Functional Elements of Architecture

Study Notes

Wall: A structural element used to divide or enclose a room or building.
Ceiling: The overhead surface covering a room or the underside of a floor or roof.
Floor: A rigid building assembly that divides space horizontally into stories. It forms the bottom of a room.
Door: A movable barrier allowing ingress and egress from an enclosure; primarily for security and controlling access.
Window: An opening in a building's wall to admit light and air, often designed for architectural decoration.

Stairs and ramps are crucial architectural components, especially in stores and public buildings.
They often define the vertical aspect of an interior space.

Elevator: A vertical transport system moving people or goods between levels.
Escalator: A moving stairway that transports passengers up and down floors.

Any element has a visual weight from form, size, color, and texture.
Designs need balance for stability, and certain scaling is needed.
Symmetrical balance: Elements on the right side have equal visual weight as those on the left side. Symmetrical designs can be boring.
Asymmetrical balance: Different sides with equal visual weight. This can result in a visually interesting design with movement.
Lack of balance creates a feeling of heaviness on one side.

Contrast creates a visual hierarchy; some elements stand out.
Contrast aids in creating balance and harmony, distribution, and clarity for the viewer.
Use color, texture, size, and shape to create contrast.
Contrast in layouts is often used for pairing fonts (e.g., script and sans serif).
Contrast in a message can improve readability. In architecture, it's evident in texture, color, solid, and void.

Emphasis is a strategy to attract a viewer's attention to a specific element (e.g., a button, website, or image).
It creates something that stands out from the rest of the page.
Techniques: Using lines, shapes, color, texture, and space to highlight a specific area.
In architecture, Emphasis highlights a theme or element that stands out.

Movement directs the viewer's eye through a composition by using elements that lead to other aspects of a design.
Using repeated elements and curved or diagonal lines creates interest and dynamism.
Colors and variations maintain the viewer's engagement and focus.

Pattern involves the repetition of more than one design element, whereas repetition focuses on a single element.
Seamless patterns are repeatedly used in interior design (e.g., tiles) to enhance the design's look and appeal.
In architecture, patterns can be seen as archetypal or reusable design descriptions.

Rhythm involves repeated elements with variation, creating a visual tempo and sense of organized movement.
It's usually hidden, but variations and repetition of shapes, lines, and forms are evident.
Rhythm is the tempo and repetition patterns in architecture.

Unity refers to the harmony produced by all elements in a design; elements appear cohesive.
Use similar colors and clear relations to create clear unity.
Too much unity can create a sterile design with a lack of personality.
A lack of unity leads to a design that appears cluttered or confusing.