PLANE Planes in architecture define three-dimensional volumes of mass and space.The properties ofeach plane-size.shape,color,texture-as well as their spatial relationship to one another ultimately determine the visual attributes of the form they define and the qualities of the space they enclose. In architectural design,we manipulate three generic types of planes: Overhead Plane The overhead plane can be either the roof plane that spans and shelters the interior spaces of a building from the climatic elements,or the ceiling plane that forms the upper enclosing surface of a room. Wall Plane The wall plane.because of its vertical orientation,is active in our normal field of vision and vital to the shaping and enclosure of architectural space. Base Plane. The base plane can be either the ground plane that serves as the physical foundation and visual base for building forms,or the floor plane that forms the lower enclosing surface of a room upon which we walk. PRIMARY ELEMENTS /19
PRIMARY ELEMENTS / 19 Planes in architecture define three-dimensional volumes of mass and space. The properties of each plane—size, shape, color, texture —as well as their spatial relationship to one another ultimately determine the visual attributes of the form they define and the qualities of the space they enclose. In architectural design, we manipulate three generic types of planes: Overhead Plane The overhead plane can be either the roof plane that spans and shelters the interior spaces of a building from the climatic elements, or the ceiling plane that forms the upper enclosing surface of a room. Wall Plane The wall plane, because of its vertical orientation, is active in our normal field of vision and vital to the shaping and enclosure of architectural space. Base Plane The base plane can be either the ground plane that serves as the physical foundation and visual base for building forms, or the floor plane that forms the lower enclosing surface of a room upon which we walk. PLANE
PLANAR ELEMENTS The ground plane ultimately supports all architectural construction.Along with climate and other environmental conditions of a site.the topographical character of the ground plane influences the form of the building that rises from it.The building can merge with the ground plane,rest firmly on it,or be elevated above it. The ground plane itself can be manipulated as well to establish a podium for a building form.It can be elevated to honor a sacred or significant place:bermed to define outdoor spaces or buffer against undesirable conditions;carved or terraced to provide a suitable platform on which to build:or stepped to allow changes in elevation to be easily traversed Scala de Spagna(Spanish Steps).Rome,1721-1725. Alessandro Specchi designed this civic project to connect the Piazza di Spagna with SS.Trinita de'Monti:completed by Francesco de Sanctis. Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Der el-Bahari,Thebes,1511-1480 B.C..Senmut. Three terraces approached by ramps rise toward the base of the cliffs where the chief sanctuary is cut deep into the rock. Machu Picchu,an ancient Incan city established c.1500 in the Andes Mountains on a saddle between two peaks,8000 ft. above the Urubamba River in south-central peru 20/ARCHITECTURE:FORM,SPACE,ORDER
20 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPACE, & ORDER The ground plane ultimately supports all architectural construction. Along with climate and other environmental conditions of a site, the topographical character of the ground plane influences the form of the building that rises from it. The building can merge with the ground plane, rest firmly on it, or be elevated above it. The ground plane itself can be manipulated as well to establish a podium for a building form. It can be elevated to honor a sacred or significant place; bermed to define outdoor spaces or buffer against undesirable conditions; carved or terraced to provide a suitable platform on which to build; or stepped to allow changes in elevation to be easily traversed. Scala de Spagna (Spanish Steps), Rome, 1721–1725. Alessandro Specchi designed this civic project to connect the Piazza di Spagna with SS. Trinita de’ Monti; completed by Francesco de Sanctis. .PSUVBSZ5FNQMFPG2VFFO)BUTIFQTVU, Dêr el-Bahari, Thebes, 1511–1480 B.C., Senmut. Three terraces approached by ramps rise toward the base of the cliffs where the chief sanctuary is cut deep into the rock. Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city established c.1500 in the Andes Mountains on a saddle between two peaks, 8000 ft. above the Urubamba River in south-central Peru. PLANAR ELEMENTS
PLANAR ELEMENTS Sitting Area,Lawrence House. Sea Ranch,California,1966,MLTW The floor plane is the horizontal element that sustains the force of gravity as we move around and place objects for our use on it.It may be a durable covering of the ground plane or a more artificial,elevated plane spanning the space between its supports.In either case.the texture and density of the flooring material influences both the acoustical quality of a space and how we feel as we walk across its surface. While the pragmatic.supportive nature of the floor plane limits the extent to which it can be manipulated,it is nonetheless an important element of architectural design.Its shape.color,and pattern determine to what degree it defines spatial boundaries or serves as a unifying element for the different parts of a space. Like the ground plane,the form of a floor plane can be stepped or terraced to break the scale of a space down to human dimensions and create platforms for sitting.viewing.or performing.It can be elevated to define a sacred or honorific place.It can be rendered as a neutral ground against which other elements in a space are seen as figures. Emperor's Seat,Imperial Palace,Kyoto,Japan,17th century Bacardi Office Building (Project),Santiago de Cuba, 1958,Mies van der Rohe PRIMARY ELEMENTS /21
PRIMARY ELEMENTS / 21 The floor plane is the horizontal element that sustains the force of gravity as we move around and place objects for our use on it. It may be a durable covering of the ground plane or a more artificial, elevated plane spanning the space between its supports. In either case, the texture and density of the flooring material influences both the acoustical quality of a space and how we feel as we walk across its surface. While the pragmatic, supportive nature of the floor plane limits the extent to which it can be manipulated, it is nonetheless an important element of architectural design. Its shape, color, and pattern determine to what degree it defines spatial boundaries or serves as a unifying element for the different parts of a space. Like the ground plane, the form of a floor plane can be stepped or terraced to break the scale of a space down to human dimensions and create platforms for sitting, viewing, or performing. It can be elevated to define a sacred or honorific place. It can be rendered as a neutral ground against which other elements in a space are seen as figures. Sitting Area, -BXSFODF)PVTF, Sea Ranch, California, 1966, MLTW #BDBSEJ0GGJDF#VJMEJOH (Project), Santiago de Cuba, 1958, Mies van der Rohe &NQFSPShT4FBU *NQFSJBM1BMBDF, Kyoto, Japan, 17th century PLANAR ELEMENTS
PLANAR ELEMENTS ■回口Π▣▣口■口口回▣口▣ S.Maria Novella,Florence,1456-1470. The Renaissance facade by Alberti presents a public face to a square. Exterior wall planes isolate a portion of space to create a controlled Uffizi Palace,1560-1565,Giorgio Vasari. interior environment.Their construction provides both privacy and This Florentine street defined by the two wings of the Uffizi protection from the climatic elements for the interior spaces of a Palace links the Piazza della Signoria with the River Aro. building.while openings within or between their boundaries reestablish a connection with the exterior environment.As exterior walls mold interior space.they simultaneously shape exterior space and describe the form, massing.and image of a building in space. As a design element,the plane of an exterior wall can be articulated as the front or primary facade of a building.In urban situations,these facades serve as walls that define courtyards,streets,and such public gathering places as squares and marketplaces. Piazza San Marco.Venice. The continuous facades of buildings form the"walls of the urban space. 22/ARCHITECTURE:FORM,SPACE,ORDER
22 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPACE, & ORDER Exterior wall planes isolate a portion of space to create a controlled interior environment. Their construction provides both privacy and protection from the climatic elements for the interior spaces of a building, while openings within or between their boundaries reestablish a connection with the exterior environment. As exterior walls mold interior space, they simultaneously shape exterior space and describe the form, massing, and image of a building in space. As a design element, the plane of an exterior wall can be articulated as the front or primary facade of a building. In urban situations, these facades serve as walls that define courtyards, streets, and such public gathering places as squares and marketplaces. 6GGJ[J1BMBDF, 1560–1565, Giorgio Vasari. This Florentine street defined by the two wings of the Uffizi Palace links the Piazza della Signoria with the River Arno. 1JB[[B4BO.BSDP, Venice. The continuous facades of buildings form the “walls” of the urban space. 4.BSJB/PWFMMB, Florence, 1456–1470. The Renaissance facade by Alberti presents a public face to a square. PLANAR ELEMENTS
PLANAR ELEMENTS 且1i1 A compelling way to use the vertical wall plane is as a supporting element in the bearing-wall structural system.When arranged in a parallel series to support an overhead floor or roof plane,bearing walls define linear slots of space with strong directional qualities.These spaces can be related to one another only by interrupting the bearing walls to create perpendicular zones of space. Peyrissac Residence,Cherchell.,Algeria,1942,Le Corbusier Country House in Brick(Project).1923,Mies van der Rohe In the project to the right.freestanding brick bearing walls,together with L-shaped and T-shaped configurations of planes,create an interlocking series of spaces. PRIMARY ELEMENTS /23
PRIMARY ELEMENTS / 23 1FZSJTTBD3FTJEFODF, Cherchell, Algeria, 1942, Le Corbusier In the project to the right, freestanding brick bearing walls, together with L-shaped and T-shaped configurations of planes, create an interlocking series of spaces. A compelling way to use the vertical wall plane is as a supporting element in the bearing-wall structural system. When arranged in a parallel series to support an overhead floor or roof plane, bearing walls define linear slots of space with strong directional qualities. These spaces can be related to one another only by interrupting the bearing walls to create perpendicular zones of space. $PVOUSZ)PVTFJO#SJDL (Project), 1923, Mies van der Rohe PLANAR ELEMENTS