Tou_color theory

COLOR THEORY VIKKI TOU LIU 1158-IND5325 Fall 2015

ABOUT ME Hello! My name is Vikki Tou, I am a designer and student currently pursuing a Master in Architecture at Florida International University. I was born and raised in South America and am of Chinese descent. The duality of both cultures have encouraged me to travel around the world and learn about the richness of different cities’ cultures, history, architecture, and gastronomy.

My inspiration in architecture comes from the fusion of the main cultures reflected in my life: Hispanic, Asian, and American. My work has been exhibited at the BEA International Gallery in Miami. I am passionate about architectural design’s influence in human behaviors and hope to productively utilize my education and working experiences to accomplish an improvement in society’s conditions through design.

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COLOR + DESIGNERS

COLOR + PSYCHOLOGY

COLOR + BALANCE

COLOR + YOUR CAMERA

COLOR + RHYTHM

COLOR + EMPHASIS

COLOR + PROPORTION + SCALE

COLOR + VARIETY (HOSPITALITY)

COLOR + RENDERING

COLOR + VARIETY (WORKPLACE)

COLOR + CULTURE

COLOR + CULTURE

SOURCES

CONCLUSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COLOR + THEORY

• Color Theory is the study and practice of a set of principles used to understand the relationships among colors. The role color plays in art and design is important to using color successfully. From a design perspective, we are engaged in the human interface involving the way people respond to color.

• Color transforms as light is experienced and without light, there is no color. Light and color together illuminate a space, guide focal point and attention, and set the mood and expression of the interior.

Color materials and lighting types should be selected simultaneously to create harmony within the interior.

• Additive color refers to the mixing of primary-light colors: red, green, and blue. When these three colors are mixed together, white light is the result and vice-versa, the absence of these colors result in black.

• Subtractive color applies to paint, dyes, inks and colorants where blue, red and yellow are defined as the primary colors. In the case of printing and photography, these colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMYK).

• Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color.

• Chroma refers to the purity of a color absent of any white, gray or black that would variate the intensity and saturation.

• Tint results in the addition of any amount of white to a color.

• Tone results in the addition of any amount of gray to a color.

• Shade results in the addition of any amount of black to a color.

• Pure hue is a color void of any white, gray or black and it is the highest intensity or brightness.

• Chromatic refers to all colors minus black, white and gray.

• Achromatic refers to black, white, and gray.

• Primary hues are red, blue and yellow.

• Secondary hues are violet, green, and orange, made from the combination of two primaries.

• Tertiary hues are made by combining a secondary with a primary hue.

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• Analogous color schemes result from two or more colors adjacent to each other in the color wheel.

• A Split Complementary color scheme is composed of three colors consisting of one main hue plus two hues adjacent to its complement.

• Monochromatic color scheme is based on variations of one hue.

• Triad color schemes are composed of three colros equally spaced among each other in the color wheel.

• Tetrad color schemes refer to four colors equally spaced along the color wheel.

References Reed, Ron. Color Design: Transforming Interior Space. New York: Fairchild, 2010. Print. Chapter 1

COLOR + THEORY

• Complementary colors result from two colors opposite one another in the color wheel.

LUIS BARRAGAN CASA & STUDIO MEXICO CITY,

MEXICO

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Luis Barragan was the son of wealthy, conservative parents. He was born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1902. As an engineering student in Guadalajara, he became fascinated by architecture and began a search of ideas to modernize Mexican architecture after a trip to Europe.

During his trip, Barragán visited the 1925 Exposition des ArtsDécoratifs in Paris, an event which popularized Art Deco and introduced the public to the glacial, industrially-produced International Style designs of Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand.

Barragán was impressed by their work, but the houses he designed after his return to Guadalajara in 1927 were very traditional in style.

It was only after another foreign trip in the early 1930s - when he befriended the exiled Mexican muralist, José Clemente Orozco, in New York before meeting Le Corbusier and the landscape architect, Ferdinand Bac, in Paris - that Barragán settled in Mexico City and developed his own take on modernism.

Barragán transformed the International Style into a vibrant, sensuous Mexican aesthetic by adding vivid colors and textural contrasts and accentuating his buildings' natural surroundings. He once said that light and water were his favorite themes, and soon became skilled at manipulating them both in buildings and Stables.

Barragán's ideas were crystallized in the house and studio he built for himself on calle Francisco Ramirez in Mexico City, and then rebuilt to test out ideas.

Source: http://www.casaluisbarragan.org/

COLOR + DESIGNERS

LUIS BARRAGAN

ENTRANCE

The entrances create strong boundaries between the exterior and interior. These spaces compress one with a sensational and emotional filter created with the warm colors that natural light causes as it strikes the yellow walls and bounces off to other surfaces. The five senses are evoked by the materials and their colors: wood, volcanic stone, and stucco walls.

When the doors are closed, the yellow and brown tones, analogous colors evoke the feeling of calmness that foreshadows the other spaces in the house.

CONTRAST

The transition between the entrance and the vestibule, are defined by a chromatic experience in a complimentary sequence. The bright yellow from the entrance saturates one’s pupils to then receive the pink from the vestibule. Barragan often uses this technique to prepare the visitors in a playful manner to transit from one space into the other.

Source: http://www.casaluisbarragan.org/

LIVING ROOM The living room has monochromatic and neutral colors such as brown. The large glass wall allows indirect light to enter the room from the garden, emphasizing the green on the background as the main element.

TERRACE

This exterior space is the most iconic space of the building due to its rich playful use of colors. There is a tetradic (double complementary) scheme. This scheme uses four colors arranged into two complementary color pairs: pink and green on the plants, and orange and blue on the sky.

This space demonstrates Barragan’s love towards nature by incorporating elements such as the sky and the plants as part of the design.

ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS

GROUND PLAN

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

Source: http://architizer.com/blog/luis-barrahan-mexican-modernists/

THIRD FLOOR PLAN

SECTIONS

CONCLUSION Known as a mysterious architect and man who lived a religious but bohemian life, Luis Barragan proves his great skills at dominating color, light and space. Barragan’s house and studio is now a world heritage site and remains a personal fortress full of a master of color, light, and space. His house, now a private museum and a listed world heritage site, remains a personal fortress full of secrets and symbols, intricate design details, artworks, and surprising outdoor spaces. One can sense the architect’s presence in the design of every detail of the house and the garden. There we can clearly feel Luis Barragan’s great concern and care for nature.

The house and studio’s spaces shows predominantly a use of complimentary color schemes that are used to prepare the visitor to enter the following spaces. Warm tones, characteristic of Mexico, reflect a clear way in which architecture can create a mood in space through a thoughtful use of colors. Undoubtedly, the most effective space is the terrace, where one can connect back to nature and enjoy the warmth of Mexico City.

During the most recent summer, I had the great opportunity to visit Luis Barragan’s house and I was amazed by his great sensitivity towards architecture, interiors, and landscape. I was able to visit his House, the Satellite Towers, and Cuadra San Cristobal. Every one of his projects are incredibly thoughtful and show different ways in which he solved problems such as natural light while playing with different color schemes .

AMÉLIE

Color + Environment _ FILM ANALYSIS_M.4 11

Amélie describes the story about a girl whose childhood was suppressed by her Father's mistaken concerns of a heart defect. This defect causes hardships for Amélie to get in real life contact with people, which leads to the creation of her own fantastical world and dreams of love and beauty.

Once she becomes independent and moves in by herself, she works as a waitress in a café in Paris, France. Here, she finds out that she is disregarding her own life and damaging her quest for love after trying to make others happy through a series of adventures when trying to help others.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet used contrast to set moods during the film. The main color palette prominent is Green-Gold, which is used to describe the fairy tale story that Amelie lives in an omniscient first person narration form.

Pierre Jaunet uses complementary opposite colors that are saturized to convey an extra sense of surrealism with reds and greens.

At the same time, the film shows scenes that are monochromatic to convey the idea a memory is being recalled or remembered.

COLOR + PSYCHOLOGY

FILM SUMMARY

SCENE ANALYSIS

GREEN TINT Create vitality and to contrast with the warmer, more saturated colors.

OLIVE GREEN Symbolizes hope and nature in many cultures which often brings comfort to the viewer’s eyes.

BLACK Conveys bad luck and emptiness. In this case, a monochromatic color scheme that leads to black is used to evoke a memory.

COLOR PALETTE

SCENE ANALYSIS During the beginning of the film Amélie, the main character, is introduced with her childhood. This takes place in Paris, her hometown.

The scenes were filmed with natural sunlight during the afternoon with a careful use of shadows and brightness in order to depict the characteristic dull light of Paris. In these scenes, the city is presented through colored filters that create a golden tone and monochrome look making it part of Amélie’s surreal, dreamy world. In these scenes particularly, a split-complimentary color scheme of yellow and red hues are contrasted with blue.

WHITE TONE White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.

GOLD TINT Optimistic and positive, gold adds richness and warmth to everything with which it is associated as it illuminates and enhances other things around it.

MAROON Denotes controlled and more thoughtful action. It is slightly softer than burgundy and not as dramatic as true red.

BLUE-GREEN Conveys relaxing, clean, growth and youthful. This color highly contrasts the yellow and red hues as they are opposite complementary to blue.

COLOR PALETTE

SCENE ANALYSIS These scenes show a moment in which Amélie sets the fish free in the river. The green of the nature creates a sense of grace and vitality of young Amélie and red, the complementary of green, is used to create a strong contrast.

We are introduced to the color red through Amelie’s childhood imagination because it reflects her passion and vital young mind. Consequently, she is always wearing something red to represent her childhood which is a key time of the development of the character. This was shot in the late afternoon with a soft yellow to represent the sunlight of spring and acts as a metaphor for Amélie’s current peaceful state of mind.

WHITE TONE White suggests fairness and neutrality because of the balance and equality of all the colors contained within it.

YELLOW-GREEN Green is the great balancer of our mental, emotional and physical energies. This color is used as a tint to set a mood.

DARK GREEN Represents nature, hope and youthfulness.

RED In nature this is the color of sunsets, and fire and brings visual intensity to the screen. Red symbolizes warmth, energy, passion and love.

COLOR PALETTE

SCENE ANALYSIS As well as red and green, yellow is also a commonly seen color throughout Amélie. Yellow stands for bright and lively in Western cultures. In most western cultures, this color stands for bright, and lively which can reflect happiness, warmth and comfort. At the same time, it creates an unreal and almost surreal feel to the film, which mainly stands for Amélie’s fantasy carried out throughout the story.

Here, we can see the use of a split-complementary color scheme to create contrast.

LIGHT YELLOW Light has a yellow hue to reinforce the surreal feel.

COLOR PALETTE

BRUGUNDY Passionate belief in an issue such as passionate love.

GREEN Balance, harmony and equilibrium between the head and heart.

BROWN This is a serious, downto-earth color signifying stability, structure and support.

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COLOR + BALANCE • Balance defines the relationship between different hues and one another when perceived equal in a visual weight. Balance is also the striving to achieve the point of equilibrium between two or more forces where harmony, peace and connection can be made between the viewer and that which is being viewed.

• Contrast is opposition in order to emphasize differences between two objects.

• Brightness or dullness is established by adding the complementary color to a particular hue or with addition of gray.

• Balance can be achieved by location of the color choices onto horizontal or vertical planes. Isolating color into one single plane can visually slice the space into segments and create visual imbalance.

References Reed, Ron. Color Design: Transforming Interior Space. New York: Fairchild, 2010. Print. Chapter 3

COLOR + YOUR CAMERA

In this module, we had the opportunity to visit New York as part of our Design Studio class. We had the great opportunity of visiting Mana Contemporary in New Jersey, a cultural center that provides services, spaces, and programming for artists, collectors, curators, performers, students, and community. Fortunately, we were able to meet many artists and got to experience the ample interior spaces that accommodate different activities such as galleries, cafeterias, and working studios. The experience of these spaces were remarkable since our Design Studio projects’ programs are very similar to the ones we visited. The use of vibrant colors and the balance in them was incredible throughout different spaces and the art.

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• The interplay between solid and void, or contrast, can relate the use of color to create interplay of light and dark of rhythmic harmony.

• Designers seek inspiration in elements of nature such as simple curves of a calla lily and organic patterns from nature. Some examples of the use of this type of inspiration is reflected in the work of designers such as Verner Panton and Karim Rashid. Another source of inspiration is music, where designers use high intensities of music and reflect it in color brightness.

• There are five types of rhythm associated with color: repetition, alternation, progression, continuation, and radiation.

• Repetition is the orderly succession of identical design elements along a defined path in space.

• Progression is the repetition of similar elements with a consistent change in the path.

• Color continuation is the placement of one or more colors throughout the interior to create a continuous movement of the eye through space.

• Radiation uses a concentric color arrangement instead of objects to create visual movement.

• Color and line can be used to outline a space, which can be achieved with the use of ceiling molding painted in the contrasting color to the walls.

References Reed, Ron. Color Design: Transforming Interior Space. New York: Fairchild, 2010. Print. Chapter 4

COLOR + RHYTHM

• Rhythm refers to the natural evolutionary trait in nature that can be used in interior spaces by emphasizing color. Some ways of achieving rhythm are by alternating hues, progressive values, or contrast of saturation. The purpose of rhythm is to visually move the viewer through the space while maintaining moments of interest.

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COLOR + EMPHASIS

Emphasis is used to create points of interest for aesthetic and orientation purposes. This element is the direct method for establishing a point of visual interest and is critical to all design principles including interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, mixed media art, and fashion.

In this module, we had the opportunity to visit a retail store to analyze the way in which the spaces create emphasis with the use of color. We analyzed the way in which retail uses contrast in hue, value, feature, texture and focal point to emphasize certain elements in space.

It was very interesting to find out the way in which color is used to define a path visually and create interest points by using the properties of emphasis such as focal point. The use of complimentary colors such as blue and orange create a contrast in hue while a contrast of value in neutral colors such as brown, white and black create visual balance in interior spaces. At the same time, design features such as vertical and horizontal frames can create emphasis in a space by creating depth with a contrasting saturated color.

Texture is also an important element in design and it can contrast softer or harder textures to create emphasis.

GOLDEN SECTION

FIBONACCI SEQUENCE SPIRAL

LE MODULOR

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• Scale refers to the size of a shape in relation to a given known, in most cases the human body and its position in space.

• Color palettes can contain from one to five colors, limiting this number is crucial for achieving balance and unity in a composition.

• Quantitative measures such as the golden section, natural forms, and the Fibonacci Sequence allow for reliable results to occur in effective proportional relationships.

• The Golden Section is a mathematical formula where an object’s width is to its length as its length is to the sum of its length plus width.

• The Fibonacci Sequence is a series of numbers where each number in the sequence is the sum of the two proceeding numbers.

• Le Modulor is a proportioning system that architect Le Corbusier developed based on Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian man. This system is based on the human proportions and has determined measurements for the ideal man.

• Nature’s proportions refers to naturally occurring flora and fauna’s proportional evolution and growth in natural materials.

References Reed, Ron. Color Design: Transforming Interior Space. New York: Fairchild, 2010. Print. Chapter 6 and Chapter 7

COLOR + PROPORTION + SCALE

• Proportion is the size relationships between elements and the visual composition or space as a whole.

This is used with a defined accent, followed by a subdominant, and finally a dominant color. This term is concerned with the relationships of various parts arranged to create a pleasing whole.

VARIETY is a principle of design that is concerned with the combination of one or more color elements that use line, shape, texture, and/or pattern to create diversity and contrast in an interior space.

COLOR + VARIETY Commercial Design Analysis

PROJECT: W Hotel DESIGNER: Costas Kondylis LOCATION: Miami Beach, FL

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HOSPITALITY

HOSPITALITY

COLOR + VARIETY (HOSPITALITY)

LOBBY

Discussion

Details

W Hotel embodies balance with a strikingly modern approach to design that is as refreshing, accessible and comfortable as one's own living space, with an emphasis on warm, attentive service and exceptional amenities.

Line, texture, shape and pattern are all apparent through the floor, ceiling, use of materials and metal screen.

The lobby reflects a variety that combines neutral colors with line, shape, texture and pattern to create diversity and integrate the elements in one space.

COLOR + LINE The floor’s curved lines on the metal screen reflect softness and fluidity. These organic and peaceful lines contrast the horizontal lines of the wooden floor and add emphasis to the space.

The color of the screen and floor on the lobby contrast the light color of the wall and floor of the corridor, creating a balanced composition in the space and enhancing the visual experience of it.

COLOR + SHAPE The use of a variety of curved lines connect to form circular shapes that reflect fluid movement and add rhythm to the design throughout the lobby. The dark color of these shapes create a contrast with the light hue of the wall, making them the focal point of the room.

Line | Floor, screen and materials

COLOR + TEXTURE The walls and tables in the lobby consist of rough stone while the sitting furniture, floor and ceiling are made of soft textures. The hard and softness are characteristics of the visual and tactile qualities of the material that create harmony relating to the sense of touch. The dominant color values in the lobby are neutral colors that are contrasted with accentuating bright colors in art pieces and furniture such as red and yellow.

COLOR + PATTERN The use of a consistent pattern on metal screens unifies the lobby as it repeats rhythmically in the same proportions throughout the two longest walls of this space. The dark color of these elements establish a variety of texture, patterns, and visual expectations.

Shape | Circular fluid metal screen

pattern

Texture | Soft on patterns and rough stone and metal

Pattern | Metal screens and walls

COLOR + VARIETY _ HOSPITALITY

BAR + LOUNGE

HOSPITALITY

Discussion

Details

The bar and lounge area reflects a contrast in lines and textures that creates the notion of an enlarged space vertically and horizontally. There is a dominant use of monochromatic colors with accentuating details such as furniture pieces, art and light that create an elegant modern composition in the space.

Line, texture, shape and pattern are all apparent through the floor, wall, ceiling, furniture, use of materials and metal screen.

COLOR + LINE The materiality of the walls have a prominent verticality that is juxtaposed to the horizontal grain of the wooden floor, making the space feel visually expansive in height and length. The use of dull colors on these elements contrast the soft curved lines of the purple furniture.

COLOR + SHAPE The use of circular shapes is consistent in this space in the metal screens and table. At the same time, the simple furnishings and dark floor create a balance in the tense pattern of the screen and color of the chairs.

Line | Furniture, floor and walls

COLOR + TEXTURE In comparison to the lobby, the bar and lounge area makes the curved texture of the furniture feel rougher and visually heavier. In contrast, the use of natural light that enters through large windows penetrate the metal screens in this case, making these look lighter.

COLOR + PATTERN The lightness and simplicity of the ceiling contrast the dark brown wooden floor of this space.

These elements are consistent throughout most of the ground floor, adjoining multiple spaces. The color palette of these elements are still neutral, but the white ceiling lights up the room as natural light enters and reflects to the floor.

Shape | Circular table and metal screens

pattern

Texture | Furniture

Pattern | Ceiling and floor

COLOR + VARIETY _ HOSPITALITY

Variety refers to the principle in design that relates to the combination of one or more element with shape, form, pattern, and texture to create diversity and contrast in interior spaces. A balance of visual dullness and visual variety is necessary to prevent an overly animated space. In essence, the W Hotel is an example of a well developed interior design project that reflects variety with line, shape, texture, and pattern.

Neutral colors with the use of these elements come together to create an elegant and balanced look. There is a constant use of one pattern throughout the lobby and bar area, the most public spaces. This pattern is present in modules of metal screens that follow in depth through the space. At the same time, there are vertical and horizontal lines that create a visual guide for the movement in through these spaces. There is also a variety of interesting textures and patterns that work well together cohesively to make these interior spaces.

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COLOR + RENDERING

Interior designers use the basic rule to create a professional color solution for a given space called the 6030-10 rule. This rule consists of specifying a selection of three different colors that produce a pleasant visual impact. These colors are called dominant, secondary, and accent. The dominant color takes up roughly 60 percent of the given space and it should be a neutral, dominant color. In interior design terms, this color is for walls and ceilings. The secondary color makes up 30 percent and the accent color makes up 10 percent of the color scheme is for the accent color.

Step 1. Select the desired wall color [the dominant color Step 2. Choose the color scheme [complimentary, split-complimentary, double complimentary, analogous] Step 3. Select the secondary color ‌ should be more saturated than the dominant color.

Step 4. Select the accent color ‌ choose a vivid color for the accent.

References https://fiu.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-4173865-dt-contentrid-39980931_1/courses/1158-IND5325VC115892024/color%20rules%20%2B%20rendering_60-30-10%282%29.pdf

PROJECT: Macquarie Group Revolutionary Workplace Design DESIGNER: Clive Wilkinson LOCATION: Sydney, Australia

COLOR + VARIETY Workplace Design Analysis Tou

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ANALYSIS

Architect Clive Wilkinson’s design for the Macquarie Group Revolutionary Workplace Design reflects a variety in elements such as shape, form, pattern, and texture to create harmony and balance in the interior spaces.

The use and contrast between cool and warm colors create visual interest by creating shapes that engage visually and compositionally with the audience.

Wilkinson thoughtfully uses vertical and horizontal lines to create depth in the most vertically open area of the building. The use of orthogonal shapes in the glass conference rooms is dominant and it successfully creates a sense of balance in this space as they extrude out from one side of the atrium. These shapes are also present in more intimate spaces such as meeting tables, so we can see the use of the same shape in gathering areas at different scales.

Although most spaces have soft textures, these are contrasted with harder edges such as horizontal wood planks on walls and ceilings.

At the same time, there is variety in the use of a repetitive arrangement of diagonal mullions in spaces such as large conference rooms. This rhythmic diagonal pattern creates a MoirĂŠ effect when contrasted to the horizontal pattern on a wall behind it, making the area very high in contrast.

The color palette consists of secondary and tertiary colors: Orange, Yellow-Green, Purple, and light blue. These warm and cold tones are used as accent colors in various spaces to create focal points.

LINE

SHAPE

TEXTURE

PATTERN

COLOR + VARIETY (WORKPLACE)

DISCUSSION | ANALYSIS

DETAILS CONCLUSION | EXPERIENCE

LINE+COLOR

WARM VS. COOL

SHAPE+COLOR

PATTERN+CONTRAST

SHAPE+COLOR

TEXTURE+COLOR

Macquarie Group Revolutionary Workplace Design’s spaces were thoughtfully designed in order to create a notion of harmony, energy and playfulness. Indeed, its dominant vibrant colors represent success, harmony, and sophistication. The consistent use of line, shape, pattern and texture combined with a particular highly saturated color creates variety and harmony in spaces that engage work with the public realm in a very successful way. Soft textures contrast hard ones and the same notion occurs with patterns.

Similarly, certain furniture pieces create interesting shapes with the use of color.

COLOR + VARIETY _ WORKPLACE

COLOR + VARIETY _ WORKPLACE

COLOR + CULTURE My background is quite complex to describe since I was born and raised in Peru but my entire family is from China. As I grew up, I have always been exposed to both culture’s traditions and travelling has always been by passion. I have been to both countries and had the opportunity to visit both wonders of the world that characterize each country. Although the Asian and South American cultures are completely different, they are both extremely rich in traditions, cuisine, and history. Both country’s architecture highly reflect their culture and their colors clearly convey a mood according to the meaning they have in each country.

CHINA PERU

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PERU

PINK Warmth

YELLOW Richness, sun

GREEN Environment

LIGHT BLUE Sky, freedom, ocean

NAVY BLUE Infinity, blessing 52

Peru’s culture is highly influenced by the Incas and this is notable in the highly saturated colors they use in their traditional attire, textiles, art, and traditions.

The Incan flag consists of seven horizontal strips with seven colors from a rainbow, each one representing a chakra, or vortex, of the human body. These vibrant colors reflect the warmth and richness in their culture.

Each color symbolizes an element in nature since the Incas highly depended on nature to grow their crops for survival and sacrifices to their gods. For instance, the color yellow represents the sun while green represents the earth and blue stands for the Pacific Ocean. These three elements were extremely important for the development and growth of their culture because of their crops and exchange of goods depended on these three. Up to this date, we can still see the use of this color palette being used in shanty towns and colonial architecture influenced by the Spanish in cities such as Lima.

COLOR + CULTURE

RED Craftsmanship

CHINA

TOU

PEACH Earth, power, royalty, sun, masculinity, happiness

GOLD Preciousness, prestige, wealth, status, decoration

RED Communism, celebration, government, fire, summer, good luck, joy, fertility, good fortune BLUE Sky, water, clouds and immortality

GREEN Desirability, spring, youth, birth 54

In Chinese believes, the Five Elements Theory is reflected in the cosmos. Each element is associated with aspects that reflect a symbolic meaning. Before this theory in color use, Taoists’ believed that there were only two colors: black and white, each representing the complementary principles of ying-yang. Color in this culture refers to the colors that separated in auspicious and inauspicious and the Chinese carácter for the word color is 顏色 (yánsè). In ancient China, the character 色 alone meant color in the face, or emotion. In Chinese culture, the Five Elements Theory states that every color has a meaning and each is associated with elements in nature and royalty. According to the Five Elements Theory, the color yellow belongs to the element earth, represented through the direction center or zenith, a stabilizing energy, a balanced ying- yang. The associated grain is rice which ripens in the yellow earth and as food stabilizes mankind. Another very commonly used color is red, which stands as a traditional bridal color, expansive, blooming, dynamic, enthusiastic, reaching upwards, good luck, celebration, happiness, joy, vitality, long life; at the same time, this color represents fire in the five elements.

COLOR + CULTURE

BLACK Water

Sources: -http://architizer.com/blog/luis-barrahan-mexican-modernists/ -http://www.casaluisbarragan.org/ -http://www.wsouthbeach.com/ -http://www.idesignarch.com/macquarie-group-revolutionary-workplace-design/ -http://globalpropaganda.com/articles/TranslatingColours.pdf -http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/colours.htm -Reed, Ron. Color Design: Transforming Interior Space. New York: Fairchild, 2010. Print.

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CONCLUSION The understanding of color principles, theories, and systems is crucial to develop successful harmonious designs as well as the interaction of light and color. Interior environments are influenced by these elements of design and this course served to help us analyze different applications of color and understand how color and light relate and change under various conditions of interior spaces.

During this course, we had the opportunity to analyze different conditions in retail, hospitality and working environments as physical existing spaces. Moreover, we analyzed conditions in film and culture that affect the perception of color in people. All of these exercises were helpful to achieve a higher understanding of color principles that we can then put into practice in future designs. Color Theory and Application for the Built Environment was a great opportunity to attain a deep understanding about the relationship between color and balance, variety, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, scale and psychology in different aspects in design.

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