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Articulation of Form

The document discusses the visual and physical attributes of form including articulation of form through differentiating surfaces, developing corners, and lighting. It also discusses surface articulation and how texture and color affect perception of a surface. Finally, it examines edges and corners and how they are defined through plane meeting, openings, and rounding.

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104 views

Articulation of Form

The document discusses the visual and physical attributes of form including articulation of form through differentiating surfaces, developing corners, and lighting. It also discusses surface articulation and how texture and color affect perception of a surface. Finally, it examines edges and corners and how they are defined through plane meeting, openings, and rounding.

Uploaded by

ASRI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DDWR1313 THEORY OF DESIGN, 2023/2024

Input Lecture - The Visual and Physical Attributes of Form

THE VISUAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF FORM

1. ARTICULATION OF FORM

Articulation refers to the manner in which the surfaces of a form come together to define
its shape and volume. An articulated form clearly reveals the precise nature of its parts
and their relationships to each other and to the whole. It surfaces appear as discrete
planes with distinct shapes and their overall configuration is legible and easily perceived.
In a similar manner, an articulated group of forms accentuates the joints between the
constituent parts in order to visually express their individuality.

A form can be articulated by:

1. Differentiating adjoining planes with a change in material, color,


texture or pattern.

2. Developing corners as distinct linear elements independent of the


abutting planes.

3. Removing corners to physically separate neighboring planes.

4. Lighting the form to create sharp contrasts in tonal value along


edges and corners.

In opposition to the emphasis on joints and joinery, the


corners of a form can be rounded and smoothed over to
emphasize the continuity of its surfaces. Or a material,
color, texture or pattern can be carried across a corner
onto the adjoining surfaces to de-emphasize the
individuality of the surface planes and emphasize instead
the volume of a form.


Extracted from Chapter 2- Form of Francis D.K. Ching’s Architecture: Form Space and Order, 2007, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This handout is meant for
guideline only. Further reading on the topic is highly recommended.

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DDWR1313 THEORY OF DESIGN, 2023/2024
Input Lecture - The Visual and Physical Attributes of Form

2. SURFACE ARTICULATION

Our perception of the shape, size scale, proportion and visual weight of a plane is
influenced by its surface properties as well as its visual context.

• A distinct contrast between the surface colour of a


plane and that of the surrounding field can clarify its
shape, while modifying its tonal value can either
increase or decrease its visual weight.

• A frontal view reveals the true shape of a plane;


oblique views distort it.

• Elements of known size within the visual context of a


plane can aid our perception of its size and scale.

• Texture and colour together affect the visual weight


and scale of a plane and the degree to which it
absorbs or reflects light and sound.

• Directional or oversized optical patterns can distort


the shape or exaggerate the proportions of a plane.

Example:

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DDWR1313 THEORY OF DESIGN, 2023/2024
Input Lecture - The Visual and Physical Attributes of Form

3. EDGES AND CORNERS

Since the articulation of a form depends to


a great degree on how its surfaces meet
each other at corners, how these edge
conditions are resolved is critical to the
definition and clarity of a form.

While a corner can be articulated by simply contrasting the surface


qualities of the adjoining planes, or obscured by layering their joining
with an optical pattern, our perception of its existence is also affected
by the laws of perspective and the quality of light that illuminates the
form.

For a corner to be formally active, there


must be more than a slight deviation in the
angle between the adjoining planes.
Since we constantly search for regularity
and continuity within our field of vision, we
tend to regularize or smooth out slight
irregularities in the forms we see. For
example, a wall plane that is bent only
slightly will appear to be a single flat
plane, perhaps with a surface
imperfection. A corner would not be perceived.

Corners define the meeting of two planes. If the two planes


simply touch and the corner remains unadorned, the
presence of the corner will depend on the visual treatment
of the adjoining surfaces. This corner condition emphasizes
the volume of a form.

A corner condition can be visually reinforced by introducing


a separate and distinct element that is independent of the
surfaces it joins. This element articulates the corner as a linear
condition, defines the edges of the adjoining planes, and
becomes a positive feature of the form.

If an opening is introduced to one side of the corner, one of


the planes will appear to bypass the other. The opening
diminishes the corner condition, weakens the definition of the
volume within the form, and emphasizes the planar qualities
of the neighboring surfaces.

If neither plane is extended to define the corner, a volume of


space is created to replace the corner. This corner condition
deteriorates the volume of the form, allows the interior space

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DDWR1313 THEORY OF DESIGN, 2023/2024
Input Lecture - The Visual and Physical Attributes of Form

to leak outward and clearly reveals the surfaces as planes in space.

Rounding off the corner emphasizes the continuity of the


bounding surfaces of a form, the compactness of its volume
and softness of its contour. The scale of the radius of curvature
is important. If too small, it becomes visually insignificant; if too
large, it affects the interior space it encloses and the exterior
form it describes.

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