PART A

1. Aesthetics & design,
Borev, Yuri : Aesthetics.
Roger, Scranton: The Aesthetics of Architecture.
Sheppard, Anne : Aesthetics, An Introduction to the philosophy of Art.
Palmer, J. and Dodson M. (ed.): Design and Aesthetics.
Hauffe, Thomas : Design, An illustrated historical overview.
Course Teacher : K.M. Ulil Amor bin zaman
Lecturer, dept. of architecture ,
DUET,Gazipur.
r e f e r e n c e
part -b

2. Architectural ‘CRITICISM’

3. How architecture is judged/evaluated
• Theories (in term of which buildings should be evaluated)
about what architecture is are concerned with identifying
key variables – like space, structures or concepts.
For example, according to Bronu Zevi SPACE is the fundamental ingredient:
“to grasp space, to know how to see it, is the key to the understanding of building.”
Theorists often rely on analogies to see/evaluate architecture.
• Analogies provide a way to design task in hierarchical order.
So architects can know which things to think about FIRST of the design process.

4. The recurrent analogies to explain architecture:
 Mathematical analogy
 Numbers and geometry provide an important basis for decision making in
architecture.
 Pure form: cubes, cones, spheres, cylinders….. Most beautiful forms.
 Golden section/number has most often guide. Its proportion is 1 : 1.618
 Romantic Analogy
 It is evocative / suggestive
 an emotional response in the observer.

5.  Linguistic Analogy
 Convey information to observer
 Mechanical Analogy
 ‘a house is a machine for living’
 Object that are straight forward that simply express what they are and do,
will automatically beautiful.
 Problem-Solving Analogy
 Rational, logical, systematic approach to architectural design
 Adhocist Analogy
 Adhocist approach is to response to the immediate need.
 Pattern language analogy
 Typological , standard pattern of need. ( housing)

6. Architectural Criticism
• Criticism in architecture is the record of
responses to the built environment.
• It includes all not just negative ones.
• Sensitivity (Delicate discrimination;
especially of aesthetic values) rather than
judgment is the key feature of criticism.

7. Method of criticism
1. Normative criticism
2. Interpretive criticism
3. Descriptive Criticism

8. Normative Criticism
 It has as its basis either
 A doctrine
 form follows function, less is more, function should follow form. They
should express ideology, construction method, regional climate,
material ….
 A system
 It’s an assemblage of elements or principles that are interrelated.
 A systematic critique will be more comprehensive than one based upon
doctrines.
 “a building as a climate modifier, a behavior modifier, a cultural modifier and
a resource modifier”

9.  Type (expression of specific type of building)
 Its a generalized model for a specific class of things.
 Typical criticism may address itself to any of three aspects of a building:
1. its structure,
2. its Functional organization and
3. its form.
institutional or residential.
 Measurement
 its the assessment of a built environment against well-defined, usually
numerical standards.
 Is there a fire exit within 65 meter? (ergonomically, rational)
 These are based will be stated as either minimum, averages or preferred
conditions and reflect the various goals for the building.
Technical, functional, behavioral consideration.

10. Interpretive Criticism
• Its highly personal.
• The critic is an interpreter whose own vision is more important than
any external standards.
• It suggests a new way of seeing the object.

11. Descriptive Criticism
 It seeks to identify facts that are applicable to one’s encounter with a particular
environment.
 It does not judge, nor does it interpret.
 It simply helps people to see what actually exits.
 Its points out what the building is made of and how it is organized. Example:
circulation of museum
 Also explains how the building or urban setting works as a dynamic
environment.
 Finally it explain the process through which the building design was generated.