The Perfect Principles

Children are told from an early age - "you have to have principles". So what are principles anyway? Principles are guidelines and rules that are followed and become a structure for our personalities and character as human beings, Similarly, in the built environment, architecture has a system of ordering principles that give structure to buildings.

AXIS

The axis is formed by connecting two points in space and can can allow spaces to be formed in a symmetrical or balanced way.

SYMMETRY

This is the balance of forms and spaces situated around the axis. This could be be balanced symmetrically or it could be visually balanced using asymmetry.

HIERARCHY

Hierarchy is a way to show the importance of a form or space by its size, shape or where it is placed in relation to the other elements of the environment.

DATUM

Datum uses a line, plane or volume to gather and organize a series of forms and spaces.

RHYTHM AND REPETITION

 This is the repetition  of elements or motifs that create a unifying movement.

TRANSFORMATION

This principle states that a concept or form can be altered and manipulated without losing it's original concept.