Journal of Civil Engineering and Environmental Technology

Print ISSN: 2349-8404; Online ISSN: 2349-879X; Volume 2, Number 1; January-March, 2015 pp. 72-75
© Krishi Sanskriti Publications
http://www.krishisanskriti.org/jceet.html

Role of Elements and Principles of

Design in Architecture
Aarti Nagpal
School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.
E-mail: aarti15j.spa@gmail.com

Abstract—Architecture is the Art and Science of Designing and considering it in terms of the elements and principles of design
Constructing Buildings. Elements and Principles of Design are used gives us a broad platform on which to base our judgments.
in Architecture for designing buildings and other habitable
environments. Architecture also consists of a dynamic and
PRINCIPLES: These are basic rules or guidelines for any
inseparable fusion of Art and technology. Aesthetics has a great role
in Architecture which is linked by Elements and Principles of Design. action, idea, reasoning or thought. These are applicable in all
We can define Aesthetics as the branch of philosophy that deals with aspects of life. If the elements of design are the raw materials
the nature of art, beauty and taste, with a view to establishing the or building blocks for any form of visual expression, then the
meaning and validity of critical judgements concerning works of art. Principles of design are a list of things we can do to those
The Elements and Principles of Design are an extremely useful tool elements. When considering any form of visual art we can
for understanding visual arrangement. There is a great role of analyze each design element in terms of the individual
Elements and Principles of Design in Architecture. It serves an principles.
important purpose of initiating creativity and thereby appreciation of
art in many forms. Elements and Principles of Design are the
components of Aesthetics. Before examining the basic elements of
There are various types of elements and Principles of
Aesthetics, it is necessary to understand something of the nature of Design (I consider the list here covers all possible options
seeing or observation. The act of seeing is simultaneously an act of in the most economic way):
organization. In looking at a piece of Architecture we see the
principle visual qualities like mass, form, outline, emphasis, light, S. No. Elements of design S. No. Principles of Design
shade, texture, pattern etc. Each visual impression evokes in the 1. Point 1. Balance
observer a corresponding emotional reaction. The sum of these 2. Line 2. Rhythm
impressions creates an emotional state which an Architect must 3. Plane 3. Scale and Proportion
understand and anticipate in order to succeed as a designer. This 4. Mass/ Volume 4. Dominance / Emphasis
paper illustratively demonstrates successive observations regarding 5. Form/ Shape: positive 5. Unity
Elements and Principles of Design and its influence on architecture. and negative.
6. Texture 6. Harmony
1. INTRODUCTION 7. Colour 7. Abstract
8. Space: positive and 8. Contrast/ Variety
The Elements and Principles of Three-Dimensional (3-D) negative.
Design 9. Value 9. Order

DESIGN: We can define Design in following ways: 2. ELEMENTS OF 3-D DESIGN

 The creation and organization of formal elements in a
work of Art.
 To conceive or device the form and structure of a building
or other construction.
ELEMENTS: We can think of the elements of design as a
collection of abstract tools. They can be combined and
arranged in any way we like to create some sort of visual
statement. The elements of design are the raw materials or
building blocks for any form of visual expression. By looking
at our work in terms of each individual element we are better
able to analyze and understand what we are creating. When we
analyze any form of visual expression, consciously
Point–It is an element that has position, but no extension. It is
a single mark in space with a precise, but limited, location.
As the prime element in the vocabulary of form, a point can
serve to mark:
- the two ends of a line.
- the intersection of two lines
- the meeting of lines at the corner of a plane or volume
- the center of a field.
Roole of Elementss and Principles of Design in Architecture 73

Linne-is an elemeent characterizzed by length and direction. A

Linne is a criticaal element in
n the formatioon of any vissual
connstruction Shape-iis a 2-dimenssional line wiith no form or o thickness.
Shapes are flat and can be grouuped into twoo categories,
a elements in themselves or they can be used
Linnes can exist as geometrric and organic.
to produce other elements. Form-is a 3-dimensioonal object havving volume annd thickness.
It is thee illusion of a 3-D effect thaat can be impllied with the
use of light and shadinng techniques. Form can be viewed
v from
 A closed linee will define a shape.
many anngles.
 Hatched linees will producee a tone.
 A buildup off lines will creaate texture. Form/ Shape–is the simplest definnition of shapee is a closed
contourr, an element defined
d by its perimeter. Thee three basic
shapes are:
a circle, recttangle (square)) and triangle.

Positivee shape is thee totality of thhe mass lying between its

contourrs; in three-dimmensional workk, the visible shhape or outer
limit off a form changges as the viewer's position is changed.
These outer
o limits aree seen as shappes moving back and forth
betweenn major conttours. Negativve space is empty e space
definedd by positive shhape. Sometim mes referred to as occupied
and unooccupied spacee.

Plaanes in archittecture define three-dimensiional volumes of

maass and space.

Thhe properties of
o each plane— —size, shape, color,
c texture—
—as
weell as their sppatial relationsship to one annother ultimattely
dettermine the vissual attributes of the form they define and the
qualities of spacee they enclose.

Texturee-is about suurface quality either tactilee or visual.

Texturee can be real orr implied by diifferent uses off media. It is
the degrree of roughneess or smoothneess in objects.

Maass/Volume: All A volumes caan be analyzedd and understoood

by:
- points
p or verticees where severral planes comee together
- liines or edges where
w two plannes meet
- planes
p or surfacces which define the limits or
o boundaries of o a
volume. Brick Wall texxture
Sometimes mass refers to a possitive solid andd volume referss to
a negative,
n open space surround ded by materiaal, as in a bowll or Space-rrefers to variattions in the prroportions of objects,
o lines
othher vessel. or shapes. How shapees are arrangedd in an Art or Architectural
A
work crreates a sense of
o Space.
Journal of Civil
C Engineering and Enviroonmental Technnology
Print ISSN: 23
349-8404; Onliine ISSN: 23499-879X; Volum me 2, Number 1; January-Maarch, 2015
74 A
Aarti Nagpal

Thhere is a variatiion of sizes in objects either real or imaginned.
(soome sources lisst Proportion/Scale as a Princciple of Designn)
Distance, area, volume;
v physiccal space indeependent of what
w seem too be like the beat of music.
occcupies it; absollute space.
Rhythm m–It is a movvement in which some elem ments recurs
regularlly. Like a dancce it will have a flow of objeects that will
 It create
c a sense of movement,, and can estabblish pattern
andd texture. There are many different
d kindss of rhythm,
t feeling it evvokes when looking at it.
ofteen defined by the

 Rhyythm is the ressult of repetitioon;

Coolour-is the ressponse of the eye

e to differinng wavelengthss of
raddiation within the
t visible specctrum.
It is
i the visual peerceptual propeerty.
 Color categoories and physsical specificattions of color are
also associatted with objectts, materials, liight sources, etc.,
e
based on their physicaal properties such as light Scale reefers to the sizee of an object or
o objects in reelation to the
absorption, reflection,
r or em
mission spectraa. surrounndings. Size reffers to definite measurementss while scale
describees the size relaationship betweeen adjacent obbjects.

 It is the proportioon of one objecct to another. It

I also means
thee relationship of
o an object with
w a designaated standard
succh as a buildingg or a person.

Proporrtion-It is the relationship

r in scale between one element
and anoother, or betweeen a whole object and one off its parts.

 Difffering proporttions within a composition can

c relate to
diff
fferent kinds ofo balance or symmetry, annd can help
estaablish visual weight
w and deptth.
Colourr Wheel

Vaalue can be useed with color ass well as blackk and white.

Coontrast is the exxtreme changess between valuues.

3. PRINCIPLE
ES OF 3-D DE
ESIGN

Baalance It is thee arrangement of

o the objects in a given design
as it relates to their visual weight withinn a compositiion.
Baalance usuallyy comes in two t forms: symmetrical
s a
and
asyymmetrical. Dominaance- relates too varying degrees of emphasiis in design.
Foormal / Symm metrical Balancce: equal visual units right and
a
 Sommething in thee work must dominate.
d A high
h point or
lefft/ top to bottom
m of an imagin
nary center poinnt.
clim
max occurringg in the workk, or the domiination of a
mootif or design ellement.

 Stress or prom minence givenn to an element of a

com
mposition by means
m of contraast, colour , shaape etc.

Journal of Civil
C Engineering and Enviroonmental Technnology
Print ISSN: 23
349-8404; Onliine ISSN: 23499-879X; Volum me 2, Number 1; January-Maarch, 2015
Role of Elements and Principles of Design in Architecture 75

Contrast means absence of monotony. In Architecture it is

used for creating interest and exhibiting variety. Different
qualities or characteristics in a form; interest generated in a
work by using a variety of shapes, forms, textures and so on.

Unity-The concept of unity describes the relationship between

the individual parts and the whole of a composition.
Order: This concept is related to the overall organization and
It investigates the aspects of a given design that are necessary structure of a design. Order without diversity results in
to tie the composition together, to give it a sense of wholeness, monotony or boredom.
or to break it apart and give it a sense of variety.
Examples:
Axis, Symmetry, Hierarchy, Rhythm, Datum and
Transformation.

Harmony is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar

or related elements. 4. CONCLUSION

 Elements are combined to: It can inferred from the above tabular data, that students with
a. Accent their similarities. good Basic Design know how (knowing Elements and
b. Adjacent colors. Principles of Design), can well-equipped to handle spaces in
c. Similar shapes. Architectural Design at the senior level as well as in their
professional practice. Finally, the journey in advance role of
Basic Design originates with the basic elements and
transforms into Principles of design to get desired results in
Architecture.

REFERENCES
[1] Ching D. K. (1979) “Form Space and Order”, New York: Van Nostrand,
Reinhold Publication.
[2] http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab087198.pdf
[3] http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1202720/thumbs/www.houzz.com/ide
Abstract does not reflect any form of conventional reality, all abooks/1202720/list
you see are lines, shapes, colours and patterns. [4] http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/principl/principl.htm
[5] http://ateequrrehman1.hubpages.com/hub/Principles-of-Architectural-
It indicates a departure from reality in depiction of imagery in Design
Art. [6] http://www.ursyn.com/Orchestra/pages/Toby.html
[7] http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-
7358/HLA-6441web.pdf
[8] http://gamasutra.com/blogs/JeremyPrice/20110318/89198

Journal of Civil Engineering and Environmental Technology

Print ISSN: 2349-8404; Online ISSN: 2349-879X; Volume 2, Number 1; January-March, 2015