4. ● Rhythm in architecture is defined as “A
unifying movement characterised by a
patterned repetition or alteration of
formal elements or motifs in the same or
a modified form.” Hence, rhythm in
architecture can be expressed as a
repetition of elements such as lines,
shapes, forms or colours resulting on
organized movement in space and time.
● Rhythm in architecture is characterised by
patterns, elements or motifs at irregular
or regular intervals. The movement may
be of our eyes as we follow elements in a
composition or of our bodies as we move
through a sequence of spaces. Rhythm is
the organization of the repetitive forms,
elements and space in architecture.
RHYTHM IN ARCHITECTURE
HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTRE,
BAKU
5. ● A flowing rhythm shows the repeated
elements following bends, curves, and
undulations. In nature, you can see this in
the waves on a beach or sand dunes. As
designers, we can mimic nature by
making wonderful patterns of elements
with flowing rhythm.
● Flowing rhythms are created when
organic shapes and forms are repeated, or
where repetition is irregular. This results in
a sense of movement or flow.
● While the flowing rhythm in art is
characterized more by art elements like
curved lines and shapes, as mentioned
above, other art elements can be applied
to emphasize it like color, value, size, and
so forth.
FLOWING RHYTHM
The Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831)
In this composition, we see a large wave to the
left about to envelop the small boats on the
ocean’s surface. The large wave is surrounded by
other smaller waves and curves that give the
entire composition a flowing rhythm and
undoubtedly a dynamic movement.
6. FLOWING RHYTHM IN ARCHITECTURE
RADISSON BLU
AQUA HOTEL,
CHICAGO
THE TWINE,
BY ANTONY GIBBON
SUITES AVENUE,
BARCELONA
CITYGATE TOWER,
VIENNA
CONCEPT BASED ON GREAT
WAVE OFF KANAGAWA
7. ● Progressive rhythm occurs
when any element, for
example, color, shapes, or
forms, arranged in a sequence
or pattern is changed.
● The word progression implies
an advancement or forward
movement of either a series or
sequence of objects or figures.
However, it can also mean that
something advances or
recedes in size in space.
PROGRESSIVE RHYTHM
Spirals
The shell is made up of a series of
identically-shaped sections that grow
larger as they spiral out from the
centre. The regular way these shapes
change creates a progressive rhythm.
8. PROGRRSSIVE RHYTHM IN ARCHITECTURE
CAYAN TOWER, DUBAI
KAUFMANN CENTRE,
KANSAS CITY
MAHANAKHON,
BANGKOK
OPERA HOUSE,
SYDNEY
9. ● A rhythm that contains a repetition of
two or more components that are used
interchangeably.
● An alternating rhythm can be created
by:
○ Choosing light & dark colors back
and forth
○ Different variation of size
○ Organizing and repeating various
shapes
○ Using positive & negative spaces
● Alternating rhythms give flow and
show the movement of graphical
elements
ALTERNATING RHYTHM
Guggenheim Museum
The atrium of the
Guggenheim utilises positive
and negative spaces in the
corridors to create an
alternating rhythm.
10. ALTERNATING RHYTHM IN ARCHITECTURE
OLD WORLD TRADE
CENTER,
NEW YORK
AIR FORCE ACADEMY
CHAPEL,
COLORADO SPRINGS
THE ARIA BUILDING,
SYDNEY
LONDON OLYMPIC CAR
PARK,
LONDON
NANTES POST
OFFICE,
NANTES
DASHING TOWER,
CHICAGO
11. ● In visual production, it is a recurrence of a
particular line, pattern, shape, or other visual
elements in a single or part of the series. The
production of something which is repetitive yet
at the same time exciting is a challenge, as
many consider the recurrence as boring and
still.
● There is a variety of ways in which the repetition
in art can occur. It can be even or uneven,
regular or irregular, it can form radiation,
occurring when the repeat of elements is
spread out from the central point, or a form of
graduation, where the parts slowly become
smaller or larger.
● As a tool, repetition in art helps to build not only
the visual part of the work but it often provides
a deeper meaning to the artwork, hiding a
more philosophical and conceptual identity.
REPETITION
The Tree Of Life, Gustav Klimt (1911)
One of the prominent repeated
elements in this composition is the
use of spirals as leaves.
12. MUSIC & ARCHITECTURE
● Music is an abstract art based on harmony
and rhythm, so does architecture. Each form
of expression utilizes different mediums to
represent ideas.
● In the case of music, the instruments are the
mediators, by creating various layers of sound,
rhythm, harmonics and dynamics.
● On the other hand, in architecture, the
compositional principles are represented with
structures and systems, as well as the
building materials used
● One of the similarities between these two is
the use of proportion and rhythm to express
ideas, creativity, and culture. Therefore, the
beauty of these two forms of expression is
how they influence each other in different
scenarios.
REPETITION
THE SCHMITT BUILDING,
MINNEAPOLIS, DEPICTING
AN EXCERPT FROM MAURICE
RAVEL’S SCARBO
THE SINGING RINGING TREE,
U.K. THE STEEL PIPES
INTERACT WITH WIND TO
CREATE A SONG
Music is liquid
architecture;
architecture is
frozen music
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
13. DANIEL LIBESKIND
Daniel Libeskind’s analytical work operates
in the field of architecture’s second invariant,
defined by Bruno Zevi as the study of
asymmetry and dissonance that is realized
in the conscious application of a design
method which results, on one hand, from
the illogical chains produced by liberal
associations of the mind and, on the other,
from the logic of the deformation as a
singular case of the variation of the
composed theme, of the topological order,
of the deconstruction. A direct
consequences of this is what is defined as a
rarefaction or dissolution of the architectural
sign, which in reality leads to an abstraction
that is often extreme, but also to a closure
that architecture shares with all other forms
of artistic expression.
DENVER ART
MUSEUM,
DENVER
BORD GÁIS
ENERGY
THEATRE,
DUBLIN
LIBESKIND
TOWER,
MILAN
15. ● Literal Transparency occurs through the layering
and stacking of the physical material of the walls
and surfaces
● Phenomenal transparency occurs through the
layering, overlapping, and superimposition of axes
and gridded spatial orders, thus producing an
ambiguity of spatial organizations, resulting from a
sequential ordering or a successive stratification
and layering of space.
● A doubling of transparency, both literal and
phenomenal, perceived and interpreted. One sees
through, sees pass the overlapping glazed or
meshed facades, exterior and interior, and one
reads and interprets the layered spatial
arrangement. An act of inter-modal transparency,
literal and phenomenal, actual and implied, seen
and read, perceptual and conceptual, coexisting
together; a multi-penetration of transparencies,
multi-transparent, multi-interpenetrative and
interpretive, multi-moded transparency.
LITERAL & PHENOMENAL TRANSPARENCY
figure 1 : the superimpositions
through the optical viewings,
during the promenade in the
elevated ground floor of Hotel
Tassel. Because of the side
walls/partitions the gaze escapes
through the corners.
figure 2a : By inserting the half
level/plane of the smokehouse at
composition, two lateral viewing
axes are created on the ground
floor level: one can supervise the
two rooms simultaneously
figure 2b are : The axes that
penetrate the Hôtel Tassel
longitudinal (in each mezzanine),
diagonals (due to the smoke
house's semi level, and the vertical
axis of the staircase.) These axes
create horizontal, vertical and
lateral sightings as well as
superimpositions and successions
of depths.
16. ● Linear perspective is the perspective most
are familiar with. It’s based off the idea
that an object appears smaller as it gets
farther away from the observer.
● The ‘lines” in linear perspective are used
to diagram how much smaller the item
would appear.
● Linear perspective is based on the idea
that all lines will converge on a common
point on the horizon – the vanishing point.
● Linear perspective is a system for
drawing objects that use lines and
vanishing points to determine how much
an object’s apparent size changes with
space.
LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
2-POINT PERSPECTIVE
17. TWO-POINT
Like the name implies, two-point
perspective has two vanishing
points on the horizon. Taking the
building example again, we would
be standing off center so that we
see two sides of the building. The
lines of each side converge to the
vanishing point on that side and
not just the edges of the building,
but also any windows, ledges,
doorways, etc.
ONE-POINT
All points lead to one
vanishing point. True
one-point perspective would
have all lines of the cube
leading to one vanishing point.
This is usually the case if, for
example, we see a building
standing directly in front of it.
THREE-POINT
Three-point perspective also has two
vanishing points on the horizon but
includes a third vanishing point either
above or below the horizon line. This
is especially important when drawing
cityscapes. If you’re standing at the
ground level of a skyscraper and look
up, the building appears to narrow at
the top. If you’re flying above the city
and look down over a tall building, it
appears to narrow the closer it gets to
the street.
LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
18. ● Beginning in Italy in the late 14th century the
Renaissance spread across Europe lasting until the
16th century.
● Major changes and innovations in art concerning the
arrangement of space and imagery influenced
theatre as well. The illusion of depth and creation of
perspective imagery through vanishing lines and
scaling of objects revolutionized the way scenery was
created.
● A major point of Greek and Roman theatre was
verisimilitude or “truth seeming”. With the use of
new design innovations and perspective scenery
Renaissance designers attempted to create real
worlds onstage by drawing influence from
Neoclassical ideals
● Neoclassical ideals were extremely influential on
theatre during the Renaissance. These ideas drew
upon the then recently rediscovered Greek and
Roman theories on art and theatre and what makes
them good. Although the term "Neoclassical" was
not invented until the mid-19th century, at the time
the style was described by such terms as "the true
style", "reformed" and "revival".
ITALIAN RENAISSANCE SCENIC DESIGN
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
'The Last Supper', 1495-98
(tempera on gesso)
MICHELANGELO
BUONARROTI (1475-1564)
'The Last Judgement', 1535-41
(fresco)
GIOTTO (c.1267-1337)
'The Betrayal of Christ', 1303-06
(Fresco 72"x72")
19. ● Inside an exterior brick box, the elaborate wooden
theater interior is a half circle of steep tiers of seats
(wood covered benches) facing a rectangular
proscenium stage. A wooden colonnade with
cornice and figures above circles the top of the
seats. The ceiling plane is undifferentiated and was
later painted blue, suggesting an open sky above
the theater.
● The walls and ceiling of the proscenium are
elaborately articulated with architectural details
and statues, made of wood and plaster. A central
arched opening dominates the back wall, flanked
by two smaller doorways. Through these openings,
elaborate stage sets of streets angle backstage, a
triad through the central opening and single
streets through each side. These sets, designed
later by Scamozzi, use techniques of tilting the
floors and contracting the angle between the
street walls and the heights of their building
facades to make foreshortened streets in
perspective.
TEATRO OLIMPICO
20. FORCED PERSPECTIVE
● A Forced Perspective is a technique that
employs optical illusion to make an object
appear farther away, closer, larger, or smaller
than it actually is.
● Borromini designed a barrel-vaulted
colonnade for the cardinal that looks much
longer than it is (9 metres/30 feet). He
achieved this illusion by making the two sides
of the colonnade converge and by reducing
the height of the columns as they recede.
● The wall at the end of the colonnade was
originally painted with an image of a forest.
However, in the mid 19th century, Prince
Clemente Spada added the statue of the god
Mars, which appears much larger than it
actually is (60 cm/2 feet).
PALAZZO SPADA
21. ● The San Lorenzo Dome borrows elements from the
Islamic, Gothic and Classical forms, as well as his
engagement with experimental geometric and
optic themes. The combination of all these in a
single structure makes the San Lorenzo dome a far
just a stunning skylight atop a “generic” more
Baroque church architecturally significant work
than h. The structure displays Guarini’s willingness,
even eagerness, to blend structural and
philosophical ideas from vastly different
architectural traditions in order to explore the idea of
the infinite and test the boundaries of originality.
● In Guarini’s geometric designs, the main subject of
criticism was that Guarini broke away from the
repetitive emulations of his Italian peers. Many saw
the eclectic results as grotesque or absurd
adulterations of the beautiful classical and Baroque
forms more commonly employed by his
contemporaries, but in these highly eclectic and
thereby unique designs, Guarini sought to satisfy the
desires of his religious order, the Theatines, and to
impress and awe their audience at San Lorenzo,
while at the same time using his domes as
architectural sites to explore the emerging humanist
trends of optical and geometrical investigation.
GUARINO GUARINI
San Lorenzo Dome,
Turin
22. Michelangelo׳s Capitolium with the three main buildings
and the renown piazza (in yellow): the Palazzo dei
Senatori, which hosts the headquarters of Rome׳s
Municipality (5), the Palazzo dei Conservatori, built on the
foundations of the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter and
hosting the main and most famous halls of the Capitoline
Museums (6), and the Palazzo Nuovo, which is now part of
the same museum. At the center are the piazza designed
by Michelangelo and the staircase connecting the
complex to the city. Adjacent to the Palazzo dei
Conservatori is the Palazzo Caffarelli, today a part of the
Capitoline Museum and, between the two, the so-called
Giardino Romano (in red), where Carlo Aymonino׳s project
is located. Behind the Palazzo Nuovo is the Basilica of S.
Maria Aracoeli, and down the slope, the ‘Vittoriano’ (2), a
monument to Italy's first king Vittorio Emanuele II, built
between the end of the 1800 and the beginning of the
1900. The Capitoline Hill is highly representative of the
historical continuity of Rome's political powers, given that
it merges the symbols of the central government
(Vittoriano), the Church (Basilica of S. Maria Aracoeli) and
the Municipality (Palazzo Senatorio).
CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS
Zenithal plan of the Capitoline Hill,
representing Aymonino׳s plan for
the new Hall of the Capitoline
Museums on the site of the
Giardino Romano, placed slightly
southward of the Palazzo dei
Conservatori, with a
reconstruction of the plan of the
Temple of Capitoline Jupiter by
the same architect.
23. MODIFICATIONS
● The initial decision was to place the statues of the
pediment in the new Hall, along with other marbles.
The idea was to display the statues in their original
position in accordance with archaeological
reconstructions, within a one-to-one model of the
ancient pediment at approximately 15 m long. The
pediment of the Temple of Apollo Sosianus was to be
placed at the center of the hall, parallel to the Palazzo
dei Conservatori, to be immediately visible to visitors
coming from the Capitoline Museums, or else, placed
in the opposite direction to be gradually perceived by
those walking around it.14 However, that initial
project, which was based on a strong idea and in
perfect harmony with its architecture, was soon
discarded. Instead, it was decided to place a
significant portion of the Temple׳s cell near the
marbles of the pediment, reassembled to reproduce
the original artifact. The presence of this second
artifact implied a radical re-evaluation of the first
project owing to its dimensions (15.65 m high and
approximately 7 m wide) and its strong visual impact.
CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS
Carlo Aymonino׳s first solution
to the new Hall in the Giardino
Romano, with the arrangement
of the pediment of the Temple
of Apollo Sosianus.
24. MODIFICATIONS
● In addition to this structure, the equally important
presence of the foundation walls of the Temple of
Capitoline Jupiter, embedded in the passageway linking
Palazzo Caffarelli to the stables, was to be considered. The
curvilinear hall had to be replaced by a higher and larger
room to make this wall fully visible and to ensure the
correct balance between the elements of the Temple of
Apollo Sosianus and the foundation walls of the Temple of
Capitoline Jupiter.
● Moreover, long before the excavations were conducted, it
became evident that the first foundations on the northern
side of the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter stood underneath
underneath the façade of the Palazzo Caffarelli, facing the
Giardino Romano. Thus, the area could not be altered in
any way. Aymonino then designed a hall that occupied all
available space, much similar to Dardi׳s initial design. The
design focused on its roof and the shape of its plan and
divided the hall into two parts. The first part was at the
level of the foundation walls of the already uncovered
parts of the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter. Thus, the lower
portion was to host the cell of the Temple of Apollo
Sosanius. The second part was at the level of the Galleria
degli Horti and was designed to host the pediment of the
Temple of Apollo Sosianus
CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS
Down to top: plans for the first,
second, and roof levels of the
new Hall of the Capitoline
Museums during the first phase
of the project (1993–1995). On
the left is the Palazzo dei
Conservatori; on the right the
Palazzo Caffarelli; at the center
the new Hall disposed on two
levels. The upper one hosts the
reconstruction of the pediment
of the Temple of Apollo
Sosianus, the lower one the
recomposed cell of the same
Temple and the foundation of
the Temple of Capitoline
Jupiter, whose traces can also
be found inside the passageway
connecting the Palazzo
Caffarelli to the stables. The
drawing also shows the position
of the underground foundation
wall of the Temple of Capitoline
Jupiter.
25. ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE
● Atmospheric perspective refers to the effect
the atmosphere has on the appearance of
objects when you look at them from a
distance. You see objects further back into
the distance less clearly and their color
changes in value, saturation and hue.
● Atmospheric perspective is based on the
understanding of how air acts as a filter to
change the appearance of distance objects.
Atmospheric Perspective deals with how
the appearance of an object is affected by
looking at it through a layer of air. Moisture,
dust and pollutants in the atmosphere act
filter the visual information. Colors also
change with depth. All of the colors are
clear on near objects bright colors are only
seen on close objects. Warm colors also
show up more on near objects. As objects
get farther away the colors grow darker and
colder.
26. Distant objects’ colors blend
with and take on some of the
atmosphere’s colors. So they
lose their original color
saturation and take on the
atmosphere’s saturation. In
grayscale, then the more
distant objects gradually
acquire the value (tone) of the
atmosphere with distance.
The contrast between the
object and its background
decreases, and the contrast of
the details within the object
also decreases. Usually the
value of the object will become
lighter. This makes further
objects harder to see.
ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE
SATURATION CONTRAST
27. ● Anamorphosis is an ingenious perspective
technique that gives a distorted image of the
subject represented in a picture when seen
from the usual viewpoint but so executed
that if viewed from a particular angle, or
reflected in a curved mirror, the distortion
disappears and the image in the picture
appears normal.
● Perspective anamorphosis first emerged in
the art world during the Renaissance, while
mirror anamorphosis was developed in the
17th
century. Historically, it was Italian painter
and mathematician Piero della Francesca
who laid the groundwork the application of
optical illusion. One of the oldest and
best-known examples of anamorphosis it the
painting “The Ambassadors” by Hans Holbein,
which dates to 1533. It features a hidden skull
in the foreground that is only visible when
viewed from the side.
PERSPECTIVE ANAMORPHOSIS
28. PERSPECTIVE ANAMORPHOSIS
REAL-LIFE APPLICATIONS
● Perspective anamorphosis has practical
applications. In their proposed signage for a
connecting tunnel to Terminal 3 at Lyon
St-Exupéry airport, French agency Graphéine
created an anamorphic narrative design intended
to make journey time along the 250-metre stretch
seem quicker. As passengers moved forwards, the
anamorphosis would break down, creating a
sensation of speed by altering perceptions of
space and time, thus making the tunnel appear
shorter than it really is.
● The usefulness of anamorphosis can also be seen
in road markings. It is used to ensure that road
users get an undistorted view of text or images
when seen a certain distance. For example, the
images of bikes used to mark cycle lanes appear
normal when viewed from distance on the road,
but actually look stretched out vertically when
seen from above.
