Architectural Theories of Design

4. Do not use large ceiling-to-floor glass windows or doors
without appropriate barriers .to prevent people from walk-
ing through them when they are closed.

5. Ground all electrical controls, cover outlets and other-
wise prevent people from receiving electric shocks.

6. Provide adequate illumination so that people can see
where they are going and avoid tripping over a walkway
obstruction or step.

7. Use nonskid materials on floors, walkways, and stairs,
especially if there is a possibility of their becoming wet.

8. Provide appropriate handrails around balconies and
alongside stairs and use railing designs that children can-
not fall through or get their heads caught in.

9. Cover moving parts of machines to prevent people from
getting their hands or clothing caught.

10. Avoid locating heaters where they can be touched inad-
vertently or where pilot lights could ignite the structure or
adjacent materials or cause an explosion as a result of gas
fumes from a nearby vehicle.

11. Provide adequate emerging escape routes that can be
used in the event that normal passage ways and exists
are impassable.

12. Consider the problems of window washing and of house
or building repair in terms of typical unsafe practices as-
sociated with ladders and scaffolds.

13. Provide appropriate fencing around special facilities from
which children should be barred (example-swimming
pools, high-voltage wires and heaters.

14. Provide fire sprinkler and alarm systems.

BUILDING MATERIALS AS
EXPRESSION OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
HONESTY OF EXPRESSION

This is a principle to be observed in connection with the use of materials. The materials of ar-
chitecture have the primary function of enclosing space for the protection of man's interest
and activities, an achievement which can be attained more satisfactorily by paying the pro-
per attention to the qualities of these materials.

438

Wood, stone, brick and glass have their own physical characteristics and are best suited to
various specific situations. Rough field stone would be inappropriate where the smooth sur-
face of polished marble is desired. Materials should also be used in a truthful manner and not
to hide or imitate. Concrete need not be painted to resemble wood or bricks, and terra cotta
is interesting enough to eliminate the necessity of treating it like stone.

Materials and construction should express in addition, the function of the building. Humble
materials should be used with simple structure, and the more ornate reserved for ambitious
buildings. Dishonesty should be avoided at all times. False fronts, useless columns inappro-
priate parapets, and spectacular roofs and domes usually detract from the functional and
aesthetic qualities·of architecture and should have no place in good design.

"Fals~ Front" -is a front wall which extends beyond the side wall of a building or above the
roof.

False ----r1'~,-~(--- r--

Front '111 __J'' LlI ---

SECTlOt-..1

ECONOMY OF MATERIALS

Correct specifications of materials for the type of structure is important. For instance, a
cheaper cost of material for a low cost house and a more expensive material for a luxurious
type of house.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS

For Simple Structure For Ambitious Buildings
1. Galvanized iron sheets. 1. Long span colored roof tiles.
2. Reinforced concrete wall brick walls.
2. Wood sidings concrete hollow block
walling. 3. Concrete slab with vinyl tile floor, gra-
nulithic or marble flooring.
3. Wood Flooring or cement tiles.

4. Plywood Ceiling. 4. Spraytex and acoustical boards.
5. Plywood Partitions. 5. Narra or pine board panelings .
6. Wood or steel windows. 6. Aluminum Frame Windows.
7. Flush doors. 7. Panel doors.

8. White tiles. 8. Colored tiles.

9. White toilet fixtures. 9. Colored fixtures.
10. Ordinary paint.
10. Expensive paints including textured
fini~hes or wall paper.

MATERIALS:

Building materials have certain physical properties to be structurally useful. Primarily, they

439

must be able to carry a load, or weight without changing shape permanently. When a load is
applied to a structural member, it wil deform; that is, a wire wiU stretch or a beam will bend.
However, when a load is removed, the wire and beam will come back to their original posi-
tions. This material property ie called ELASTICITY. If a material were not elastic and defor-
mation were present in the structure after the removal of the load, repeated loading and un-
loading eventually would increase the deformation to a point where the structure will
become useless.

All materials used in architectural structures, such as stone, brick, wood, steel, aluminum
reinforced concrete and plastics have become elastically within a certain defined range of
loading. If the loading is increased above that range, two types of behaviour can occur;
BRITTLE and PLASTIC : Brittleness win make a material br.,ak suddenly. While plasticity will
make the material flow at a certain load ultimately leading to fracture. The ultimate yield
strength of a material is measured by the stress at which failure occurs. As an example, steel
exhibits plastic behavior, while stone is brittle.

A second property of a building material is its STIFFNESS. This property is defined by the
elastic modulus, which is the ratio of the stress (force·per unit area) to the strain (deforma-
tion per unit length). The elastic modulus therefore is a measure of the resistance of material
to deformation under load. For two materials equal area under the same load, the one with
the higher elastic modulus has the smaller deformation. Structural steel which has an elastic
modulus of. 30 million pounds per square inch (psi) or 2, 100,00 kilograms per square cen-
timeter,'is 3 times stiffer as aluminum, 10 times as stiff as concrete and 15 times as stiff as
wood.

THE VISUAL EXPRESSION OF MATERIAL

Architecturally speaking, to produce means always to produce in some material-but in the
theoretical analysis it is necessary to make a distinction between the two concepts. Any des-
cription of the expression of material must, however involve a description of how different
production and finishing methods are more 'natural' to a given material than others.

I. THE MATERIALS OF NATURE/ANCIENT MATERIALS

1. Wood

For building purposes and for furniture, wood can be used .in its natural state. Many
different kinds of tools can, however be used for cutting and sawing. Wood, can be
b'>wed and, with modern techniques, bent into complicated curved surfaces. Such
production methods permit a good materiai elCpression of the wood .

A bent Wood

440

Wood is not so permanent as masonry but with proper care has been known to last
for centuries. Wood i$ used for structural purposes like framings, posts, roof trusses,
girders, etc. carved wood for interior decorations, and other uses like sidings, panel-
ings, floorings.
Wood may be used in its rough state surface, or planed and smoothed.

2. Stone

The great building material of nature, one of the oldest and perhaps the most perma-
nent.

a. Gnmlte - is a coarse-grained stone and should be.used for large, bold forms with

little carving. It Is the hardest and perhaps the most durable of the building
stones. It is often applied to base courses where protection is desired. In a polished
form it frequently employed as shafts of columns with limestone or terra-cotta
capitals and bases. The nature of the material makes it very adaptable to monu -
mental work. ·
b. Slfndstone-The various sandstone range in color from white to different tints of
red and brown or blue and gray. This material is popular for use in buildings whose
characters lean more to informality than to formality. They give variety and inte-
rest, and the textures of their walls have found favor in different structures.
c. Marble - is a limestone which is sufficiently close in texture to admit of being
polished. It may be divided into two classes, 1) Brecciated marble is composed of
angular fragments, 2) the serpentine marbles are prized for variegated patterns
and often used in large. Flat planes.

d . Limestone-has a fine, even texture, and its colors range from a light cream to a
buff and from a light gray to a darker, bluish gray. It is an excellent wall or exterior
stone and leads itself very well to carving.

441

3. Leather

Characterized by its high degree of plastic malleability which it requires through the
soaking process it undergoes during manufacture. After drying it is no longer mallea-
ble but keeps its form unless a special process enables it to keep its flexibility.

4. Ceramic Materials

Can be manufactured in many different ways. Clay can be used to make bricks, roof-
ing tiles, or toilet tiles, clay pot. Thus the form of a ceramic object does not always tell
us as much about the material as to the colour and texture.

clay rot::f" tile Tiles 'fcmacotta

5. Metal

At an early stage, objects of iron and other metals were cast in forms. Today, rolling
and pressing are perhaps the most important manufacturing method.

Steel has qualities of strength but light. It requires less area than solid masonry. Its
structural design may be computed accurately, a saving in space and cost. lt permits
prefabrication in the shop so that less labor is required upon a crowded site. Slabs
and thin sheets of it and other metals can have been developed for surface cover-
ings.

a. BronzB - is one of oldest of alloys composing chiefly of copper and tin. It is cast
into shape and lends itself to the tr-eatment of many architectural features. Its per-
manency and beauty have stood the test of time. Banking screens and shop
fronts, doors and grilles, hardware and lighting fixtures, are constructed of th is
material. It is capable of receiving numerous textures and colors. THe splendor
and polish of bronze require fine marbles and formal architectllre as a setting.

442

b. Wrought Iron -The delicacy and spon-
taniety of wrought iron harmonize with
rougher surfaces and INFORMALITY.
W.l. is distinguished from other metals
by the manner in which it is produced
and by the final effect obtained. Instead
of being cast it is worked upon the anvil
while it is hot or cooling. Iron bars, rods,
and plates are heated and then ham-
mered and twisted into the attenuated
forms so characteristic of wrought iron.
The heavy effects of cast iron should not
be interpreted with wrought, nor should
the drawn character or wrought iron be
interpreted in cast. Wrought iron is elas-
tic and fibrous; Cast iron is brittle.

Skowmg t11e delicacy CJI1d g-ac.s of a
wrougrrt-1mt1 5C~. A +ruthfUl

expr-e55ion of +ne drmm and hammered

quali1y of tHe metal. 5.Tritrita, florence.

The workmanship of the artist is important in the production of wrought iron.
W .I. is honest and frank in its appeal. The hammer marks may be seen, the joints
and structural elements are part of the design.

Wrought iron is used for brackets, grilles. hinges, locks, gates, balconies. It can
have wood as a back drop for its design.

Wrought- iro11 f1i11ge frcm mai11 doorof ~. Trvpl1ime, Aries,

Sturdy aM1tJit1atio11 of wood a~ mek!l.

443

c. Copptlr-the ductility of copper makes it particularly adaptable for cornices,
spandrels, roofing. The protective green carbonate which forms upon the surface
gives an interesting quality to the material.

d. LBBd-a flexible and permanent material. It may be poured into interesting
shapes, cast, rolled or hammered, patterns may be beaten into its surface. It is
best used in sheets to cover or enclose, and as such may be decorated in a fitting
manner. Since it is a soft material, the detail of the ornament should be simple in
character. Lead is a essentially a surface material, and must not be pulled as a bar
or bent as U. I. whenim antimony is use as an alloy to lead, hard lead Is produced
and may now be cast into grilles for openings.

e. Chrome-Nickel Steel-a hard, non-corrosive metal and can be worked like
many others, leading itself to welding, stamping and forging. It may be polished
or left dull, or even enamelled in color. It is used in interiors for doors, panels,
grille or railings. It gives a brilliant, shining surface which is compatible with the
spirit of contemporary architecture.

f. Aluminum -are of the white metals and is noted tor its lightness. It is non-corro-
sive (non-ferrous) and non-staining, and can be cast or forged into various shapes
in order to secure the desired designs. It is used for shop fronts, doors, grilles,
hardware and exterior covering.

Some new aluminum products are colored dark brown or "ANALOK" finish. This
is a more expensive material and gives a more sophisticated character.

g. Monel Metal-a mixture of nickel and copper with an addition of iron, silica and
manganese, giving a surface resembling that of a nickel. Again it is non-corrosive
and is permanent in its physical qualities. Doors and grilles, balustrades and
screens find a satisfactory expression in this material.

Graceful. curved Ji}1e5 executa::J lJicl<le Gilver attd mat171e,
it1 mo11el metal. 5implicity. PhotDs. ~i~ticated" nchne:;9.

of metal by l11ternatio11al Nickel Cottternp?tary, amveHtionalizcd

Go. or11ameHt

444

h. Nickel SilVers-ideal for interior work. Their soft, dull textures and t~nes co~­
bine well with the marble and wood of contemporary designs, or may f1nd use 1n

connection with more stylistic types of architecture. ·

6. Glass

the art of glass blowing is a very old technique but is stilt included as a rational
method of production today. Glass like metal can be cast and rolled a manufactured
in some other way. The artist of glass strives to express the material he is using. The
most important sensations are volume colour, (Transparency) a stiff haptic form,
tactile hardness, smoothness and coldness.

Nature

Glass is a hard, brittle, and usually transparent substance manufactured by fusing to-
gether some form of silica and a base of lime or lead oxide. It is another ceramic pro·
duct, made possible by the powerful element of fire. Glass has made possible the de·
velopment of cheerful interior. It has made possible the open, flexible plan and has
promoted the close relationship which exists in the present generation between the
interior of a building and nature out-of-doors. Glass admits light while, it keeps out
the rain and cold.

Trat1spartmt Use

opaque The modern use of glass has assumed so many forms. Glass has been co-
lored and rolled into various shapes for many architectural uses in a build-
Tinted ing. Combined with metal, it is made into furniture and equipment. Where a
sense of cleanliness is desired; it is used for wall coverings and paneling.

aWhere a decorative note is needed upon the interior, its black, shining sur-

face may assist in producing a mantel,· fountain, or the trim of a door.
Upon the exterior, its shows promise of becoming one of the imporumt
building materials, in collaboration with steel. Its light Weight and its pro-
duction in large, thin sheets with permanent colors and textures recom-

mend it as an enclosing medium. It may be used in the form of glass blocks

which admit light but retain privacy.

For a more romantic point of view, light is directed through colored glass.
The product is the stained-glass, which for centuries has been used in
mediaeval cathedrals. The glory of these cathedrals lies in its beautiful win-

dows with their scintillating beams of ruby and blue, which , by contrasting

with the dark piers relieve an otherwise, sombre interior.

;~i:;. -~

·. ~" r.;·<· .~. .. ~.
~.

cut .-,..;;;:.
de5igvt

Thin·architectural Glasc; blOCk~

gla65 Placi<fdark tf1ir1 ardli~rol

type (30X.30) ptait1 mirror type(:!O~.?iO)

Arry d~ig11 cutt1Mg; 445
will do, thi~ an::;hitedural

g IaG6 i6 gJua-::j iv a

piam 9-Jrf.ace.

For modern designs, stained glass is being employed for character dining/ restauran ts. In
designing stained-glass windows, factors to be kept in mind are:
1. The character of the glass should be established by the nature of the surrounding archi-

tecture which may be Gothic, Renaissance or even modern .
2. The dominance of color or design will be subordinate to the color. Realism is not expres-

sive of the conventional combinations necessary with glass and lead
3. The position of the window and the source
of the light should materially affect the
choice of colors. If the w indow is on the
north, there should be more of the transpa-
rent or light-admitting colors; it upon the
south, more of the darker tones.
In the construction of a stained glass wind-
ow the individual pieces of colored glass are
held t ogether by lines, or cames, of lead .
and these strips of metal should contribute
to the design in addition to being structural.
The ca mes should follow the contours of the
various Figures in the design, and the pleas-
ing combination of dark lines and brilliant
areas should be the chief objective of the de-
sign er.

446

7. Textiles
The foremost characteristic of textiles is the intertwining of weft with the warp. If a
printed pattern is applied to a uniformly coloured piece of textile, a bad expression
will be given to the pro~uction technique as well as the material itself. The con-
noisseur therefore evaluates, the printed pattern much lower than the woven one. A
typical, often consciously used indication of the 'true' expression is to be found in a
slight, stiff angularity at the details of the pattern.

- ----..- ----·--- ----- - --·-- - - - -

II . NEW MATERIALS
8. Concrete
A new material in use, concrete is becoming more and more dominant and which
has, in a certain sense, a relationship to other modern techniques. The Romans in-
vented concrete without reinforcement. In manufacturing concrete tod1:1y, mathema-
tical calculations are used which give the modern milieu an artificial touch in its ex-
pression of material and structure.

A unit, like a building or any other object, can be articulated in two different ways. lt

can either be composed of details themselves definite units, assembled to make a
larger unit. As for example, the Greek Temple , a vintage car or a tea pot . This is the
ARCHITECTONIC FORM. Or else the articulation can be made in such a way that
the details seem to have grown out of a single form rather like the limbs on the body
of a man or the branches on a tree with no clear boundaries between the main trunk
and the body. This is the 'ORGANIC' form.

TWA Ai~rt Tent1it1al. Jokrt F. l<ettnedy a modern ~ilver- po-t

air[XJr t. 447

Concrete is evidently more suitable for the creation of 'organic' form that any other
material, and such forms can obviously express the possibilities of the material and
give the expression of concrete. 'Architectonic' form, however, can also be created
in concrete as the construction of prefabricated concrete elements shows.
Concrete has strength, and a surface and texture capable of contributing to the aes-
thetic quality of a building. Its most important characteristic is its FLUIDITY. It is the
only important building material that can be poured into place and made to assume a
variety of shapes. Using only local stone, sand and portland cement, concrete then is
an international material and only assumes national characteristiCs under the
guidance of an architect.
The surfaces which are produced by wooden or metal forms may be treated in a
number of ways. They may be left as they come from the forms, with the marks
showing.

wnen wro:::l form ts removd,

trre IM:X'd grai11 will t::e

·lmpr.intect

--a t~ick ROPE COt1 tA9 p/aQ:d here b9fbre

~rmg C01Crete. Wkerr 'tt nardetr$ I remove
tl1e rv~ am it well leave a pri11t.

If the form marks are too conspicuous or uneven, or coarse, the surface may be
ground or rubbed until the desired effect is obtained.
448

In many cases, it is necessary to apply a stucco or cement finish to the concrete
walls.

combinatiot1 rotgl-1 r-ougl1 fi11i~h

texture at1d -:;maJth fini~~

Some Masonry finishes which come with concrete are:

1. Washout finishes using cement mortar mixed with pebble stones, broken glass,
etc.

2. Synthetic Stones - when broken stones are hammered to pieces and mixed with
plaster . After the plastered finish is dry and hardened, it is chiseled or pounded
w ith an axe to expose the stones and give it a rough texture.

9. Plastics

Another new group of artificial materials more and more in use is that group known
as plastics. However the different types of plastics all show the same architectural
difficulty, that of giving objects created in this material a good expression of the ma-
terial. From the beginning, plastic objects have been imitations of other forms, but
are increasingly assuming a definite style of their own today.

Plastics may be used for many parts of a building , especially for the space-enclosing
surfaces-such as walls, windows, floors, and ceilings and for equipment-such as
furniture and accessories.

Plastics may be moulded, cast, extruded, and laminated, depending upon their com-
position and use.

The plastics that can be cast and extruded may take on various sizes and shapes.
They may come as sheets, rods, strips, cylinders, cones - in fact, in almost any con-
ceivable geometric form. Sheets of plastics in a variety of color and thickness and in
a degree of transparency and opaqueness can be used for walls, ceilings and doors;
while strips of the materials can be bent into table legs, chair backs, or light reflec-
t o rs.

The laminated plastics consist of thin sheets of synthetic materials veneered to a ply-
wood or fiberboard base. They may come in many colors and textures, either for de-
corative or functional purposes, and are capable of resisting water, acid, fire or wear.
This group may also include resin-bonded plywoods which are strong, light and
durable.

In general, plastic open up new sources of inspiration in the f ield of architectural
design. They remove many of the limitations of old materials and offer increased op-
portunities for the development of a new architecture. Plastics may be sawed, cut,
bent, drilled, and treaded. They are smooth , hard, permanent, light in weight, t rans-
parent or opaque, and durable in finish and color. They challenge the imagination of
the modern designers.

449

BIOTECTURE AND

THE NATURE OF MAT. ERIALS

'

1 word element meaning life, living things.

ake,tch or a plan presents an idea; but materials make it possible to construct the building
which represents the conception of the creative mind of the architect.

Two groups of building materials with reference to their source and their preparation for use.

FIRST GROUP: Those which are the direct product of nature,
such as wood and stone. These come to the
wood u5ed dire~ctly hands of man as a gift from the forests and the
quarries and require only shaping and minor con-
for Ia] capi11 ditioning for the place they are to occupy in the
building. Often it may be possible to use these two
materials directly without preliminary work of any
kind, except that of transportation.

strne dr'rwtly

~

dreSiGBd sto~e
450

SECOND GROUP:

Constitu tes the majority of our building materials, and require manipulation by the hands of
man before they acquire their finished form .

Nature has given us clay and ore, but they are simply the raw products and must be manu-
fa ctured into usable commodities .

CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIALS:

I. NATURE: (direct product of nature)

STON E - Limestone, granite, marble, sand- PR EPARATION
stone. by cutting and dressing.

WOOD - structural and decorative. Cutting and surface dressing.

II. MAN (Manufactured by Manl from clay
from clay

CERAMICS - brick, tile, Terracotta, glass by moulding.

CONCRETE pawed in form

METAL - steel. iron, lead, copper , alumi- Cast metals are moulded.
num, alloys. Wrought iron is pulled and ham·
mered into the desired shape and
design.

PLASTICS Moulded
Other new materials Mixed processes.

INDIGENOUS MATERIALS

I. SOURCES

1. Inorganic
Like stones, clay, adobe.

2. Organic
Like abaca, bagasse, bamboo, coconut (trunk. leaves, husk ) sea shells (such as
'kapis'), lumber, cane wood (rattan} rice husk, nipa palm, animal dung, cogan, runo,

etc·

II. QUALITIES

A. Structure: Properties that determine the reac-
tion of the material under stresses and its work-
ability with tools when used as a construction
material such as its compressive strength, ten-
sile. characteristics, porousity, lightness, hard-
ness, durability, rigidity, gracefulness and flexi-
bility of use.

B . Physical Aspects: Properties that determine
the esthetic properties of the material such as
texture, tonal QlJality, color, sheen. etc.

C. Inherent Weaknesses of the Material such as
rotting, (moisture} corrosion, susceptibility to
infection by termites, "bukbok" and similar
pests, discoloration, (solar radiation), fungus
growth.

D. Life Span of the Material.

E. Other inherent properties such as weight,

water resistance. heat resistance, insulating

value, acoustic value. etc . 45 1

Ill. APPLICATIO"' AS· A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

A. Structural Components F. Finishing Material
B. Flooring Material G. Binder/Additive/Filler
C. Walling Ma~erial H. Ornamental Material
D. Ceiling Material
E. Roofing Material I. Waterproofing Material
J. Glazing Material
IV. USEFUL TABLE FOR EACH MATERIAL

QUALITIES APPLICATION

MATERIAL STRUCTURE P.HYSICAL INHERENT LIFE OTHER USES
ASPECTS WEAKNESSES SPAN PROPERTIES

Indigenous-means originating in and characterizing a particular region or country, native.

V. SOME INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
1. Sawali-outer covering of bamboo poles as a woven material for cement backing.

2. Cococoir -a coconut product by-product in sandwich panels for insulation and to
minimize the use of cement.

452

3. Bagaase -(sugar cane wastes) and rice husks f:>r insulation or cement backing.

4. Abaca - a f ibre obtained from the leafstalk of a banana p lant native to the Philip-

pines.
5. Bamboo -commonly used throughout the humid tropics for house construction.

Main Characteristics

- low degree of elasticity.
- low concrete adhesion.
- limited range of practicable culm diameters and lengths.
- wide variability of moisture content.
Bamboo can also be used to reinforce concrete and can lead to substantial savings
and increased rural employment .

tt<XJeslmait1 rni11forett~ettt c ulm

1v Pe exposed upwards

50ttfl11

max1mum

6. Palm Frond Stems
These are used for non-structural panels, curtain walls, screens, and as a base for
plastering. To construct a house using this material, one first prepares a timber
framework of vertical posts and beams with pre-assembled parrels of palm frond
stems tied onto it to form walls. As they are both highly susceptible to termites, the
timber framework and the palm frond stems have usually to be replaced every 4 to 5
years. However, by using anti-termite shields and by raising the construction above
the ground , the life span of such a structure can be increased to 15 years.

453

7. Earth and Mud Bricks
The most common material of rural construction in the tropics is earth and mud. Mud
walls are often built straight on the bed level of excavations which may vary from 15
to 30 em. below ground level. Flat mud roofs are usually constructed by placing
wooden joists at suitable intervals, covered by planks or bamboos. Twigs and leaves
are then superimposed and topped off by mud which is tamped. screeded, and plas-
tered. Floors are generally made up by dressing and levelling the ground surface,
compacting, and then finishing with a wash of cow dung. As improved version of
this flooring techniques is to ram earth up to the plinth level and finish off with one inch
of clay mixed with river gravel.
Because mud has less strength than most other construction materials, mud walls
are built thicker. Partly due to the thickness of mud walls and partly due to its low
thermal conductivity, rooms built of mud are much cooler in hot climates than those
of any material. Heat builds up on the exterior of concrete walls and roofs due to
solar radiation and surface temperatures usually exceed air temperatures. Concrete
surface being thin and of low resistance conduct heat into the interiors. Mud walls
heat up to a lesser extent during the day and deter the flow of heat so that air temper-
atures in the interior are below those outside, while at night the temperatures are
above those prevailing outside. Thus mud bricks have a beneficial effect in hot, dry
climates which experience a wide fluctuation between day and night temperatures.
As mud bricks are small and can be easily cut and trimmed they allow great flexibility
so that adjustments can easily be made during process of construction. As they are
brittle, they do not stand up well to tension. For this reason, the vault and the dome
was evolved in the EAST. A cross-section of the vault, has a form very similar to an
inverted 'catenary' a catenary is the form that a chord as string will take when it is
hanging freely between two points of support and acted on by no force other than
gravity. However, an inverted catenary experiences only compressive forces with no
bending or tension. A vault appro~imating this shape is ideal for mud brick roofing
and will resemble a "shell structure".

As mud is used to make both mortar for the vault and the bricks for the walls; the
bonding will be better because the surfaces will dissolve and fuse together on drying.

454

Inside View of Hut using Local straw for material for roofing.

455

·sMART HOUSES' OF THE FUTURE

By: RAJ GOPAL VERMA

NEW DELHI-Early morning, a melodious voice wakes vou up: "Good morning. It's six a.m. big day ahead."

If you do not respond, the voice becomes more insistent nagging you till you are awake. Meanwhile, the curtains of
your bedroom windows would part automatically; the shower in the bathroom starts as soon as you are ready and
the coffee begins to brew.

This may sound like a fant8$'f. But wall, it is a moderate estimate of the "house of the future" which will respond to
your orders and no one else's, because security sensors recognize your voice. Already there are several hundred
such "smart houses" all over the world, designed around central compt~ters that control .utility and security
systems, appliances and even music and fountains.

While you are out, your house continues to perform programmed tasks: starting the dishwasher and watering the
garden, opening the gate to certain people and activating recordings of household noises to deter burglars. The
commands can be changed on telephone. If you are ahead of schedule, call home to adjust temperature and
humidity klvela, tum on the sauna and feed the cat. Video consoles provide security because an in-built computer
can distinguish vou from other persons.

The ''smart houses" in Japan and the US have security and decorative lights automatically switching on in se·
quence after dark. If motion detectors in any room sense on human presence after 30 minutes, the lights switch off.
Temperature and humidity are adjusted for night·time comfort. Should late night snackers head towards the kit·
chens, lights will come on, one at a time, to show the way.

Of late, a Japanese firm has launched a number of home appliances operable by means of telephone instructions.
Washer-driers, rice cookers, eletric irons, cleaning robots, refrigerators •.. all fully automated and test manufac·
tured, are being commercialized shortly.

The fully-automated rice cooker sucks up a programmed amount of rice from a storage chest and bran is whisked
away during cooking by an electronic brush. Cooking instructions may be set in advance by telephone so that the
boiled rice is ready whep the owner arrives home. The electric iron has no cord, but heats through induction. After
being placed on an ironing board, built-in-electro-magnetic coils heat the iron, which can be used for many hours.

The cleaning robot moves around the room, avoiding obstacles using an ultrasonic wave sensor. Whenever it en·
counters dust accumulation the robot's sucking force automatically increases. The refrigerator has a liQuid crystal
door, which turns transparent at the flick of a switch, enabling one to see what is inside.

If you are driving back from the city and are caught in a traffic snarl, you dial home on your earphone to report the

delay. The house computer then delays the normal sequence of operations, but activates the video recorder to

catch the tale-serial you might want to see had you been at home. It also adjusts cooking and heating settings to
coincide with vour delayed arrival.

Tomorrow's cars will be unlocked and started with plastic cards while driverswould have to check their routes on
computer. Standard equipment will include dashboard navigation systems akin to that on aircraft cockpits, speaker·
telephones, ergonomic seats and voice alerts to rouse drowsy drivers. Sensors detecting oncoming objects will trig·
ger the brakes, accelerator or the eteering wheel to avert danger. On electronically gridded super highways, drivers
can put their vehicles on automatic drive and snooze while zooming towards their destinations.

The technology to manufacture these gadgets already exists today. But #le danger of incompatible systems also ex·
ists. It is no good having a remote control video recorder or a burglar alarm if vour neighbor's dishwasher is ac-
tivated simultaneously.

In 1986, the European Commission had awarded a handsome sum of money to seven companies to design com·
inunication standards for electric devices in homes which could work on mains wiring, infra-red, radio waves and
various types of cable and ultimately optical iibres. Products so designed will be registered by a special logo.

In future homes, robots will provide much-needed relief to housekeepers. Today, furniture is unnecessary heavy,
because thick pieces of wood, metal and plastic are needed to withstand the stresses imposed by people and ob-
jects. Technologists are now developing new materials that are far stronger than anything we are used to and yet,
extremely lightweight.

A future housekeeper will be able to literally lift a sofa with a fing&f. And it may not even need to be lifted, if it has a

motor and is voice commendable. The robots that clean the floors and rugs may be able to order the sofa to move
out of the way while it does the cleaning. iPNA/PTII

456



HUMAN FACTORS

SOCIOCULTURAL VARIABLES

It is important to recognize that people with different cultural backgrounds view architectu-
ral features differently. Some of the more important differences to evaluate are:

1. ATTITUDES TOWARD PRIVACY

Some cultural groups demand complete privacy, others appreciate privacy, and still
others rely merely on subtle cues that signal a desire for privacy.

2. FAMILY STRUCTURE

In certain cultural groups, several generations live together within a single dwelling
{grandparents with married child and grandchildren) In others, several families live in se-
parate but joined dwellings; and in still others, the family memb~rs function as individuals
partially separated within the single dwelling.

3. THE ROLE OF WOMEN

In some cultural groups. women are isolated, in others, the distinction relates entirely to
functional factors (ex: the mother-child relationship); and in still others, completely non-
segregated attitudes prevail (ex: the work,.ing wife whose husband shares the household
tasks eQually).

4. RECREATIONAL PATTERNS

Some families are oriented toward more formal and sedentary recreational pursuits;
others are more physically oriented, usually toward outdoor activities; and still others are
travel-oriented and treat facilities merely as a temporary base of operations.

5. SHOPPING HABITS
Some families shop on the basis of day-to-day replenishment, and others shop infrequent-
ly but store for the long run.

6. JOB PATTERNS

To some, the job is a means to an end, (in which case, ease of getting back home is ex-
tremely important) others are job-oriented and would just as soon the separation between
home and job remain clear and distinct; and still others prefet to work at home and thus
desire a single living and working setting .

7. TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE

Although technology continues to advance even to the most.primitive areas. care must
be exercised not to assume that all cultures either want or will appreciate many of the
amenities offered by the more technologically advanced societies, especially if these
destroy certain living patterns held sacred for ethnic or religio(Js reasons.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Architect is usually concerned about whether the user will be attracted by the design of
the community, home, building, or other structural edifice-not only when it is first ob-
served, but also is it is occupied over a long period of time. The adjustment between descrip-
tors will be different types of architectural systems. For example, the objectives for a
satisfactory home environment are notnecessarily the same as those for a satisfactory office

458

or factory environment. By the same token, similar adjustment is required for subsystems
within the home, office, or factory; ex: the psychological needs in the bedroom are different
f rom those in the bathroom, and the needs of t he production department are different from

those of the company library.

SEMANTIC DESCRIPTORS FOR ASSESSING

OBSERVABLE PHYSICAL FEATURES

IN ARCHITECTURE ~16 -o.5p=tgOU5H6~

·ra ad1f8Ve

ATTf?At: T IV~Na9.5

FACTOR CATEGORI ES : DESCRIPTION SCALING EXAMPLES
SPACIOUSNESS
FR IENDLINESS Generous Cramped
VARI ETY Ample Limited
UTILITY Empty Crowded
RATIONALITY
FLEXIBILI T Y Warm Cold
ACCESSIBILITY Intimate Detached
SECU RITY Relaxed Stiff
APPEARAN CE
Stimulating Boring
Dynamic Static

Diverse Monotonous

Purposeful Unnecessary
Efficient Confusing
Practical Frivolous

Organized Uncoordinated
Logical Confusing
Simple Complex

Adjustable Constrained
M obile Fixed
Expandable Contained

Open Closed
Di rec t Indirect
Formal Casual

Familiar Unknown
Safe Uncerta in
Protected Exposed

Graceful Awkward
Contemporary Obselete
Meaningf ul Obscure

459

PERSONAL SPACE

Individuals perceive their relationships with others in term$ of the distance between them-
selves and the people they can see. At least four distinct territorial categories have been de-
fined by various researchers:

1. PUBLIC: Those areas where the individual has freedom of access, but not of action.

2. HOME: Those areas where the regular participants have regular freedom of behavior and
a sense of control over the area ..

3. INTERACTIONAL: Those areas where social gatherings may occur. An invisible bound-
ary and a territorial claim are implicit, though not officially promulgated by the people pre-
sent .

4. BODY: The area immediately surrounding the individual's body. This area is most private
and inviolate to the individual.

Many factors are relatea to the individual's need for personal space:

1. The desire to converse privately in a subdued voice.

2. The desire to interact intimately with a lovea one.

3. The desire to avoid physically contact with another person or the offensive odor of ano-
ther person.

4. The desire to see the eyes of another person clearly.

5. The desire to view another person completely at a single glance.

6. The desire to be an observer, but not an active participant.

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL SPACE

The areas that you will be designing must accomodate more than physical objects and
physical needs. Since all aspects of space are interrelated and interdependent, we must not
isolate them.

1. "PHYSICAL SPACE" -or the Ultimate environment that we see and use, should be
determined through an analysis of human behavior and what function the space is to sup-
port. Human behavior is highly psychological and sociological. You don't just embrace
someone; a psychological feeling provokes you to do it. Someone doesn't merely hit or
box another person; usually a psychological feeling will be behind it.

460 2. "PERSONAL SPACE" -is largely a psycho-concept. People are often unaware of their
need for space around them. Physically, all people need a certain amount of space sur-
rounding them in order to feel secure. The amount and shape of this space varies de-
pending upon the individual and the activity. For instance, a person engaged in conver-
sation with a close friend may feel quite comfortable with eighteen (18) inches 0.45 m of
space separating them, but this distance would be intolerable in a formal business
meeting of two corporate executives.

The spatial distances that people select can also in-
fluence the mood of the activity. A doctor who sits
behind an imposing desk in an equally imposing ex-
ecutive chair and speaks to you as you sit six feet
(1.00) away irr a smaller, obviously inferior chair, will
probably convey a formal feeling to you. and as a pa-
tient, you may not desire to be treated in such a dis-
tant man ner. The information you are about to hear
from the doctor may be unfamiliar and disturbing
enough for you to want a more personal approach.

On the other hand, a doctor who chooses to aban-
don the security of his desk and chair and.sit closer to
you without the barrier of the desk between you will
usually make you feel more at ease. You may feel
that you are being treated more as an individual than
just another heart, broken leg, or tooth in a'file. The
absence of the desk as a barrier, therefore, in~cates
a psychological as well as a physical closeness; it
probably makes the patient feed important to the
physician, thereby possibly improving their commu-
nication and understanding. Sq you see, the proper,
sensitive use of space can affect human be~avior in a
POSITIVE manner.

On the other hand, close contact with other people
can have NEGATIVE effects some people experience
this feeling, for example in an elevator. When a per-
son enters an elevator alone and have all the elevator
space comfortably for himself he feels totally at ease
knowing that this small, vertically moving bit of
space is his castle, but upon ascending, the elevator
stops, accomodates say two people and he feels that
his personal space rights are violated. Then after two
floors 6 to 7 people enterS again and this time h~ is
pushed behind and at a corner, and so feels totally
robbed of his personal space.

At times, other R90ple just seem to get too close to
you and you begin to feel uncomfortable, although
you may not always know precisely why. You exp~ri­
ence this when you are reading a newspaper and
someone is breathing down your neck reading also
your newspaper. The concept of perSonal space is,
indeed, a personal one.

Everyone demands a certain amount of space around
them. Formality and informality imply different dis-
tances, for example. We can emphasize or imply
formality by increasing the space separating the peo-
ple conversing . Less space tends to convey informal-
ity. Intimacy shrinks the distance between people to
inches. Each situation at the proper time allows peo-
ple to feel very much at ease.

There are Four (4} DISTANCE ZONES

A. Intimate Distance-"involvement with
another body"

a. Close Phase-distance of love-
making, wrestling, comforting and
protecting, however, sharp vision is
blurred.

461

.15

b. Far Phase -(distance from .15 to
.45) Head~, thighs and pelvis are not
easily brought into contact, but
hands can reach and grasp extremi-
ties. The head is seen as enlarged in
size and its features are distorted
voice is used as a whisper, and the
other persons odor and heat is felt.

B. Personal Distance - " Separating the

members of non-contact species by a
Bubble or sphere.

a. qJosB Phase -(0.45 to 0.75 m) At
this distance one can hold or grasp
the other person . The three dimen-
sional quality of objects is particularly
pronounced.

b. FarPhase-(0.75to 1.20m) Keeping

someone at arm's length. It extends

I from a point just outside easy touch-

I ing distance by one person to a point
I
I
I where two people can touch fingers if

' they extend both arms. Head size is

perceived as normal. Details of skin,

dirt on clothing, stain on teeth is visi-

ble.

Voice level is moderate. No body heat
is perceptible.

462

C. Social Distance- "limit of Domination" . Intimate visual detail in the face is not

perceived, and nobody touches or expects to touch another person ~:~nless there is
some special effort.

a. Close Phsse- (1.20 to ~.10) At dis-
tance of 2. tom, the whole figure can
be seen. Head is perceived as normal.

Impersonal business occurs at this
distance; This is a distance used for
casual social gathering.

To stand and look down at a person
at this distance has a domineering ef-
fect, as when a man talks to his secre-
tary or receptionist.

b. FQr Phase- 12.10 m to· 3.60 m) At
this distance, the finest details of the
face such as the capillaries of the
eyes, are lost. But otherwise, skin
texture, hair, teeth and clothes condi·
tion are \lisib\e.

Heat and odor are not detectable.

A proxemic feature of this distance is
that it can be used to insulate or
screen people from each other. The
distance makes it possible for them to
continue to work in the presence of
another person without appearing to
be rude. This is best for receptionists.

D. Public Distance -

a. Class Phsss -(3.60 to 7.50 m) at 3.60 m, an alert subject can take evasive or de-
fe~~ve action if threatened.
The voice is loud but not full-volume. The fine details of the skin, and eyes are no
longer visible. Head size is perceived as considerably under life-size.

463

7.!i"D M.

Hr-!r---·----25'0'' OR MORE - - -. . . . . . .- -·-D- - - - - - - -. . ~. . .- -·-------·-, 0

Kr+{.-\-~...

/('~[·:;-~,-_-_--...-_--------------]-
J ---I\

'\

--' ......
...~~~-..... ._.
'~~

b. Fsr PhsH-{7.5() m and more) 9.00 meters is the distance that is automatically
set around important public figures.

The voice is amplified and exaggerated. Much of the nonverbal part of the com-
munication shifts to gestures and body stance. Words are enunciated more clear-
ly.

Inadequate personal space creates a sense of displacement and

can be psychologicallly devastating to a person. Any animal, in-

cluding man, must have some place or thing to call its own, no

matter how large or small. One of the "HUMAN NEEDS IN HOUS-

ING" is a need for a sense of place or "ROOTEDNESS". This pri-

marily involves the person's emotional need to belong somewhere

and to have come from somewhere and to have come from some-

where. People require emotional attachments to physical objects

and places if their future development is to be positive and progres-

?orne sive.
... ---../,
,. ...... ' , On a small scale, personal space involves the irniT)ediate area sur-
/ ' rounding a person. Everyone has a "PERSONAL SPACE
II BUBBlE", which we can define as the area around a person into
'\ which others are unwelcome unless invited. The size of this area
II varies, depending upon the individual culture. Certain culture de-
mand a large amoun~ of space around their in9ividuals, while
/1r \l I

II
\I others feel perfectly comfortable with comparatively little space

\I athere you can experience, this in crowded lobby or a crowded
,\ '
bus. Most people can usually tolerate another person close to them
'
I

,....,____,. "
';
so long as they are not face-to-face. Eye contact nonnally in-

creases the comfortable distance especially between strangers.

1. "TERRITORIALITY" - involves space that living beings declare their own. They indi-
cate this ownerst,lip through their willingness to defend verbally or physically.that which is
theirs.

A pet dog barks and growls when a stranger get near her doghouse or near her master.

A person who gives a hostile look to someone will indicate an uneasiness to that person
and wiH give him the feeling that he is intruding in the other person's territory. Territoriali-
ty provides the frame in which things are done, places to learn, places to play. Safe

464

places to hide, -basic to territoriality is a sharp sense of the limits that mark the distance
to be maintained between individuals.

Territory is something which is relevant to the individual, to the MICRO-group such as in-
habitants of the same floor of a block of flats, through various social groupings to the
MACRO-group of the town and City. In times of conflict, territorial instincts are inf1ated
to include whole groups of nations.

2. "DEFENSIBLE SPACE" - This is an architectural in-
terpretation of territoriality and personal space. People
identity to others what they perceive to their own
through the creation of a physical barrier. Physical bar-
riers can take many forms, but one we are used to see-
ing is a fence that surrounds someone'syard. Often this
barrier means that intruders are unwelcome. If some-
one trespasses, the owner will feel obliged to defend
the property in some way. Defensible space is a good
example of how human behavior shapes the environ-
ment.

PERCEPTUAL QUALITY OF THE
DESIGNED ENVIRONMENT

The following principles provide a further, subjective scaling of design characteristics that
may reduce the probability of negative response to the perceived environment:

1. ORDER - most people are impelled to seek order and understanding, but they also need
sufficient variety to be stimulated by what they see.

2. OUTUNE - The outline of the 'whole' should represent grace and balance, not awkward
angularity, overpowering massiveness, or unintentional symmetry.

3. IDENTIFIABLE REFERENCES - Environmental references ex: paths, edges, districts,
nodes, landmarks, runs, margins, portals, landmarks, areas, volumes and acoustic divi-
sions-should be clear.

4. FUNCTIONAL FORM - Space should appear "positive" rather than "negative", ex: it
should seem to have been purposefully designed, rather than left to chance.

5. THE. WHOLE VERSUS A SEQUENTIAL EXPERIENCE -Perceptual confidence
comes from an understanding of the whole, as opposed to a sequential experience,
which leads to continuing assumptions and doubts.

6. FAMILIARITY - An impression of Security based on the repitition of familiar patterns
should be created. but without incurring boredom or monotony.

7. RELIABILITY -Visual illusions that could lead to incorrect assumptions and loss of con-
fidence on the part of the observer should be avoided.

8. CULTURAL IDENTITY - Cultural differences reflect individual needs to identity with the
traditional, as opposed to challenges to keep up with what is fashionable.

9. AESTHETIC OBJECTIVE-The aesthetic objective should be relevant to human need
rather than architectural monuments; ex: it should provide psychosocial values with
which to identify, it should express the user's individuality (not the designer's) and it
should provide general perceptual enrichment.

465

HUMAN-ARCHITECTURAL INTERFACES

Although the specific human - architectural interfaces and the level of criticality of each in-
terface may vary from one system to another. the table below should be considered during
the conceptualization of any new system.

INTERFACE CONSI DERATION
1. SITE LOCATION
Distance to related facilities: Residential, commercial, and in-
2. SITE AMENITIES dustrial areas, airport and bus terminals; etc. Accessibility (or
3. BUILDING OR nonaccessibility) to highway, roadway, street, rail and water-
way systems: Vehicular or pedestrian, etc . environmental
BUILDINGS factors: noise, air pollution, possible natural disasters, tr~ffic
EXTERNAL problems and aesthetic factors.
4. BUILDING OR
BUILDINGS Parking Public transit access, walk-in customer exposure,
INTERNAL landscape, illumination, security and emergency access.

5. SAFETY Number, size and location; entrances {number, location and
type), identification and illumination ; special amenities (utili-
ties, sidewalks, and stairs), external maintenance require-
ments, etc.

Compartmentalization {number, size, arrangement); doors
and windows {type, number, size and location); stairs,
ramps, elevators; and escalators, heating, air condition.[ng,
vent ilation, and illumination; built-in features (cabinets,
plumbing fixtures, and electrical and pneumatic systems);
floor covering; safety equipment; communications systems;
acoustics, and internal management requirements.

Fire protection; emergency escape, first aid, and disaster
control.

HUMAN NEEDS

The most important human needs that affect interior design and housing are:
1. BELONGING -knowing that you call a place yours and no one else's.

2. PERSONALIZATION - being able to demonstrate your creativity in identifying some

place as yours.
3. PRIVACY -having a place to go to or a method by which you can obtain time to your-

self;
4. CONTROL-a mastery over your life and environment.

BELONGING:

All living things have a need to feel that they belong, and the ways in which they satisfy this
need are diverse. Having possessions is an aspect of belonging. Having space for these ob-
jects is the other, integrally linked, aspect . You can have one without the other, but human
satisfaction is usually not complete under these circumstances. This feeling of not beloning

466

is felt by people who moves into an unfurnished apartment when they have no furniture of
their own. You need possessions and a place to put them where you know they will be
secure in order to feel secure yourse(f.

A man usually have a favorite chair where he relaxes, a den where he spends most of his idle
time, white a woman might have a special place in the kitchen where she always sit and do
her chores, or in a garden where she sits always at the same spot. If a home, a car, or a
favorite chair is suddenly unavailable, either because it has been destroyed or because ano-
ther person bought it, or used it, your reaction and feeling will be. very much affected as
when now you want to sit and relax at your favorite chair, but a visitor sat down ahead of
you , for sure you will feel disoriented, forgotten and unimportant since you might think that
no one really cared about your favorite place.

People always talk about a place where they use to stay, where they spend most of their
time. The places of previous human habitation have strong ·influences upon these indivi-
duals. The memories of these places tend to polarize.

PERSONALIZATION:

Through this important aspect of space, a person can create an awareness among others
That a certain area or object belongs to him, and therefore, it should be respected as such.
The tampering with or destruction of the area or object will be met with hostility by the
owner.
Usually, if you have an office or bedroom and have no one to clean it except yourself, all
sorts of things like paper, toys, junks, letters, pictures etc. are placed where you want it to
be, Whenever you look for anything, you know where to find it. However, when someone,
say your mother, secretary or your wife starts to re-arrange or clean the room and upon re-
turning to your room, you find it all changed from the way to kept it, you will feel angered.

Personalization also means imprinting personal values upon something, thus making it a part
of oneself. It allows the emergence of creative urges so often inhibited by society. People do
not personalize everything only those things that they feel are theirs. For examples, young
people living in a communal arran·gement will not personalize the living area that is used
commonly by all of the residents, but the will decorate their own spaces in a highly in-
dividualized manner, conspicously placing objects that reveal who they are.

From a look at such a room, a stranger co.uld probably tell quite a bit about its owner's per-
sonality or at least what that person would like to have the world to see. The Portrayal and
presentation of self are extraordinary important aspects of personal expression.

PRIVACY:

Everyone needs to spend time alone. The lack of this opportunity can have disastrous psy-
chological effects. Lack of it can contribute to delinquency, crime and passivity.

The opportunity for privacy allows you to discover yourself. It gives you time to think for

yourself and by yourself. May be it gives people a basis for being comfortable and satisfied

with their lives. Usually, unless you are secure within yourself you will have difficulty being
secure w ith other people or in outside situations. A basically secure, happy person has more
to offer others and the world than one who needs assurance and depends upon someone
else for happiness. Always taking and not being able to give much take their toll after a
while. Basically, privacy allow~J people. To find out about themselves, to develop and to be-
come individuals.

467

CONTROL:

Control over the environment is one aspect of survival that is absolutely necessary for a per-
son's self-concept and maturation. If people feel they are losing or have lost centrO! over
their lives or environment, psychologica lly their ability to function everyday can suffer. Irre-
parable harm may occur.

Just having a space, a personal space that you can influence and call your own seems to be
essential for human growth. People must be able to know they can influence {change,
adorn, personalize) something or some place so that they can have confidence in them-
selves. This is all part developing a good self-image. Loss of control over w hat happens to
and around you might cause you to slowly give up lifetime goals and ambitions for lack of
the necessary confidence to function effectively.

All of the CONCEPTS mentioned here are integral supportive aspects of human needs in the
spatial sense. But there are more alleys to investigate both from the direction of human
needs in housing and from the Behavioral basis for alt design.

VALUE ASPIRATION and CULTURE

VALUES

At times, people act according to seemingly instinctive patterns; they do things intuitively
for reasons that they cannot readily explain. Everyone has basic and personal values feel -
ings, be they conscious or subconscious, that act as lifelong guiding forces . Often these

forces, called VALUES, keep you on a familiar course, which may be beneficial or detrimen-

tal, when you are involved in decision making.

Values do change, partiCtJiarly during different stages in the life cycle stages. Values are
long-lasting, and they are a necessary psyhoclogical crutch for all living things. Values give
us a framework within which we build our lives.

Basically, VALUES are of affective feelings that you, as an individual, have. Values can be
uniquely yours or they can be feelings characteristics of the society to which you belong.
They consist of attitudes that you have developed personally or inherited. Values are your
own thoughts and responses . You may not even know that you have them .

..VALUE"- Defined

Webster defines value as "that which is desirable or w orthy of esteem for its own sake; thing
or quality having intrinsic worth". In the sociological context "acts, customs, institution,
etc. regarded in a particular especially favorable way by a people, ethnic group, etc."

Values affect all of our Decisions, including:

How we th ink - - - -- and don't think
Believe - -- -- and don't believe
Act - -- -- and react
Do - -- -- l}nd don't do

We develop general " MORAL" values (example good vs. evil, right vs wrong) and more spe-
cific ones !example it is wrong to kill, to steal, to tefl a lie, to cheat, etc.) " RELIGIOUS''
Values (ex: the teachings of our particular religion); " SOCIAL" and "CULTURAL" values
(Ex: respect for parents, charity toward the poor); ''Aesthetic" Values (Ex: what is beautiful,
artistic, pleasing to us); and " PRACTICAL" Values (Ex : thrift, cleanliness}.

468

Values are enduring, they take time to develop and nurtur:e, and like anything treated with
Tender Love and Care tTLC), they are not easily disposed of or change, usually, once you
developed , inherited, been handed a value on a silver platter, or had one smashed on top of
your head, you are stuck with it.

What makesValues so persistent? People psychologically need values as a basis for their ac-
tions. People like to share things, and they like to have a frame of reference when they are
making decisions. People need THINGS and ideas to relate to. These 'things' can be physi-
cal, as in the security of a living environment, or they can be psychological feelings. All of
these considerations contribute to a happier, better-functioning human being.

Simply stated, value are motivativ~ factors in human behavior. They provide a basis for

judgement, discrimination, and analysis, and it these qualities that make intelligent choices
possible between alternatives. Values grow out of human interests and desires. They are the
products of the interaction between an individual and some object or situation in his environ-

ment.

Why do you desire things? Is it because of your culture, your biological configuration, or just
your own personality? Human needs, whether they be physical, psychological, or sociolo-
gical in nature, play a part in the determination of values. In interior design ~nd housing, the
psychological and sociological needs are hardest to determine because they are so amor-
phous.

Why do some people demand to have a showplace for a home, a big mansion, etc., while

others are content with a home that reflects their own comfort? Some people love spending
time indoors, but others could'nt live without easy access to the outside: Some people want

a big living room or reception area while others like a small compact family room. Why?

Because people know what they are doing, whether, it is providing for sleep, eating or
another basic function.

Values are what goals are made for. To have a car, to have a house in the city or in the
suburbs, to have a far.m . AU people are individuals and VALUE different objects in life.
Something happens alor)Q the way to influence a person to value a certain idea. For exam-

ple, the remembrance of having little money as a child can provoke thriftiness in adulthood. A

person who never really had a room for himself or herself as a child may regard the bedroom

as a waste of space and prefer using it as an office or workroom instead. The absence of
childhood privacy which seems to be a CULTURAL NEED a need provoked by the

individual's culture, can have varying effects upon people. These individuals may become
obsessed with privacy or may lack a deep sense of the privacy desires of others.

While no two individuals have exactly the same set of values there are many values which
are common to particular groups, communities and larger societies .

SOM~ HISTORICAL EXAMPLES:

1. ROMAN EMPIRE: With story values of order, organization and discipline; a small city

state was able to conquer most of then known Western world . When these values were

asovershadowed or supplemented by hedonism, intemperance, the empire simply disinteg-

rated, as much from ~ithin itself from external factors.

2. AMERICAN SOCIETY: Materialism is their value, such a value has contributed to a
very high level of material prosperity for the citizens of the United States. Looking at the
high standard of living enjoyed by Americans from a broader viewpoint, we can identify
other values which have probably contributed just as significantly to such material abun-
dance. A commitment to freedom and free enterprise.

3. FILIPINOS---Vetue of hard work---

In the Philippines, our society is highly paternalistic, where there is papa, mama, uncle
and aunties, ninong and ninangs, assorted relatives and friends to rely on, we pull our-

469

selves together in glorious self-reliance and make it_ And so wMe here in our country, Fi-
lipinos tend to be lazy, corrupt, and inefficient. Yet When he is transplanted he becomes
highly productive, competitive, hardworking, and law-abiding. In other countries, he be-
lieves that hard work and study are the only ways to go up the economic ladder and be
successful.

VALUES PREACHED VS. VALUES PRACTICED

Values as practiced, affect many aspects of our life, both as individuals and as a community.
Values and the actions that flow from them have moral, social, political and economic con-
sequences.

FOUR (4) BASIC VALUES :

1. INTEGRITY -synonymous to honesty. It is "the quality or state of being complete or un-
divided." A person with integrity is one whose actions conform to his principles and be-
liefs. He is not divided by internal disharmony on conflict. Honesty, which is fairness or
straight towardness of conduct is a form of integrity.

Examples of Dishonesty

a. Building materials being overpriced by the Hardware stores to give commission to the
purchaser or representative of the owner.

" institutionaI b. A transaction where the supplier has to downgrate, dilute, or
language" reduce the quantity of quality of the goods sold in order to pro-
1. "Iagay" vide for a "commission" to the Owner's represen tative. The
consequences are obvious. If the goods will be used to build
2. "padulas" roads, the roads will become dilapidated and impassable in a
3. "areglo" relatively shorter time than plained for.
4. "kickback"
5. "under the table" The economic consequences; faster depreciation of transpor-
tation equipment; loss of productive man hours for people tra-
6. "for the boys" veling on the roads; added expenses and loss of income for
business which use the roads to transfer their goods.
"more Euphemistic
1. "commissions" This example also apply to construction of buildings wherein
inferior materials like wood, steel, incorrect mix of concrete,
2. "fees" inferior paints are applied. ·
3. "rebates"
4. "discounts"
5. "gifts"

c. In a transaction where a developer or contractor is able to put up a big project which
are not really necessary such that a sizable.

Amount of investment made for the facilities cannot be utilized at all. In other words,
"WHITE ELEPHANT".

2. DISCIPLINE -As a value, discipline touches many aspects of everyday life, and ts
closely related to other desirable values. For example, the values of COURTESY and
FAIRNESS are invdlv.ed when we are called upon to practice discipline in situations when
we have to line up in public. Also. how many times has a t raffic jam been caused by
vehicles that are on the w_rong side of the road because their drivers cannot wait in line?

Contrary Practices Individual and national discipline is a multi-faceted value which is
1. "siksikan'' difficult to discuss exhaustively -but it is an essential eteroent in
2. "singitan" any society that intends to get anywhere.
3. "unahan"

For instance, the strong discipline of the Japanese people has played a key role in making
their country an economic world power. To the Japanese the good of the group evidently
comes foremost, and the good of the individual follows naturally.

470

In this regard, the Filipino value or attitude which would be counter productive to econo-
mic progress would be "kanya-kanya" (everyone for himself). This affects society in
many ways.

On the economic level, one glaring example is the widespread abuse of our natural re-
sources, such as the indiscriminate destruction of our forests, whether by cutting down
trees to clear land, and the pollution of our seas and rivers. This lack of discipline in our
use of these resources will tell on our economy in the long run. (In fact we are already suf-
fering the consequences) -in terms of environmental imbalance which leads to soil ero-
sion, droughts, f loods and the accompanying destruction of crops, useful wildlife and
aquatic life, public, infrastructures and private property.

3. HARDWORK -It is a fact that many Filipinos are hardworking. They are willing to labor

diligently and consiste~tly to earn a living and to improve their lot in life. However, the

traditional "WORK ETHIC" suffers from lapses as a value in our culture.

We still find great dependence on "SUWERTE" or luck in our daily pursuits and as a ma-
jor determinant of our success of failure. We still harbor hopes of "HITTING THE JACK-
POT" with one big deal which will not entail to much work on our part.

Attitudes We still have the negatiye aspect of the " bahala na" atti-

1. "suwerte-suwerte" tude, of letting tomorrow take care of itself without much ef-

2. "hitting the fort on our part, of leaving things to chance without minimiz-

jackpot" ing the odds against it.

3. "Bahala na"

4. "Puwede na yan" And quite a number of us still have the tendency to be con-

tent with "good enough" work, without making that extra

effort to achieve excellence. In the competition of the market place, this spells the differ-

ence between the mediocre, run-of-the mill product in great demand. "Puwede na yan"

~s the attitude of those of us for whom excellence, one of the rewards of hard work, is not

a value.

The economic implications if the lack of commitment to hard work as a value are many:
lower productivity; lost business opportunities; lower quality of products and services;
lack of market competitiveness; waste of available resources; lower general standard of
living; more uneven distribution of wealth; delayed economic development; a heavier

wetfare burden on the state; and many more.

4. JUSTICE -Synonyms are "fairness, objectivity, impartiality; is a value which is univer-

sally upheld. Nobody wants to be called unjust.

Terms But how much stock do we put in su ch terms as "nakaisa",
1. "nakaisa" "nakalamang", "nakalusot". (made one over somebody, and
2. "nakalamang" went set-free even an fault), of actions or practices which lack the
3. "malakas" element of fairness?

What underserved benefits to the "malakas" or (influenced ones) get that are not avail-

able to the ordinary citizen? Of the more priveleges enjoyed by "Haves" over the "have

nots"?

Suffice it to say that the less justice in a society, the more discontent, agitation and un-
rest in the various economic sectors, farmers, businessmen, laborers. And it can take
many forms-unwillingness of business to invest; labor strikes; lower agricultural
productivity. Lower construction activities, instability of the Financial system; and at the
extreme and, subversion, rebellion, sucession.

471

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS OF
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

HOW VALUES INFLUENCE THE ENVIRONMENT

The environment can have a profound effect upon a person, no matter what age. An ex-
treme case would be an urban living environment where such crowding exists that no family
member could carry out normal bodily functions alone. A person living in such circums-
tances is bound to acquire some type of value from this experience. Too often, crime results,
but feelings of orderliness and cleanliness can also occur later . You can never predict human
behavior. You can never tell howan event will influence someone.

An example of what values are is this example, question. What do you vyant to happen to
you when you die? Wouldn't it be convenient if we all just disappeared - no mess to clean
up, no major expense, and how ecological! But unfortunately this is ·not the case. You all
know what usually happens. Relatives buy the "best," which probably includes an expen-
sive, well-made coffin lined with satin and color-coordinated, with a soft mattress for maxi-
mum comfort. You would be dressed in their favorite clothes, fixed to look healthy, and ad-
mired by all in your "going-out" party. Finally, you would be placed to rest forever by a bab-
bling brook or, if less fortunate, by a freeway exit, depending upon how far the good inten·
tions (money?) of the family extend. Do you want this kind of send off? So values make you
do what you do. Think of a value you hold very dear. What is it?

As a future housing expert or interior designer, you Will be dealing with people on a daily
basis. Your belief is that the physical environm~nt, when developed properly according to
the situation at hand, can enhance peoples lives, fulfill them and make them happier and
healthier. Most times you do not know what your client's problem is, so you must deal with
that person on an interpersonal place; you have to find·out what he or she is willing to do to
improve the environmental situation. Probably for.emost, you have to be able to communi-
cate w ell enough to determine the real problem.

Your job often isn't that easy. However, when you try to improve a person 's living· or work-
ing environment, you are working with minds and values. You have to be able to find out

what people think and what they feel. This task poses. a special problem, because even

those most knowledgeable in the field do not know definitely which is more influential: the

environment as a determinant of human behaviour or people as determinants of the environ-

ment. In other words, a change in the environment might change a person's attitude, but
how do you know it will? You can never be sure. If people are abstract about what they feel
they want, your task of creating a physical space for them is complicated. How do you know
what to do?

Let's hypothesize that you have been called in by a couple who would like to spruce up their

house. They tel.l you that they would like a total change: Furnishings, wall finishes, floor

finishes, accessories, lighting, - the works. What do you think? Easy job, right? They have

even told you that you can do anything you like and it will be fine with them! Here's the

catch: They will spend only #20,000.00. What about their values? What would appear to be

an overriding value of theirs? Will you take the job? if so, will you set any spe-

cial conditions? _ __ __

In this profession, you are spending other people's money, and everyone gets very touchy
about that. Some people have ill-gotten wealth or instant money while some have toiled
hard and saved hard earned money for a new house. So you've got to be careful and be sure
of your client and the ultimate goal so that you will be able to follow the proper course of ac-
tion . So you see, human relationships are very important. If you can speak with people
and make them feel at ease, they will trust you more, you will feel better, and the chances
wilt be greater that the job you do will turn out well tor all concerned. Trust and little things
count, and they become important cues in human behaviour .

472

The living environment is deeply affected by human values. Often, construction of a house is

viewed :at just that: its construction. Nuts, colts, hammers, nails, 2 x 41umber, etc. But it is

much, much more. The housing environment rises, at least in part, upon human feelings:
values if you will. Just because something has not changed for an extended period of time
doesn't mean it is out of date.

Some designs are, indeed vernacular . This means that their seemingly primitive form is ac-
tually as highly evolved as the present people and environmental conditions permit and re-
quire. Vernacular living environments most often satisfy people quite confortably and com-
pletely. Their materials are indigenous to the area, and the physical arrangement of the living
spaces is uniquely and adequately planned for the life-style of the inhabitants. The residents
usual_!y are well adjusted and desire nothing different.

We get into trouble in more "advanced" societies, where the burden of building is plated
upon developers of large tracts of. lands. Individuals with good intentions usually are ex-
cluded from this profession today because of the extraordinary expense. A developer often
is a stranger to the area in Which the construction is taking place. Because of this cir-
cumstance and the pressure placed upon the builder to produce the quality of life in the ar-
chitectural products of the modem period, which codified most of the utilitarian / biological
standards during the last half century, has been less than satisfactory.

Traditional social networks are not accomodated; aggregations of dwellings rarely respond
to life-styles and cultural values and the solutions based on logistical packaging, construe·

tion determinism or sculptural compositions, as well as the crusade for salubriousness have

only offered emptiness, uniformity, boredom and misfit.

It takes.sensitivity, along with knowledge to realize what you can change and when. Recog-
nizing the values of an institution as large as a country or as small as the family can help
guide your selection of an appropriate c;lesjgn. Misinterpreting information can lead to disas-

trous effects, perhaps to the creation of a totally inappropriate environmental solution.

HOW THE ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCES VALUES

Values can influence people's ovyn self-concept. In design, it is a readily accepted fact that
people will generally take better care of a space and its contents if it contains some extra
comforting additions that normally are absent. For example, carpeting, in a residence hall or
office might make the users feel that those providing for them cared more about creating a
pleasant place for them to live and work than just buitding a basic shell for their use.

Publicly financed nursing homes give us another exan'lple of an institution that disregards
human values. People who must move into these homes usually may not bring their own fur-
niture with them. To many older people, their furniture represents memories and a familiarity
with the environment that they especially need . It represents home: a building, people and
memories that are no longer with the individual. In old age, people often call upon objects to
replace treasured aspects of the past, and therefore their possessions are essential. Being
refused the companionship of their belongings at this time can be very disruptive to older
people because their values may have become so tied to their belongings that without them
they may question their reasons for living . For people who cannot actively continue their

hobbies or other past pursuits life often becomes a matter of just passing time. Familiarity

usually contorts them.

University residence halls also can enhance or diminish self-image. Lately they have more
sensitive to human needs. They provide a " sense of place, " an environment where students
can feel at home and where they have a relationship to space. They allow for individual crea-
tivity.

Many schools allow students to paint their rooms and put objects on the walls. Such per-
sonal touches are of extreme importance. Imagine if you were put in a room where you

473

could do nothing to make it "yours. " You just had to live with concrete block w('llls painted
"institutional" blue, large windows with obviously work venetian blinds, and dark, marble-
lized vinyl flooring. All you could do was bring in your own bedspread and pillows. You
could do nothing to the floor or walls. and it is too expensive a proposition to buy a window
treatment for such a short period of time. How would you feel? Would you feel you belong-
ed there? Would you spend much time there?

The sterile environment described above can be likened to a prison . Prison life is said to con-
tribute to the individual's delinquency to a measurable extent . If a prison is stark and imper-
sonal, why do you think the inhabitant might degenerate during incarceration? Values...
confined to an environment that they cannot influence (personalize) because of its "hard ar-
chitecture," people can react in different ways: by avoiding the place, it possible. or in ex-
treme cases. by destroying the objects within it just to prove that they do have some sort of
control over their lives. Remember, the values we are dealing with are combinations of psy-
chological feelings and the physical environment . We cannot easily separate them.

Lately, offices have been receiving some attention, too. Remember how frightening it was
to go Into the sterile, white dental office? This is one sight that has been known to provoke
hysterical behaviour in acjults. But what it the office resembled a home instead of a hospital?
True, you can't do anything about the medicinal smell, but what about tbe floors, walls and
furnishings? Carpeting, because of its psychological and actual warmth, can create relaxed
feelings among people, particularly if it is in ·a relatively cool or low -intensity color. Earth
tones are also appropriate. Carpeting will absorb and help diffuse sound waves so that you
won't hear the screams of terror that might actually be emanating from the work room . And
how about the furnishings? Can you think of any place more suitable to anthropometric
design (objects designed especially for people though the determination of the population's
average measurements)·than a dental chair? If there is anywhere on earth that you need
comfort, its the dentist's office. And how about music? Mus4c should be loud enough for
you to hear but not loud enough to distract the doctor. Wouldn't it be awful if he or she got
carried away with it and drilled your tongue?

You must recognize the implication here that the human values are evident in the physical
environment. As a future designer, you should discover what will please people enough to
draw them to a particular place and what witf make them stay there. In most cases, the suc-
cess of the venture will not depend upon that environment, no matter how special it is.
Think about a restaurant . It cannot survive on a lively, unique atmosphere unless the food is
good (in the first place). The point is, though, that the environment does have an effect
upon people, and provided all things are equal, it can improve the visitation or business of
the establishment. Values are just one aspect of design, but they are an essential considera-
tion. They must be taken into account in offices, restaurants, schools, and probably most
important, homes.

A civilized " ambience" of the household or a native ambiance. rural ambiance. Ambiance
means an environment or its distinct atmosphere or "milliau") Millieu means an environ·
ment, a social or cultural setting.

474

FOLK BELIEFS
IN CONSTRUCTION

ihese old beliefs mostly influence·the design of a house in filipino architecture.

SOME BELIEFS

1. Don't start the construction of a house at a period when the moon is waning, or entering

its last quarter. Pick .a time on or about a full moon.
2. Start a construction on a Monday; never on a Friday.

3. Avoid starting construction when the year is about to end. A better time is when the
year has just begun, January to June.

4. Never have a house built when your wife is pregnant, and is expected to give birth at
that very month .

5. Before giving the order to lay the foundation or put up the posts of your house. make
peace with all your enemies - especially those belonging to your own family or c:an.

6. In the North, they usually practice the flowing of blood from some animals or chicken
and all foundations or corners of the walt are spalttered with this blood in honor of the
spirits that might be living within the premises. Also a few drops of wine is offered with
some prayer dedication before any wine is partaken.

or medal!!i 7. Before .cement is poured into the foundation,
one peso coins should be dropped inside the
accordittg to some old folks, the forms to bring good luck. Other place silver
medals of any patron saints, for protection.
coin heads s~ould be the orte Some also place coins at the stair foundation.

mefacil1g above not eag~ s111ce 8. When any vertical part of the house is being
erected, like the first post, or the first row of
tl1e gxx1 luck rrtignt fly hollow blocks or cement wall, the father or the
eldest member of the family should be present
to witness. Two contributes to the solidity of
the house.

9. Do not build a house directly perpendicular to
the street. If space still allows it, locate the
house such that it lies in position which is at
angle with the street. This way, the inhabitants
keep out of the way of disaster .

10. No par1 of your house should-cover or overhang an anthill ("PUNSO"l in Tagalog. They
say that the small spirit man or "NUNO" will get angry.

475

11. No part of the house should cover or overhang a site of a recently-cut tree; neither
should the new house overlap any portion of the old ho.use.

12. Never use materials that once belonged to a church.

13. As much as possible, avoid using materials that came from the owner's old house. The

bad luck of the old house will be transferred to the new house. the old people say.

14. All nails and screws that become bent in the process of building a house should be kept
in a box and not left lying around. Leaving them scattered will bring misfortune to these
involved in the construction.

15. It is taboo to use wood the sap of which is still
fresh ~ what they call 'weeping' wood (Lumu-
luha).

16. The number of main posts should always be
even; not odd, never 13 pes.

17. Flooring planks-whether of wood or of
bamboo- must be laid parallel to the steps of
any stairway to make it 90 degrees to the stair
will make the good luck go down the stairs.

dowt1

up

correct

wrvn_g

18. The longer length of the roof must lie parallel to the road instead of perpendicular to it.

[I]

t+Jis

476

19. The number of steps in every flight of stairs must fall to the count of either oro (goldI or

plata (silver) never mata (death! since if the last counting is mata, bad luck or poverty is

to be expected.

plata

/or this

/this

wittdow 20. The principal stairs, the master's bed should
door
face the East, so that the rising sun may shine
it1 on them.

21. To the Muslims, the principal room and stair-

way should face the direction of Mecca.

22. Doorways should not face e.ach other along a
straight path, or a door to the window. They
should lie on a staggered path. Good fortune
flows quickly out of the house if arranged in a
straight path.

477

23. Main doorways should not face the west or
where the sun sets, it brings bad luck.

24. Main doors should always open towards the

inside to bring in good luck. Reverse opening
to the outside will bring out the good luck.

25. Do not occupy a new house until it is completely built and blessed. Before you will occu-
PY the new house, bring in first the common necessities in a house like sugar, rice, salt,
and also the statue of christ in a throne.

26. The arrangement of the bed should not directly be parallel and vertical to the girt or
rafter as the old folks say it will cut into half your good fortune.

uI In LI

ll tlII =~~= = ===-"":..--=~= ==--=-=
II
II rcifiBr or girt f U
II II
II ,ItI;~vI -. _-_-_-_-_-_-----------------
II 11
II
II

II

II
II

..II

II

1ifi5 IS preferred or tHis

11

II

IuI

II

Hu bE\1

II
II

#:L;rafteror girt

It

27. Umbilical cord of a child is inserted in the staircase

so that the stringer would strongly connect itself to
the girder.
28. House plan shaped like a cross should be avoided
for this brings bad luck.
29. A basement placed in flat level land indicates
graves. This is a sign of early death in the family.
30. To avoid wealth or money from flowing out of the
household, main doors should not face the exit
doors.

478

FENG SHUI

Feng shui (pronounced "Fung soy") a term literally translated as wind-water, is the chinese
art of geomancy, the placement and location of buildings and manmade structures to har-
monise with, as well as benefit from, the surrounding physical environment.
It is believed that with proper orientation of one's house or business premises one is able to
harmonize with nature and relate to the physical surroundings favourably to attract desirable
cosmological influences. Having good Feng shui builds up one's confidence and energy to-
pursue success. It is believed that having bad feng shui may lead one to misfortune, failure in
business ventures or poor health.
It is the task of a Geomancer to determine the qi in order to site buildings in such a way as to
benefit from its vitalising power. With the help of the luopan or geomancer's compass, the
geomancer determines the best orientation of buildings, and assesses the good and bad
qualities of the dragon at the site. The luopan is a circular disc marked with concentric circles
of chinese characters. It gives series of direction and classifies a variety of geomantic factors
such as the type of water and the five orders of natures in relation to the time of birth of the
owner or prospective buyer.
Besides the luopan, the geomancer uses the geomancer's ruler to calculate the size and
overall dimensions of a building to ensure proportions favourable to good fortune. Apart
from the surrounding land and the bu~ding itself, each room is seen independently to
possess qi, and the geomancer's tasks is to locate its nucleus, the centre of vibrant energy, so
that its occupants may benefit from it, through the arrangement of furniture or the organiza-
tion of work .
Oi - cosmic breath of the chinese dragon or life for growth and vitality which causes moun-
tains to be formed and gives man spiritual energy.
In locating commercial and business centres it is important to find the dragon and qi areas.
Locate the most important buildings in the qi and prominent positions, like in the central
position and on the highest ground. If there are hills and sea in the location, place the com-
mercial buildings facing the sea with the hills in the rear. (or the building facing south so that
the rear faces north and preferably blocked to invite good luck).
Sha qi - literally translated, breath that hurts; travels in a straight line; ex: when a building
faces a T-junction, the qi is too vibrant and becomes sha qi.
An Example:

·-----

another example
one enters the room but in a straight line,
luck exits outside.

479

Examples of Bad Feng Shui Solutions in warding off bad feng shui

1. street

D II
street put a slight offset
I I T-junctions
Perpendicular

2.

Doors Provide mirrors facing each
Facing each other on the doors. These are us-
ed to deflect negative "chi".
3.
Reorganize the usage of
--... t1 --- space and reposition the
I main entrance.
I
<)> Or place a wall to direct
customers in. Business will
The corner of the block/ improve (or remove the
bldg. sculpture points at the sculpture).
main entrance mostly bad
business.

480

4.

Book The entrance of a book shop
shelves was affected by a magazine
rack and the Oi was op-
pressed by the ceiling-high Mogo:zine
partitions of the cashier's raclc
desk

reposition the magazines
rack and cashier's desk.

5.

D

kitchen

The business of this coffee house is poor. The entrance and the cashier's desk. are re-
The door of the toilet faces the entrance positioned so that they no longer confront
space and customers entering the coffee each other. The new entrance also elimi-
house are confronted by the odour from the nates the problem of cross circulation.
toilet when opened.
An ante room is created where the toilet
There is cross circulation between the door is. The layout of the tables is improved
waiters from the kitchen and the customers so that more tables can be accomodated.
coming into the coffee house .

kltche n

481

6. Sometimes a business house may be well-designed with no feng shui defects. Yet the
business is poor and the company runs into debts. In such a case, the feng shui of the com-
pany manager's residence has to be assessed.

Room living /dining

a. The main door to the house is in an 1. The front door was repositioned and a
awkward position under a staircase. garden walt added to accentuate the
front door.
b. The living room could have been wider.
c. The kitchen stove was facing the wrong 2. The living room was widened by push-
ing the south wall out to incorporate the
direction geomantically and there was entrance porch into the living room.
no direct access from the kitchen to the
external yard for utility purpose. 3. The stove was repositioned to face east.

Room

a. On the upper level, one of the three Room
bedroom,s was situated far from the
toilet. 1. On the upper floor, a toilet was added
to the third room .
b. The partition between the bedrooms and
the verandah was solid, depriving the 2. Solid partitions were demolished, the
rooms of cross ventilation. rooms extended and doors repositioned
to allow ventilation across the rooms .
c. The roof over the entrance .porch just
outside the main door was not utilized. 3. The roof over the entrance porch below
was made use of as a family room and a
482 toilet was added to the third room.

• •

7, This night club has its qi disturbed and After the front doors were repositioned at an
blocked at the entrance by a large reinforced auspicious angle obliquely toward north-
concrete column. west, the problems of high turnover of staff
and other problems were resolved.
The entrance door were oriented true North
which was in conflict with the horoscope of
the owner.

SOME DESIGNS TO AVOID:

Avoid the bed facing direct- eI
ly a door. --

r

Avoid having a pond inside
a house.

D stairs should not end· in a
toilet whether going up or
Avoid headboard aligned with. the door. down.

483

Avoid more than three to four doors in a row
for a residence.

a business establishment
that is wide in front but
getting smaller resembles
a drain or funnel. This is
considered bad luck.

c' Steep or pointed roof form
or gable end causes sha qi
'c to the entrance.

The centre of the front door I
faces the edge of another
building and empty land. c

A withering tree or an awk- 0
wardly shaped tree in front
of the door is bad feng shui. a triangular-shaped pond in
front of the entrance is bad
Feng shui.

''I I

•'I I'

---- -.J I

•'I ------

NOTE: It is not good practice to orient a building to face true north, east, south or west.
If it is auspicious to place it in the direction of Kun, then place it off north (between
1° and 5° off north).

484

In chinese, wooden steps are counted in the order of autumn, winter, spring· and summer or
1, 2, 3, 4. The last step should end only in either spring and summer.

The master's bed should always face North. For good health and a life of contentment.
Master of the house should never sleep facing south.

The family will have more than enough to eat if the stove switch points west and the cooking
is done while facing east .

The toilet is the treasure of the house and so the toilet floor should be lower than the main

floor by 1 to 2 inches to keep the money in

misfortunes like financial losses and accidents can be avoided by following these dont's.

a. Do not use crazy-cut or excess marble floorings.
b. Do not put mirrors directly facing the stairs or overhead.
c. Do not have doors that open to other doors.
d. Do not build a basement directly under the master's bedroom or a closet under the

stairs.

SOME ADVISABLE DESIGNS:
1. Candles and red lights -are tools for positive "chi".
2. Wind chimes on doors and lanais help to bring good luck, but require that the chimes be

listened to frequently to make it work.
3. Aquariums (inside a house} are required inside a house since even if the fish die, it is

meant that the evil spirits are absorbed by the fish hence removing the trapped "chi".
4. Ponds and fountains (outside the house) attract good luck, but water should not be

made stagnant and should always have living things in it like fish and plants.

5. an establishment that originates from a small

entrance and gets wider inside is con-

sidered good luck as it resembles a money

bag .

6. Before moving in a new house, the master should wear a suit for good luck, carry with
him a blanket, pillow and bedsheet together with 48 pieces of coins in a little red box.

7. Cook something sweet, avoid eating sour foods.

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YIN/YANG ELEMENTS AND FENG SHUI

In order to achieve good feng shui, there must be a good balance of yin and yang. In other
words, contrast should be present in order to achieve Balance . For example if the walls of an
office are painted a cool colour, the furnishing should be in warm colours.

EXAMPLES OF YIN/YANG YANG

YIN MasculinitY, brightness, colou rs that are
Feminity, darkness, Cool colours, liQuidity warm, Solidity and protrusion.
and intrusion.

SIGNBOARDS

The signboard is a very ·important element for a business establishment because it represents
the spirit and nature of business of the company. It must be legible and pleasing to the eye,
well balanced in shape and not blocking any openings.

The sizes of signboards are subject to yin and yang forces. For example, if the length is yin,
say 88 em (even in number) , then the breadth should be yang, say 81 em (odd number).

Signboards should have either three or five colours. Three symbolises growth and five, com-
pleteness. Those with two or four colours are not as ideal.

LOGOS

A logo or signage on a commercial building carries a denotative indication and gives a
message regarding its trade and sometimes, products. Good signage is not on ly an integral
part of the building design but also important in feng shui t erms. Besides the colour and size
of the signboards, the logos on them are juSt as important. Logos have to be identifiable, at-
tractive and appropriate.

both black no balance. one black and one white-
mpre balanced yin/ yang.
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This oval logo symbolises
conflict.

This is better as the upward
arrow is balanced by the
downward arrow.

A symbol that looks like an
upright arrow is a lucky
logo.

This logo is not good be- one that looks like a down-
cause the central part is like ward arrow is unlucky.
a cross. (To the chinese the
cross signifies problems
unsolved).

THE FIVE ELEMENTS AND FENG SHUI

The chinese conceived the five elements as the five forces of nature and designed in the
sequence of harmony as Gold, water, wood fire and earth, or in the sequence of destruction
as gold, wood earth, water and fire. It is favourable to have water with wood, wood with
fire, fire with earth, earth with gold and gold with water (note that they are near each other).
It is not f avourable to combine earth with water, water with f ire, fire with gold, gold with
wood and wood with earth. {Note that they are not near each other in the sequence of
destruction).

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
AND INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY

It is necessary for man to build. Even the simplest building involves a series of decisions. To
some extent decisions may be predetermined by TRADITION, by the builder's knowledge of
the right way to do things according to the custom of his people . On this basis a people
develops a characteristics architecture. We call things:

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