The 26 Principles of Design By: Kailey Williams
Table of Contents: Process 01 | Analysis .............................................................................................3 02 | Iteration .............................................................................................5 03 | Representation ..................................................................................7 04 | Presentation ......................................................................................9
Givens 05 | Context ...........................................................................................13
Form 06 | Space ...............................................................................................17 07 | Mass ................................................................................................19 08 | Scale ................................................................................................21 09 | Sold & Void.......................................................................................23 10 | Planes ..............................................................................................25 11 | Color ................................................................................................27 12 | Light & Shadow ...............................................................................29 13 | Surface .............................................................................................31
Organization 14 | Geometry ....................................................................................35 15 | Grid .............................................................................................37 16 | Datem ..........................................................................................39 17 | Balance .......................................................................................41 18 | Repetition ....................................................................................43 19 | Hierarchy .....................................................................................45 20 | Rythym .........................................................................................47
Physicality 21 | Materials ......................................................................................51 22 | Structure .....................................................................................53 23 | Fabrication ..................................................................................55
Conceptual Devices 24 | Dialogue.........................................................................................59 25 | Transformation .............................................................................62 26 | De-Composition & Re-Composition .............................................64
PROCESS
Process is a crucial and intrinic part of architectural practice. Every facet of the design proces
and dissemination of architectural designs and in the development of the architectural imagi
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process include analyisis, iteration, representation, and presentation.
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ss plays an important role in the creation
ination. Important principles in the design
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01 | Analysis
Analysis is the process by which one uncovers the possible intentions
and strategies behind a design, as well as the important characteristics that set that work apart from other works. Analysis is conducted by understanding, abstracting, and interpreting the systems of a precedent. These systems include such things as structure, circulation, public versus private spaces, solids versus voids, repetitive versus unique, geometry, hierarchy, and massing. The most common method of analyis is diagramming, the recording of the systems of a precedent and its important characteristics through abstraction
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and reduction. Diagramming allows one to gain increased familiarity with the
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systems of a precedent, to understand how these various systems interplay, and to gain awareness of common themes across multiple precedents. Through analysis, one gains the capacity to make critical design decisions and obtains a repertoire of design solutions in which can be used in later projects or which can inspire new solutions.
PROCESS
Wa Shan Guesthouse Analysis: In elevation, the Wa Shan Guest house consists of three main elements: the roofline, a rectanglular prism that breaks the roofline, and a row of masses that sit below the roofline. In plan, the Wa Shan Guesthouse complex appears to be rectangles transformed about a line.
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02 | Iteration
Iteration is the repetitive process of creation, evaluation, and
modification in order to reach a fine-tuned, thoroughly-investigated, and well implemented final product. This cycle of creation and revision is a crucial part of the the design process. Iteration allows one to test a multitude of ideas, to, through the action of creating, generate new ideas, and to work out the details
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of a design.
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PROCESS
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03| Representation
Another crucial concept in the process of design is representation.
Representation is the communication of architectural thought through drawings and models. Since architects do not make buildings but concieve the designs from which buildings are constructed, they must be able to effectively represent their designs. Modes of representation encompass both hand-produced and/or digital works and include plans, sections, elevations, axonometrics, perspectives, paper and cardstock models, models of more premanent
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materials (i.e., wood), digital models, 3-D printed models, among other things.
Elevation
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PROCESS
Perspective
Plan
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04| Presentation
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the area between objects,
surfaces, and people. Space is where we live and move. It is the “nothingness that is present� (Simitch and Warke, 2014). Form creates space, and the two work in tandem to create architecture. A building defines both the internal and external spatial experience of a individual on its site. In addition, buildings
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define space relative to the other buildings and/or outdoor features around it.
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PROCESS
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GIVENS
The “givens� refer to the knowns at the onset of a project, including the set requirements an
and context. Givens create restraints in design, but they do not impede creativity. Instead, th
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imaginative ideas and the creation of new solutions.
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nd characteristics of a building’s program
he challenges set by constraints can prosper
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05 | Context
One of the givens an architect must consider is the context his/her work. No
building does not exist in isolation; instead, every work exists within a context and establishes a relationship with that context. A building’s context includes factors such as the scale of the site, the physical attributes of the site, the network of public spaces around the site, the relationship of the internal spaces of the building to those public places, exisitng infrastructural systems, rituals and traditions of the culture of the area, and environmental conditions. A building’s context can influence
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its design, perception, and existence and vise versa. In this way, a building and its
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context engage in a continous and malleable dialogue.
Profile of Wa Shan’s mountains and skyline
Photograph by Iwan Baan
Wa Shan Guesthouse
Wa Shan Guesthouse: The irregular concave and convex folds of the building’s roof and the rectilinear masses below them are aken to Wa Shan’s mountains and its city skyline. In this way, the building speaks harmoniously to the natural and urban vistas in Wa Shan and, simultaneously, acts as a paradigm of the city.
CONTEXT
Massing Arrangement: The above arrangment from a massing exercise can provide a very abstracted and simplified illustration of how buildings exist within a framework of other buildings. The figureground of these masses depict how they are placed in a purposeful location relative to the position of each other and how they influence the spaces around each other.
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FORM
Form is the shape or configuration of the building. In the design process, form is given sha
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number of other concepts that manipulated to create the form of a building.
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ape and scale. There are also a
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06 | Space
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the area between objects,
surfaces, and people. Space is where we live and move. It is the “nothingness that is present� (Simitch and Warke, 2014). Form creates space, and the two work in tandem to create architecture. A building defines both the internal and external spatial experience of a individual on its site. In addition, buildings
26 Principles of Design
define space relative to the other buildings and/or outdoor features around it.
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Continuous Plane Model: The surface of the planes have created space, covered and uncovered, dynamic and static. The tunnels create lines of vision that open and close at intervals. At a larger, and occupiable scale, these tunnels would define movement and viewshed.
FORM
Massing Arrangement 2: The arrangement of these forms have begun to create internal spaces, the defining characteristic of architectecture. The two groups of masses also work together to create the external space around them.
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07 | Mass
Mass is the presence of “volumetric density” (Simitch and Warke,
2014). Mass can be created through additive process, in which masses are conglomorated, or “added,” to create a unified surface or volume. Mass can also be created through subtractive processes, removing mass from a single volume to create a new form. These processes can be both literal or conceptual. Masses are largely defined by their density, the extent in which
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they appear impenetrable, as well as their gravity, their visual weight.
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Planes and Mass: From certain angles the folded planes have the appearane of mass.
FORM
Massing Arrangement: The above arrangement represents a literal additive process of massing in which volumes were placed together to create a unifed volume. The wood blocks appear realtively dense and heavy, but the lightness of the material reduces this effect. The foam blocks appear light, but, despite their porous texture, dense.
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08 | Scale
Scale is how big or small something appears in relation to another
object. While size is an object’s actual dimensions, scale is relative to its context. The body is a great determinant of scale through physical engagement and perception. Because architecture is meant to be inhabited by people, the scale of buildings, especially domestic spaces, are largely determined by the scale and proportion of the human body. However, holistically, the scale of a building exists on multiple levels and is influenced by multiple factors. The
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scale of a building is informed by the scale of the context of its location (the
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buildings and/or other features around it), the scale of the context from which is experienced (how people can see the building from afar and as they approach it), and the scale for which it serves (how the building interacts with people, or other objects, to fullfull the function of its operations).
Massing Arrangement: The arrangement illustrates how scale is relative to context, including what is next to and behind an object.
FORM
Scale and Perspective: The first two models are a fourth of the size of the third model; however, without seeing these objects next to each other, or having a point of reference in the last image, it is difficult to judge through these pictures the scale of the last model in relation to the first two.
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09 | Solid & Void
In architecture, the relationship between solid and void refer to the
presence and absence of mass in a volume. The relationship between these two principles generates a volume’s form. Unlike space, which refers to something that is, the absence of mass we see, experience, and inhabit, void refers to the “nothing that is absent,� the mass that is not there. While space refers to the presence of the intangible, void refers to the absence of the
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tangible.
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Clay Model: The solid and void of this form is created through subtractive processes.
FORM
The Relationship Between Solid and Void and the Plane: The solid and voids each form unique variations of geometries, and it is the colliding of these two systems that gives the continuous plan an interesting form. In this piece, the voids have the dominant visual presence, and it is after seeing the voids that the solid’s form is reveiled.
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10 | Planes
Planes are two-dimensional shapes that can be used to generate three-
dimensional volumes. Planes can be manipulated to define form and space. The three main types of planes architects implement are the base plane, the
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wall plane, and the overhead plane.
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Dowel Model & Planes: The planes add clarity to dowel model, making the length, width, and height more intelligible. Without them, the delicate gridded dowels are difficult to spatially discern.
FORM Continuous Plane Study Models: The models provide a simple illustration of how architects use the base plane, the wall plane, and the overhead plane to generate space.
Continuous Plane Model: The continous plane illustrates how planes can be manipulated through slicing and folding actions to create space. In the model, solid and void, as well as recession and projection, work in tandem to create an interesting form and to give the perception of mass.
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11 | Color
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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Massing Arrangement Color Composition:: In the composition, color is used to articulate the massing of the arrangement and to give a sense of depth to the solids.
FORM Continuous Plan Color Composition : In the color composition, color is used to emphasize the effects of light and shadow.
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12 | Light & Shadow
Light and shadow play an important role in developing the interior and
the overal atmosphere of buildings. The interaction of light and shasow can highlight a building’s form and can create an entrirely new subset of geometries
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within a building.
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Direct & Diffuse Light: Light and shadow behaves differently in different light conditions. The diffuse condition (the left picture) creates a light glow and soft shadows. In contrast, the direct light condition (the right picture) gen- erates a much greater contrast between light and shadow. Shadows are dark- ers, reflecting the gridded structure much more than the
FORM
Light, Shadow, and Form: These images in direct light conditions show the capacity of light and shadow to highlight the form of a structure, and, through interaction with that structure, to become form itself.
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13 | Surface In architecture, surface refers to a building’s exterior shell, also know as its facades. This layer provides protection from the elements; however, it also serves as the building’s face to the world, a showcase of its personality. The surface can suggest much about the function of a building and the types of
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spaces that might be inside.
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Types of Surfaces: These contrasting forms illustrate the effects of different types of surfaces. The wooden dowel cube encloses a volume through a virtually transparent surface, allowing the viewer to see all sides of the form at once. On the other hand, the surface of the solid massing arrangement the opposite is true. In addition, due to the variations of the forms used to create the arrangement, the arrangement’s surface looks differently depending on where the viewer is looking from.
FORM
Continuous Plane and Surface: The two sides of this piece are similar to the facades of buildings. Each side has a different form, one the inverse of the other, but use the same geometrical order and speak the same spatial language.
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ORGANIZATI 26 Principles of Design
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14 | Geometry
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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ORGANIZATION
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15 | Grid
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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ORGANIZATION
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16 | Datem
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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Wa Shan Guesthouse: The roofline of the Wa Shan Guesthouse acts as a d above it. The peaks and valleys of the roofline are aligned with specific sect conglomoration of masses.
ORGANIZATION
datum, organizing and unifying the masses below it, as well as the paths tions of mass or space, implementing order into the seemingly random
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17 | Balance
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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ORGANIZATION
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18 | Repetition
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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ORGANIZATION
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19 | Hierarchy
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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Wa Shan Guesthouse, South Elevation: The roofline is the most domina its interesting, intricate geometries. Secondary to the roofline, the large r surface, catch the eyes of observers.
ORGANIZATION
ant element of the building due to its dominance in the visual field and retangular prism to the left, as well as the irregular, jagged opening on its
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20 | Rythym
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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ORGANIZATION
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PHYSICALITY
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Y
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21 | Materials
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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PHYSICALITY
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22 | Structure
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
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the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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PHYSICALITY
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23 | Fabrication
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
26 Principles of Design
the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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Slicing Fold 1 Fold 2 (projection)
Continous Plane Slicing and Folding Diagram: This model was created using one piece of bristol paper that was sliced and folded.
PHYSICALITY Glued-point connections
Dowel Model Assemblage: Each side was created
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CONCEPTUAL D
Form is the shape or configuration of the building. In the design process, form is given sha
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number of other concepts that manipulated to create the form of a building.
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DEVICES
ape and scale. There are also a
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24 | Dialogue
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
26 Principles of Design
the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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CONCEPTUAL DEVICES The recomposition collage provides an example of diaglogue. Through this recomposition, a new relationship between the two buildings are created and their parts are used in new ways. The recomposition collage is a dialogue between the two buildings. Through this dialogue, their parts are used in new ways and come together to create a new form that reflects both buildings. The composition communicates attributes of the original two buildings, and speaks back to the two buildings, spawing new reflection and insight.
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25 | Transformation
Space is the opposite of form, referring to the absence of matter created
through form. This space includes the internal void in which individuals inhabitant, as well as the external persona created by the building’s relationship with
26 Principles of Design
the land and buildings around it. Space refers to the internal enclosure
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CONCEPTUAL DEVICES
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26 | De-composition & Re-composition
De-composition is the process of breaking a building down into its parts. Re-
composition is the subsequential process in which one reassembles those parts in new ways. These conceptual exercises allow one to recognize each component of a building, understand how the parts interplay to create the whole, and to use the parts in ways not previously used. These processes lead to the creation of new forms
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otherwise not concieved and a dialogue between the new and the old forms.
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Decomposition of The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao by Frank Gehry: The decomposition of the Guggenheim Museum emphasizes its form: a conglomerate of sculptural masses. These masses are stacked on top of each other, gradually increasing the height of the building similar to a pyramid.
CONCEPTUAL DEVICES Recomposition Collages: The recompositions use the same method of creating form as the Guggenheim Museum, the stacking of parts, but through different arrangements and the use of select parts. In this way, the recompositions generate new forms that resemble the original structure but also create their own spatial language.
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