The presentation deals with the colour theory to be taught to the first-year students of different design backgrounds. This primarily deals with colour theory of RYB Scheme

1. SPATIAL ORGANISATION AND COLOUR THEORY
BHARTENDU VIMAL
Asst Prof
Vaishnavi School of Architecture and Planning, Vijayawada

2. COLOUR THEORY
Colour theory is a body of practical guidance to colour mixing and the
visual effects of a specific colour combination

3. CATEGORIES OF COLOUR
Conventional Colour: Broad Colour Categories like Red, Blue, Yellow.
Substance Colour: Colours in the form of pigments and paints.
Formula Colour: Pantone, Resene, NCS, car colours etc.
Spectral Colours: Colour in the form of lightwaves- Red, Green and Blue.

4. PRIMARY COLOURS
Two basic colour models are:
• Light Color Primaries (Red, Green, Blue)
• Pigment Color Primaries (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow)
“Where is the Blue, Red, and Yellow model?” Scientifically, this does not
adequately address the true range of spectral color. We still use the RBY
model for mixing paints, and it is the most common colour wheel students
will typically find in art stores.

5. PRIMARY COLOURS
Subtractive Colours: CMYKAdditive Colours: RGB Subtractive Colours: RBY
Y
RB

6. SECONDARY AND TERTIALRY COLOURS

7. HUE
The name of a colour is called hue like red, blue, green, yellow.
Early colour
theories and
research studies
focussed on hue
only.

8. HUE

9. SATURATION
Intensity or Purity of a hue. High Saturation means the colour is really
bright. Desaturation means the colour is washed-out.

10. SATURATION

11. VALUE
Refers to the lightness or darkness of a hue.

12. VALUE

14. SHADE
Shade is the hue produced by adding black.
TINT
Hue produced by adding white.
TONE
Hue produced by adding grey.

15. WARM AND COOL COLOURS
• Warm colours are often said to
be hues from red through
yellow, browns and tans
included; cool colours are often
said to be the hues from blue
green through blue violet, most
grays included.
• Warm colours are said to
arouse or stimulate the viewer,
while cool colours calm and
relax.

16. WARM AND COOL COLOURS

17. COLOUR SCHEMES
• MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME: Using one hue and adding white, grey or black to
create tones, tints and shades

18. MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME

19. COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS
• These colours sit across from each other. Common examples are Red & Green,
Purple & Yellow and Orange & Blue.

20. COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS

21. ANALOGOUS COLOURS
• These are two to four
colours which sit next to
each other.
TRIADIC COLOURS
• Three colours that are
evenly spaced around
the colour wheel
SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY
COLOUR SCHEME
• Base Colour and two
colours adjacent to its
complementary colours

22. ANALOGOUS COLOURS

23. TRIADIC COLOURS

24. SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY COLOUR SCHEME

25. TETRADIC COLOURS
• Four colours arranged in two
complementary pairs.
SQUARE COLOURS
• Four complementary colours evenly
spaced around the colour wheel.

26. TETRADIC COLOURS

27. SQUARE COLOURS

28. INTERFACE BETWEEN COLOUR AND HUMAN RESPONSE
COLOUR
HUMAN PERCEPTION AND RESPONSE
Individual Differences such as
age, gender.
Cultural Differences.
Contextual Factors.
Perceptual factors.
Temporal Factors.
Cognitive Responses- Judgements, Assessments and Evaluation.
Affective Responses- Mood, Emotional Reactions.
Behavioural Responses- Actions, Movements, Way Finding.

29. INTERFACE BETWEEN COLOUR AND HUMAN RESPONSE-HIGHLY COMPLEX
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW FOR NASA
No hard wired linkages between colour and human response.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19890006161.pdf
Personal Beliefs about colour. Colour symbolism play a role:
“One makes certain associations to colours and these in turn may mediate physiological
response.”

30. COLOUR SYMBOLISM
Influences the way in which colour is used in applied design and the built environment.
Colour Symbolism: Three distinct levels:
Individual -Varies considerably and highly personal.
Cultural - Learned colour symbolism, cultural conditioning.
Universal - Few examples of colour symbolism on this level.

31. COLOUR SYMBOLISM
McCandless, 2010
10 Cultural Groups (Rings)
84 Colour Meanings (Spokes)

32. COLOUR SYMBOLISM
Aslam M.M. (2006). Are you selling the right colour?
http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2092&context=commpapers
Culturally based colour symbolism

33. COLOUR SYMBOLISM-HIGHLY CONTEXT DEPENDENT
Represents Anger, Aggression, Pain, Violence

34. COLOUR SYMBOLISM-HIGHLY CONTEXT DEPENDENT
Revolutionary ideology, Communism, Socialism

35. COLOUR SYMBOLISM-HIGHLY CONTEXT DEPENDENT
Love, Romance, Winning, Confidence

36. EVIDENCE BASED INFORMATION ABOUT COLOUR
Fixational Reflex
Saccades- 2-3 eye scanning movements per second
What attracts the attention of saccades?
- Movement.
- Noticeable Contrast-Tonal Value, Saturation and Hue

37. THE ISOLATION EFFECT-APPLIED DESIGN AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Strong Colour and Light/Dark Contrast draws attention to key details
- ‘Call to action’ tabs in web design.
- Product Design.
- Fire Exits, Signage.

38. RED-ATTENTIONAL ADVANTAGE
Visual Search times are faster for red than other colours, dependent on contextual colours
- Red draws attention hotel interiors, hostel
interiors
Office Space in Surat, Gujarat by .DWG
Stacked Student Housing /
Thirdspace Architecture Studio,
Belagavi, Karnataka
Museum of Socialism-Jayaprakash
Narayan Interpretation Center /
Archohm

39. RED/WARM COLOUR-ATTRACTS ATTENTION AND ENCOURAGES INTERACTION
Retail and Restaurant Interiors
- Red attracts attention
- Red/Warm Colours draw people further into the space
Zen Sushi Restaurant / Carlo Berarducci
Architecture, Roma, Italy
Metal Rainbow-Zhongshu Bookstore
in Suzhou / Wutopia Lab ,
Suzhou,China
Pop Up Boutique, Hermès Gion-mise /
ODS, Kyoto, Japan

40. RED-ASSOCIATED WITH WINNING AND DOMINANCE
- Red is consistently associated with a higher profitability of winning a sport.
- Viewing red on others tends to increase appraisals of dominance
Deskopolitan / MoreySmith, Paris, France

41. COLOUR SATURATION AND TONAL VALUE HAS A STRONG IMPACT
- Saturation and Tonal Value determine whether a colour is perceived as exciting or
calming
Dplus Intertrade Head Office / Pure Architect , Thailand

42. COLOUR SATURATION AND TONAL VALUE HAS A STRONG IMPACT
- Saturation is correlated with Dominance and Arousal
Linkedin Offices, New York City by 1A Architects

43. COLOUR SATURATION AND TONAL VALUE HAS A STRONG IMPACT
- Variations in Light-Dark contrast variations in ambience
CRAFT / Sameep Padora & Associates, Mumbai
- Light-dark/Brightness –correlated with Pleasure and Arousal

44. COLOUR SATURATION AND TONAL VALUE HAS A STRONG IMPACT
- Light-Dark contrast-a major contribution to ambience
Chichu Art Museum in Naoshima and Church of the light in Osaka
- Tadao Ando –highly effective use of light-dark contrast

45. CREATING CALM-ADDRESS THE PROLEM OF VISUAL NOICE
Belles River Hotel, France
- Potential for visual discomfort Cognitive Dissonance
- Excessive use of contrast and visual clutter visual complexity
Interior by Brani and Desi

46. CREATING CALM-ADDRESS THE PROLEM OF VISUAL NOICE
Use similar of tonal value
Reduce the amount of strong contrast.
- Leads to a sense of calm irrespective of hue
Rural Hotel Complex / ideo arquitectura-Spain
Wheat Youth Arts Hotel / X+Living, Zhejiang, China

47. MODERATE POLYCHROMY-SUPPORTS MOOD AND WELL BEING
Red may be associated with anxiety and blue with depression
Office colour impacts mood and productivity but can vary due to individual differences
- Stimulus screening ability, preferences
Clever Park / VOX Architects, Russia

48. COLOUR STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT/KEEP QUALITY EMPLOYEES
Key Issue- Attracting and keeping quality employees/Millenials
-By 2025, 75% of workforce will be millennials
Born between mid 1980s and 2005
Preferred Workplace Design: Hybrid of work and play
Google Office, Dublin-Ireland: Camenzind Evolution

49. COLOUR STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT/ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY
A mixture of moderately colourful spaces to support mood and encourage well-being
Window views for visual respite
Minimise visual clutter and unnecessary visual distractions
Microsoft Office by Perkins+Mills, Conneticut

50. COLOUR-HUMANISES AND ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT
Pompidou Centre, Paris by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers
Aims: Minimise the tension between visitors and serious museum; create happy
buildings...that people react to

51. COLOUR-HUMANISES AND ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT
Saint Cloud Leisure Centre, Boulogne- Billancourt, Paris, Koz Architects (2009)
Internal/External colour coding indicates different interior spaces.
Aims: To create an accessible and safe place for children to play.

52. COLOUR-HUMANISES AND ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT
Graphics:
Transform perception of the built environment
Encourages engagement
Motivational slogans to support teaching policies
Kentish Town Health Centre, London
by Studio Myerscough (2009)
Achievement First Endeavour Middle School,
Brooklyn by Paula Scher, Pentagram

53. DISRUPTIVE COLOUR-VISUAL ESCAPE AND DIVERSION
Graphics:
Decrease in aggressive behaviour in holding cell.
Baker Miller pink, US Naval
Correctional Facility

54. DISRUPTIVE COLOUR-ARCHITECTURE
Graphics:
Facade colour can help to reinforce a caves or temples approach to architecture.
Facade Colour as a statement Landmark strategy
Torre Agbar Tower, Spain by Jean Nouvel (2003)
Museum of Socialism-Jayaprakash Narayan
Interpretation Center / Archohm

55. COLOUR-ORIENTATION AND WAY FINDING
Graphics:
Allianz Football Stadium,Munich (2005) by Herzog and De Meuron

56. COLOUR AND LIGHT: ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT AND IMPROVISES
PERCEPTION OF SAFETY
Marbles by Studio Roosegaarde (2012), Holland
Alcabideche Social Complex, Alcabideche,
Portugal
Guedes Cruz Architects

57. COLOUR-INFLUENCES PERCEPTION OF SIZE
6 Storey garage building,
Moore Rubie Yudell Architects
and Planners in California

58. COLOUR-”HUMANISES’ AND ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT
• Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital /
Sheppard Robson + John Cooper Architecture
+ GAPP + Ruben, Johannesberg, South Africa
Children’s Hospital and Facilities.
A strong preference for lighter, more saturated colours
Children’s colour preferences-Influenced by prevailing trends in film, television and
children’s toys
Bring new trends to life with updated paint colours
Older people prefer more marginally saturated colours and stronger contrast

59. FAÇADE COLOUR-CONTRIBUTES TO A SENSE OF PLACE
Guanajuato, Mexico: Santorini, Greece and Udaipur, India
Façade Colour and regional “imageability”

60. THANK YOU