Summary Part 5: Articulation of Building Massing - Architectural Composition by John Beverley Robinson

This week, we continue our series examining the classic book Architectural Composition, 1908, by John Beverley Robinson.

(Here are links to previous posts summarizing Robinson's discussion of fundamental architectural design principles):

1. Unity

2. Individuality and Continuity

3. Similarity

4. Hierarchy and Subordination

   

Today, we explore Robinson's discussion of important and universal principles for creating powerful architectural compositions using clear Articulation of Building Massing. 

To begin, Robinson postulates that:

Building compositions may be comprised of three hierarchical categories of forms: primary masses, secondary masses, and details.

1. Primary masses are the largest forms in a composition.  They are perceivable at a glance as the main body of a building, to which other smaller secondary masses and details may be added.
2. Secondary masses, or appendages, may either project horizontally from primary masses or may project vertically from primary masses.  A secondary mass connecting two primary masses is called a link.
3. After primary / secondary masses and links / appendages, comes a third level of forms: details i.e. doors, windows, chimneys, columns, brackets, arches, panels, cartouches, smaller turrets, and dormers.

Robinson goes on to explain that:

All buildings of character may be categorized into one of a limited number of combinations of single, double and triple primary masses, and associated secondary links and appendages:

Robinson then proceeds to delve more deeply into the important characteristics of these massing variations:

One Single Primary Mass:

A building consisting of a single primary mass possesses unity in the highest degree.  When it is possible to simplify a composition to a single mass, such as the Boston Public Library (below), do not give up the opportunity lightly:

Note: When designing very large buildings of a single primary mass, beware of imposing artificial vertical breaks in the composition if they are reveals of 8 inches or so (or even less) for the sake of visual variety.  The articulation gained is usually outweighed by the loss of unity caused by breaking the horizontal lines and fragmenting the mass.

Two Primary Masses:

Two primary masses connected by a linking form will typically read as a single building form.  The double primary forms must be combined via a visible link, otherwise the resulting duality is troublesome like two doors, exactly alike, placed close together.  The two primary forms must be similar, or discord will result.  The two primary masses must be similar in shape, but need not be similar in size to achieve unity, as seen with the Collegiate Gothic building (below) on the Yale University Campus in New Haven, CT:

Bilateral symmetry of two identical compositions is called “double composition” and requires great care to pull off well.  In order to unify a double composition, a single object, either a secondary mass or a detail, is often placed on the link between the two primary masses, usually at the center, such as porch and dormers of this apartment building (below) in Baldwin Park, FL:

Three Primary Masses:

Examples of compositions of triple primary masses, all the same size and all alike, almost never occur however examples where the central mass differs from the side masses are innumerably common.  Most commonly, the central primary mass is larger than the two flanking primary masses, as seen in the civic building example (below) on Tbilisi, Georgia's scenic Rustaveli Avenue.  Compositions of three primary masses tend to read simultaneously like two separate compositions welded together: one of two masses joined by a link and a single mass with appendages:

In general, the more similar the three masses are in size, the more similar they should be in appearance.  On the other hand, no matter how great may be the difference in size, it is always possible to use a substantially similar treatment (i.e. the Taj Mahal)

Beyond three primary masses, the mind fails to grasp a group of objects as a unit and only perceives plurality.  Groupings of four primary masses tend to coalesce into subgroups of two or three.

Secondary Masses:

Secondary masses must not be randomly applied, but must be composed with careful attention to number, size, shape and dimensions.  The form which is intended to be primary and the form which is intended to be secondary should clearly read as such.  Secondary masses that possess individuality (vertical expression) fit most naturally on primary masses that also possess individuality, like the gabled forms of this academic building example (below) from Michigan State University's campus in East Lansing, MI:

A single secondary mass maximizes a sense of unity just like a single primary mass.  A central classical portico or porch is the most common form of a dominant secondary mass, such as demonstrated by this house (below) on Beaufort, SC's Bay Street:  

When grouping two or three secondary masses together, all masses should be alike (if three masses, the central one can be larger) like the porticos of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood in DeFuniak Springs, FL (below): 

Secondary subordinate masses may also be composed in balanced asymmetry, as seen in the example (below) from Boston's Back Bay.  This is one of the favorite motifs of the Richardsonian Romanesque and Victorian styles:

Secondary masses generally follow the same rules as primary masses.  An exception, three secondary masses of the same shape and size may be freely used.  Four or more equally sized and shaped secondary elements are aesthetically pleasing, especially when evenly spaced.  They can be jarring if unevenly spaced.  Four or more elements express unity through continuity rather than through individuality, as seen in the Collegiate Gothic Buildings (below) on Yale University's Campus:

Details:

Details are minor architectural objects such as windows, door openings, panels, niches, columns, arches, etc.  The rules for the number and composition of details are the same as for secondary masses.  As with secondary masses, a single detail properly placed will often be sufficient to give unity to a whole composition, as in the example (below) from the North End of Boston.  A single primary organizing detail is just as effective if placed asymmetrically or symmetrically:

 

When grouping multiple details, such as columns in a colonnade, avoid changes in spacing.  

Arrangement of details follows the same principles as the arrangement of secondary masses.  Division of a mass into two parts by details gives an impression of continuity.  Division into one or three parts gives an impression of individuality. 

Endlessly creative combinations and variations are possible!

Amazon: Architectural Composition, 1908 (by John Beverley Robinson)

Designing with Color and Light for Emotional Impact

The great contemporary animated film artist Nathan Fowkes describes how, in his movie design art with DreamWorks Animation, he employs the power of different color combinations to elicit various responses from the audience.  He believes that "the visual storytelling process can be designed to powerfully affect viewers' emotions through the subtle use of color, light, shape and space".

Fowkes' preliminary illustration studies often focus virtually entirely on color and light.  He delineates only big shapes, with smaller details reduced to the point of abstraction:

Fowkes states that, for example, an image using bright yellow lighting usually looks cheerful and uplifting.  If one takes the same image, however, and begins to desaturate the yellows, a dry and desolate effect is achieved.  Even further desaturation of yellows in the same image can actually create a dank and moldy appearance.  Blue lighting in the ultramarine range tends to look peaceful, while blue lighting in the cyan range tends to look creepy, and so forth.  

In his wonderful recent book Color and Light - A Guide for the Realist Painter, fantasy and science fiction artist James Gurney also discusses the emotional impact of various color and lighting combinations.  Gurney recommends a study technique called "serial painting".  This is the creation of multiple versions of the same subject under different lighting conditions.  One of the most famous examples of a serial painting study is Monet's 1890s series of over 30 paintings depicting the Rouen Cathedral under various light and weather conditions:

Testing these Ideas
I recently decided to study the emotional effect of various light and color combinations in my own work with the following quick serial painting exercise.  I penciled in the same invented scene six times - each image just a small 2.5" x 3" in size to help me keep my design focus on big shapes only.  I then proceeded to watercolor each scene with a different combination of color and lighting to see how the emotional impact of the image would be transformed:

I attempted to focus on variations of mood as I explored each lighting and color combination.  Here are the results:

Variation 1:
Mood: Cheerful yet stately. 
Lighting: Full warm daylight from the front, upper left.  Crisp shadows cast toward the right.  Cool ambient light from the bright blue sky.  Warm reflected light from the ground plane.
Values: Dark trees, medium tone sky, light focal building with dark accents.
Colors: The full color wheel is represented - blue and yellow in the sky, orange in the pathways, green and red in the trees, violet in the shadows.  Colors are generally subdued slightly through blending and wet-on-wet mixing to avoid too many overly pure hues which could become cloying.

Variation 2:
Mood: Somber and autumnal. 
Lighting: Warm subdued orange back light from the left.  Slightly cooler ambient light to provide a subtle contrast of color temperatures across forms.  Reflected light is almost entirely absent to help give an impression of a low intensity lighting from the setting sun.
Values: Dark trees, light sky, medium value focal building with subdued details.
Colors: Colors are various saturations within the red-orange range.  Complementary contrast is introduced with a touch of ultramarine blue which was used to mute the foreground trees into the appearance of a foggy mist. 

Variation 3:
Mood: Romantic and earnest. 
Lighting: Warm direct sunlight from the front low right.  Cool violet ambient light to tone the shadows.  As in the previous example, reflected light is almost entirely absent to help give an impression of a low intensity lighting from the sun.
Values: A subdued value range with darker trees, medium toned sky, and lighter value focal building with crisp dark accents.
Colors: A muted blue-orange complementary contrast is employed.  Colors are tinted with a subtle warm rose hue to introduce a romantic note.  Saturations are kept fairly low to avoid tipping the emotional impact into the saccharine.  

Variation 4:
Mood: Enchanting. 
Lighting: Warm light from within the building.  Very muted violet ambient light from the sky.  Strong reflected light from the ground plane.  Up-lighting of trees and architecture.
Values: Light windows, darkly silhouetted building forms and trees, medium value sky.
Colors: A muted violet-yellow complementary contrast is employed.  As in the previous example, colors are tinted with a subtle warm rose hue to introduce a magical, romantic note.  

Variation 5:
Mood: Mysterious. 
Lighting: Warm light from a point source on the ground in front of the building.  Low key ultramarine ambient light from the sky.  Strong reflected light from the ground plane.  Up-lighting of trees and architecture similar to the previous example.
Values: Light architecture, dark trees, medium value sky.  Crisp shadows to indicate a strong primary light source.  The building's windows are almost identical in value to the building facade creating a "facelessness" that lends a sense of mystery.  (If the windows had instead been rendered strongly visible, this color and light combination would likely have taken on a grand and perhaps even triumphant appearance).
Colors: A fairly full spectrum of hues with blues, violets, reds, yellows, and greens, but almost all greatly muted with intermixing to create harmony. 

Variation 6:
Mood: Serene and ethereal. 
Lighting: Cool direct light from the front upper right - perhaps moonlight.  Low key ultramarine-cyan ambient light from the sky.  Very weak reflected light from the ground plane to help indicate a subdued primary light source.
Values: Light architecture, dark trees, medium value sky.  Soft shadows to indicate a subdued primary light source.  Darkened windows introduce a feeling of peaceful slumber, but also a slightly mysterious air.
Colors: The entire image is in the ultramarine-cyan blue range.  Ultramarine tends to look peaceful, while the slight cyan cast perhaps lends a bit of a mysterious feel to the scene.

Amazon: Color and Light - A Guide for the Realist Painter (by James Gurney)