement

Enclosed
A n e n c l o s e d s p a c e fo r m s a p u b l i c ga l l e r i a o r p r i vate co r r i d o r t h at re l ate s
to t h e s p a c e s i t l i n ks t h o u g h e nt ra n c e s i n a wa l l p l a n e .

Open on One Side

A s p a c e o p e n o n o n e s i d e fo r m s a b a l co ny o r ga l l e r y t h at
p ro v i d e s v i s u a l a n d s p at i a l co nt i n u it y w i t h t h e s p a c e s i t l i n ks .

Open on Both Sides

A s p a c e o p e n o n b o t h s i d e s fo r m s a co l o n n a d e d p a s s a geway t h at b e co m e s
a p hys i ca l ex te n s i o n o f t h e s p a c e i t p a s s e s t h ro u g h .
T h e w i d t h a n d h e i g ht o f a c i rc u l at i o n
Page 23

s p a c e s h o u ld b e p ro p o r t i o n ate w i t h t h e
t y p e a n d a m o u nt o f m o ve m e nt i t m u st
handle.

A n a r ro w, e n c l o s e d p at h n at u ra l l y
e n co u ra ge s fo r wa rd m o t io n . To
a c co m m o d ate m o re t raf f i c , a s we l l a s to
c re ate s p a c e s fo r p a u s in g , re st in g , o r
v i ew i n g , s e c t io n s o f a p at h ca n b e
widened.

W it h i n a l a rge s p a c e , a p at h ca n b e
ra n d o m , w it h o u t fo r m o r d ef in it io n , a n d
b e d ete r m i n e d by the activities and
a r ra n ge m e nt o f f u r n is h in g s w it h i n t h e
space.
Stairs and Page 24

Stairways
S ta i rs a n d sta i r ways p ro v i d e
fo r ve r t i ca l m o ve m e nt
b et we e n t h e l eve l s o f a
b u i l d i n g o r o u td o o r s p a c e .
 Page 25

Proportion and Scale

W h i l e s ca l e a l l u d e s to t h e s i ze
o f s o m et h in g co m p a re d to a
refe re n c e sta n d a rd o r to t h e
s i ze o f s o m et h i n g e l s e ,
p ro p o r t i o n refe rs to t h e
p ro p e r o r h a r m o n i o u s re l at i o n
o f o n e p a r t to a n o t h e r o r to
t h e w h o l e . T h i s re l at i o n s h i p
m ay n o t o n l y b e o n e o f
magnitude, but also of
q u a nt i t y o r d e g re e . W h i l e
B e a m s a n d co l u m n s fo r m a Page 26

s ke l eta l st r u c t u ra l f ra m ewo r k t h at d ef i n e s
m o d u l e s o f s p a c e . By t h e i r
s i ze a n d p ro p o r t io n , co l u m n s a n d b e a m s
a r t i c u l ate s p a c e a n d g i ve i t
s ca l e a n d a h i e ra rc h i ca l st r u c t u re .
 Page 27
T h e p ro p o r t i o n s o f o t h e r
st r u c t u ra l e l e m e nt s , s u c h
a s b e a r i n g wa l l s , f l o o r
a n d ro o f s l a bs , va u l t s , a n d
d o m e s , a l s o g i ve u s v i s u a l
c l u e s to t h e i r ro l e i n a
st r u c t u ra l syste m a s we l l
a s t h e n at u re o f t h e i r
m ate r i a l .
 Page 28

*Images used in this presentation is not the property of the presenter.

Thank you & References:

• Ching, F. (2013). INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-1-118-14206-6

keep safe.