Theory Of Architecture: the 5 primary elements in practice

Theory of architecture is defined in various ways. Mallgrave definition is “architectural theory, for all its occasional abstraction is nothing less than the history of our ideas regarding our constructed physical surroundings.” Stanford encyclopedia defines the theory of architecture as “The architectural theory tradition encompasses critical commentary on or explanations of architectural works or styles or movements; instructions or guidelines for architectural design; musings on the origins of building types or styles; and advocacy for new approaches to the architectural discipline and practice”. It is essential for us to define architecture and theory separately to get an accurate definition of the theory of architecture. Architecture is a multidisciplinary field of art and its principal’s application to the building design, and the engineering of the building structure and relevant services. Theory is the discovery of the set of rules that govern the existence and its interaction with the environment of a phenomenon in nature. From these definitions, we conclude that the theory of architecture is the set of rules, principles, and techniques used in the architectural design process.

The first attempt to align theory in architectural work was in Vitruvius writing about architecture. In his first book of the ten books of architecture, he presents the six principles of architecture, which are order, arrangement, eurhythmy, symmetry, propriety, and economy. A few pages further in the same book he reduces these principles to three commodities, firmness, and delight. Most of Vitruvius work came from the Roman Empire period and related to the design and construction of public buildings. His work pointed to the essential qualities that should exist in building design. He emphasizes certain ideas of beauty and proportion and the notion of purpose. Figure 1 below the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus represents one of the great works in the period that include the application of Vitruvius principles of design.

The proportion of the column components the capital, base, and shaft to the overall proportion of the temple components like the abacus and the roof. The application of the proportion system not only in the three orders of Greek column types but extended to the functional layout of the building and the façade components proportion like the design of the pantheon.

Theory of architecture is linked to the architectural design process and every building design comes in a certain concept that gives the desired purpose. In academic education, every line, color, and design should give meaning and there is a purpose to presenting him or her. In the modern world theory of architecture, as Jenks indicates in his series of discussions about the idealist tradition of modern architecture of many architects like le Corbusier, Mies van Der Rohe, Walter Gropius, and others defined present a loose position. Their position centered on certain social ideals – humanitarian liberalism, reformist pluralism, and social utopianism. Theory of architecture in this sense reflects architect’s personal thinking and ideas about their buildings and design. Moreover, the theory of architecture became a representative of styles and movements in architecture.

Theory of architecture elements in practice

Many ask even non-practitioners do we need the theory of architecture? Why?

Since the creation of architectural academic education architectural design and the projects designed is linked to a certain meaning. In practice, many clients would like to clarify why their project came in the certain way it was designed. Architectural firms enter international competitions and these participants are obligated to present a concept design that reflects a certain meaning that might give them the winning award. Architecture and the building in concern should reflect the place’s character and for that, the design carries some meaning that could be presented to a client, an official, or a relevant organization. Theory of architecture here registers its timeline and what architecture informs society, specialists, practitioners, and students interested in the meanings of every building designed in this timeline. Here I mention the international style that depends on the platonic worldview (ideas absolute) perfect, ideal, and plausible. Theory of architecture is Informative.

Many modern architects present their projects in a very different physical appearance. These architects show their belief in the way architecture should be and the way it is designed. Architects here present their thinking and the buildings they design to talk about them because of the certain character it takes in reality. Architects want to show the difference in their capabilities from others in terms of design and innovation. Here the projects reflect the architect’s identity where ever the project exists in the world. US firms innovative work is repeated in their projects around the world see figure 2 . Theory of architecture presents Identity.

Architects in the world gained their knowledge about architectural design in academic education within the five years of study. These principles of design are used by architects on daily basis in the work environment. Some architects develop their work approach by starting the project design by projecting an elevation. This elevation might be a reflection of the place’s heritage then the architect tries to reflect the elevation on the building plans to fit the requirements. An adjustment to building form comes after the plans are complete to fit the elevation to create a 3d perspective or model. Innovative architects like the ones who designed the building in figure 2 start with the 3d model. A CNC machine supplied from computer software creates the model. In the final stages of the complete building form, the architects fit the functional requirements. While many others start with putting on paper the functional requirements and completing the building plans. When plans are final, the plans are reflected on the elevations to finalize the building form. These are a few of the many ways architects in the world use to design the building projects they get in their practice. Their approach is either developed from an academic approach or following one of the architecture school’s design processes. Theory of architecture is about the architectural design process.

Sennot discusses and shows that thoughts and ideas are registered within a timeline in history. These ideas and thoughts have a direct impact on developing architecture thinking, driving criticism, and creating debate. Theory of architecture is a field registering the architecture debate, thinking, and criticism in a certain timeline in history. The industrial revolution had many effects on architecture and architect’s thinking. Architects took advantage of the industrial revolution to move architecture away from ornament and detail to pure mass architecture through standardization as they say “bone and skin”. The high-rise building requires massive and fast component production of steel structure elements and glass curtain walls. Wide-span on internal spaces of various factories like the general motors’ factory took benefit from the introduction of truss system and space frame systems to cove long span that a factory requires. Industrializing led to the creation of movements like Constructivism and the creation of many styles like the international style. Jenks states that after the Second World War modern architecture appeared with its “universal laws.” The natural state of the expressionist theory indicates that certain forms naturally express certain and constant meanings or sensations. He states that Expressionism is a movement where architects believe that some meanings are intrinsic within a form that conveys themselves directly. Meaning and the concept behind the project design come from its forms and the conveyed meanings. Theory of architecture shows every style and movement in architecture in terms of its knowledge and defines when it was applicable in time.

After Second World War, a turn came again to the reconstruction of the destruction in the cities in concern like London, Paris, and other EU cities. Planners call this the urban renaissance period because of the huge demand for housing, especially for the low-class people. Led by the government many development schemes focus on social housing. The number of houses in demand was very high. Here came the modern architecture in its simplicity to push forward for mass production and the use of technology in responding to housing needs. Modern movement not only called for standardization of housing units and their simplicity of design but also furniture design and production in the quantity, not quality demand. This approach to modern architecture’s purpose was to move forward to low-cost construction and cheap manufacturing. The simple principle was a response to a social problem of sanitary bad conditions in the city due to the war, the population shift to the centers for jobs, and the increase in population and the demand for various services. Here the modern movement registered a response to a social problem and the development of architecture and construction to meet social housing demand. Theory of architecture here defined improvement in architecture.  

Theory of architecture Informs students in architecture education, specialist doing research, and professionals practicing architecture what a building design mean, and the thinking behind its creation thus it is informative. Architects in practice have their personal views and thinking about architecture and the proper way they should look, a building designed in a specific place in the world reflects its context and here it’s about personal or places identity. Firms do architecture design based on academic principles and many develop their approach to architectural design starting from the form or building function, here theory presents architectural design procedure. Movements and styles in all countries in the world come out to practice because of many reasons technological development, new material, and new construction method. Theory here registers the time when these events happen in history. Social problems happened in the past like austerity of the 1930s, deprivation of inner cities because of world wars, and bad living condition because of poverty Leeds to new architecture as an improvement to the previous architecture like the international style to cover the failures of modern architecture. These are the five primary elements in the practice of theory of architecture.