WHAT IS THEORY?

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THEORY IN

ARCHITECTURE?
Theory

•Humans make theories to explain the world

around them. “Theory building develops out
of our need to make sense out of life.”
•Philosophy and religion are two examples of this
human desire to explore and explain the
meaning of life.
• “Theory” and “Philosophy” are often
synonymous.
• Architectural theory began with Marcus
Vitruvius’ Ten Books on Architecture, written
in the first century B.C.

Ten Books on Architecture- practical guide to the design and

construction of towns, infrastructure, and public buildings, and
private residences
Architectural theory is vast and diverse, and
encompasses at least three main areas:

• Theories of architectural technology: principles of

structure, ventilation, drainage, lighting, etc.
• Theories of architectural history: social
phenomena and patterns, linguistic analyses,
analyses of physical artifacts, etc.
• Theories of architectural design: organizational
strategies, design methods, spatial concepts,
aesthetic judgments, etc.
Definitions of Theory

• A system of ideas and statements.

“Form follows function”. (Louis Sullivan)

“Architecture is a thoughtful making of space”.

(Louis Kahn)

“Less is more”.
(Mies van de Rohe)
• Assertions about reality
• A way of perceiving reality
• A way of explaining and understanding a
situation or happening.

• A certain outcome is a result of a certain

action.
• architectural theory is part science, part
history, part ideology, part sociology, and part
aesthetic judgment.
Therefore, theory in architecture is:
Observation
(perceiving)

Intentions
(goals, objectives, aspirations)

Application
(methodology)

Evaluation
 What is the role of theory in
Architecture
• Built environment
• Person
-users, clients, everybody
 PERSON – BUILT ENVIRONMENT
RELATIONSHIP

-What is the person-built environment

relationship?
-What is our understanding about this
relationship?
-How do we describe it?
• Stimulus-Response model
-The built environment is the stimulus and people
must respond to it.
or,

-People/users are the stimulus and the built

environment must respond to the needs to the
people and users.
• OBSERVATION. Understanding the
person-built environment relationship
requires observation…in the form of
statements, mental and visual
diagrams…therefore we formulate THEORIES.
• INTENTIONS – Goals, aspirations. How do we
make spaces and buildings effective for
human functions? (good relationship between
people and spaces)
IDEAS (concepts) - are THEORIES which we
think is the best solution for a given situation
or problem.
• METHOD – How do we go about in achieving
our intentions for better spaces and buildings?
– Experience
– Learning
– Practice
– Design and Process Vocabulary

Actions, suggestions, decisions concerning design

that we put together that would result into
effective spaces and buildings are THEORIES.
• EVALUATION – Feedbacks, Criticisms,
Observations. How effective is the design in
providing better spaces and buildings?
– Knowing the strength and weaknesses of our
design means understanding and describing how
people (users) use(relate) the spaces and
building…therefore we create THEORIES.
 What is then the role of theory in
architecture?
• Provides a way of understanding and
describing the person-built environment
relationship for better design decisions,
methods and ultimately better spaces and
buildings.
• Basis for architectural design.
 Types of theory
Positive theory
Normative theory
Substantive theory
Procedural theory
 Normative theory
• “what has been consensually agreed upon”
• “what ought to be”
• Principles, guidelines, laws, methods written
in books, articles, journals, etc.
• Consists of value laden statements of famous
architects.
 Positive theory
• Theory created from random observations
and situations.
• Theories applied using intuition and instinct
backed by experiences and acquired expertise
• The role of positive theory for the design
profession is to enhance the ability of
designers to predict what the effective
environment of people will be based on
behavior patterns
 Substantive theory
• Substantive theory in architecture is
concerned with the person-built environment
relationships.
– Patterns of human behavior
– Design concepts and ideas
– Technology
– Design principles and methods
– Building elements
 Procedural theory
• Procedural theory is concerned with the
nature of the practice or the design process
– Architect-client relationship
– Architect-consultant relationship
– Resource management in practice
– Professional development and role in society and
development of communities