Principles of Architecture

The great principles of architecture are:

i)        Goodness or convenient arrangement

ii)       Beauty and

iii)     Truth

(i)      Goodness or convenient arrangement: Every architectural building must possess the principle of goodness and utility. In case of ordinary house we should first consider the adequate sizes of rooms, their convenient arrangement or grouping, rather than decorating with costly sculpture, paintings etc. Moreover the house should provide the informal intimacy of home life. A museum should have galleries, with ample wall space and top light, which eliminates windows and necessitates the use of sky-lights. A shop should have large show-windows for the display and sale of merchandise.  In school building, we need large sized classrooms with many windows to admit the necessary side lights, meeting halls and a play ground at the rear.  Similarly, a factory should not be a structural erection of four walls and a roof for mere sheltering machinery and labour. But general arrangement of office, workshops, and godowns etc. should be of convenient sizes based on well thought plan for the co-ordination of various activities and manufacture process from raw material to finished product.  Under such arrangement work is more pleasure than a task, efficiency ensured, output is increased and labour discontent eliminated.

(ii)    Beauty: Beauty is the second great principle of architecture.  The spirit of beauty which poet Shelley describes “Dear and yet dearer for its mystery.” It is some illusive principle and cannot be easily determined in terms of its essential nature. It remains dearer for its mystery. It lies in the eyes of the beholder. It raises the thought and touches the heart. One cannot measure beauty, but one can feel it.

A grand building with the imposing mass and graceful out-lines creates a deep impression and stimulates emotions in the human heart. We enjoy at the look of such building. For example, Taj Mahal, Here goodness or convenient arrangement may not be an important criterion at all. Such building of architecture has the main consideration of aesthetic appeal. It produces and brings immense pleasure in the minds who look at it.  We enjoy at its look because according to Keats’ saying “a thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its power is to kindle imagination, purify and stimulate emotion.”

(iii) Truth: The third great principle of architecture is the truth by which we mean harmony with the established laws whether moral, aesthetic or scientific on which the strength and beauty in the universe are built up.

Truth is exhibited in two ways namely clarity of purpose and clarity of structure.

a)         Clarity of purpose: Good architecture should not be devoid of truth. There should not be deception in its expression.  Good architecture can never deceive the eye even for a moment. Nothing must appear other than what it is! The building should express the true idea of the purpose.  A residential building should neither look like a theatre, nor a town-hall like an assembly hall. A temple of Dravidian style or a church of Gothic style must express its spiritual, ecclesiastical purpose and should enhance the religious moods and sentiments. On the other hand, in a theatre building recreation or enjoyment must be sought in the design.  Again the town – hall should express the dignity and importance of official life by largeness of scale and stately arrangement of various parts.

There should not be a false statement in regard to the purpose of the construction. A living room should not look like a store room. A smoke chimney should not pretend to be a supporting column or a buttress.  A church should not look like an Assembly hall. What the eye does not admire, the heart does not desire.  Any type of deception is a departure from the principle of truth.

b)         Clarity of structure: Each part of the structure should express the function it has to perform.

The different materials of the structure should be used in the truthful manner to perform in their proper function. Stronger materials should be used to support the weaker ones. Suppose we use brick-work for foundation and size stones for superstructure. Even though such structure may stand but it will find lack of function. It may produce a sense of incongruity, if not danger.

No confusion should arise by the mis-position of materials. The materials should be used in their proper place. Granite which is hard and carries heavy weight without being crushed is fit for foundation and basement, brick for supporting walls, marble for tracery-work, pumic stones for vaults, etc. Such a skilful disposition of materials will not only make the building strong, durable but also produce an appearance of strength. For example, the Pantheon at Rome.

Architecture and Engineering

Engineering comprises a wide field of activities such a Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc. which have precise scientific laws. Here we are concerned with the properties and strength of materials, safety and economy of construction.

In architecture in addition to above human aesthetics and cultural values are most important consideration. Architecture covers a remarkable wide field of knowledge and of human activities. It makes use of applied services such as structural engineering, sanitation, hygiene, heating, lighting and ventilation etc.

A bicycle shed is a building but Taj Mahal is a piece of architecture.  The term architecture applies only to building designed with a view to aesthetic appeal.  The designer therefore should use his specialized knowledge in designing to combine into an aesthetic whole, programme or requirements of materials, and construction which distinguish and make the structure beautiful or a piece of architecture. It should therefore be noted that Engineering and Architecture are fundamentally different. Engineering is based on scientific laws whereas Architecture is based on certain principles such as goodness, beauty and truth, together with its fundamental qualities and factors.

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