What is architectural expression? That’s a great question! Architectural expression comes down to how you use color, line, proportion, and shape in your designs. These components work together to create space, emphasize certain features, convey an emotion or feeling, etc.

It’s very similar to what artists do with their painting. They choose colors that go well together, balance out each other, and enhance the overall look of the piece.

Architecture is no different! For example, if one part of a building looks like it has too much decoration, it may distract from the main focus. Or, if the decorations are boring or plain, then people will not feel connected to them.

This goes for lines, shapes, and proportions as well. If something is overly fancy or simple, nothing special will happen when someone visits the office. People will get distracted by the style instead of focusing on what was discussed during business meetings.

Color can influence our emotions. A person looking at a red room might have a bad mood. On the opposite end of the spectrum, green can make us happy. This is why some buildings feature lots of lush vegetation- they give off a sense of relaxation and tranquility.

There are many ways to develop architectural expression in your design career. You don’t need to be trained as an architect to add this element to yours or others’ projects.

Building shapes

Another way to explore architectural styles is by looking at how buildings shape themselves. There are five main building shapes used in architecture, and you can find examples of all of them in popular culture.

The rounded or curved shapes are called amphitheaters, domes, balls, cones, and cylinders. All but one of these have smooth curves, making them more elegant looks. The exception is the cylinder, which has sharper corners.

Amphitheaters and domes use proportion as part of their shaping, where the size of the space inside correlates with the length and height of the structure. This relationship creates an effect that makes it feel larger than it actually is- just like the beach!

Domes also use reflection to create this feeling. Where light rays bounce off the surface, there is a sense of relaxation due to the soft glow. You will see this effect when traveling during sunset or sunrise hours, or whenever there is heavy reflected light.

Cones and cylinders use angles as the defining feature, creating a strong silhouette. These are common for skyscrapers because they emphasize vertical strength over horizontal width.

Be careful not to interpret silhouettes too strictly, though. A square box is much less interesting than a tall thin needle beam. - Only apply strict rules after understanding the differences between parallel lines and perpendicular ones!

These are only some of the possible shapes used to design buildings, so do not think that every style uses each one.

Floor plans

Another way to express architectural style is through floor plans. A floor plan is typically two diagrams that show your house or apartment layout, both front and back views.

A typical floor plan will have an area in the middle which represents the room being built. To the left and right of the center diagram are pictures of the wall colors and materials. These are called exterior features.

The interior features are different than the exterior ones- these include things like windows and doors.

Interior decorations also play an important role in giving your home its style. For example, if the house has tall ceilings then you can install decorative beams or trusses to emphasize this. Or maybe there are exposed pipes, wires, or other structural components that people can use as decoration.

There are many ways to organize and draw your floor plans, but most architects and designers agree that having a grid system makes sense. A grid means every third box along the x axis (the horizontal direction) is one size up and every third box down the y axis (the vertical dimension) is one space bigger.

Calculate the size of your room

The second fundamental element in creating space is calculating how big your walls, windows, and other areas are. This includes whether that area is open or closed, as well as what kind of coverings there are like drapes or shades.

Closed-in spaces need to be conscious of their depth. If you want people to feel comfortable in your home, create deep, intimate pockets for them to relax in.

Open rooms should have at least one entry way so that everyone can easily walk into the space. An easy way to do this is putting an entrance door at a 30 degree angle from the wall.

That way anyone coming through the door will automatically turn right (30 degrees) onto the next room!

Architecture expresses who and what it is by defining its shape, proportion, and style. When designing your house, think about how these three components apply to your space and determine which ones matter most.

Consider the location of your window

This is an important part of how architecture is expressed. A windows placement, or what we refer to as its position, has large implications on who can see out of it, and whether or not you feel comfortable being viewed through it.

Window positions can be either full-length, half-width, or quarter-height (or any combination thereof). The size and shape of your windows also have strong impacts on how well they express your architectural style.

Full length windows are very powerful design tools that allow people outside to easily recognize your home’s unique style. They also give those outside a sense of space and depth, making them feel more welcoming.

Half width windows are typically found in one of two situations. Either there is already another door next to it, or it looks out onto something similarly sized like a wall. Because these windows only cover half of the area of the room, they create an uncomfortable feeling for people walking past.

Quarter height windows work best when there is enough space next to them so that someone could stand directly under the window without hitting their legs on another object. These types of windows often look out over empty space or other buildings, creating a less intimate feeling than full length or half width windows.

There are many ways to use windows to tell your story as architect, and which ones are appropriate depends largely on your personal style and intended audience.

Use color to your advantage

As we have seen, architectural styles are in their essence colors – shades of gray or white being neutral. But what about color?

There is one important thing to know about using color for expression in architecture: there’s no universal rule book that says you must use red, green, or blue! That is, unless you want to.

In fact, architects sometimes purposefully break with tradition by not emphasizing any one hue. For example, going back to our house silhouettes, the box shape uses all sorts of different vertical lines and curves but never fully goes up or down. This effect was popularized in twentieth-century art deco style which used heavily curved shapes and lines.

This influence can still be seen today in buildings designed in this style (think Chrysler or The Prado). Or look at how Gothic cathedrals incorporate various shades of light into their structure and interior decoration.

If you really wanted to go totally against classic norms, you could design something with very little horizontal line and almost nothing resembling a roof. A good way to experiment with this is looking at old vernacular houses and giving them an arched top like a pavilion or a gable.

The key here is proportionality: even though they lack roofs, these structures feel complete because they feel like they have enough space to fulfill their function while also expressing their internal organization.

Designate a theme

As with any form of communication, your audience will quickly learn to recognize what you are trying to say if you establish a tone or style that you use consistently. With architecture, this design element is even more important as it can have major impacts on how well people feel about your building or area!

If your message seems vague and not clear, then people will assume the worst about your project. If the setting is too formal and elegant, people may question whetheror not this space was truly needed.

On the other hand, if the space is over-the-top and flashy, then some may wonder why there is so much money being spent for such an empty room. Both examples lack focus; you cannot have a strong influence without establishing a solid theme or mood first.

Your theme should be something that really sets yourself apart from others, but that also has universal qualities. A classic example would be a shopping mall or restaurant. Even though they both contain vendors and stores, their messages are completely different! One encourages spending, while the other helps motivate self-improvement or learning.

Decorate with art

A well decorated room or space is one that has an artistic feel to it. It can be described as having beautiful decorations in it, pictures, sculptures, or color schemes that are unique and interesting.

The interior design of your home can make a big difference in how people perceive you. People will always notice the decoration of your house, whether it’s wall hangings, statues, or paintings.

It’s not only about paying attention to have rich decorations, but also knowing what kind of decorations appeal to most people. For example, white furniture and bright colors like red, blue, or yellow tend to be more popular than darker shades.

However, there’s no wrong way to decorate! What matters is what makes you happy and helps you relax. If there’s something you love then why not use it?

Art can play a major role in helping create a relaxed environment. Art gives off positive energy and helps reduce stress by acting as a source of inspiration. Having some artwork around can help give you a little push towards creating your own piece of art.

There are many ways to get started artistically painting, sculpting, or designing. You do not need to be professionally trained to produce work that looks exquisite. All you really need is a creative mind and a desire to put effort into your craft.

Practice interior design

Interior decoration or decorating is the practice of enhancing the space you are in by choosing and using decorations, colors, textures, shapes, and materials. This includes designing your own home, as well as giving redecorations to other people’s spaces.

Many people consider it a way to express yourself, through your choice of styles and materials. Others think about it as a form of art that requires skill and knowledge of aesthetics.

Either way, practicing interior decoration is a great way to learn some fundamental skills and apply them to different situations. There are many ways to begin studying interior decoration, so whether you want to make your bedroom more cozy, start with picking up some soft pillows or stocking your kitchen with pretty dishes!

And don’t forget to keep looking at new designs to inspire you! You can also take a look at our article here for tips on how to choose an interior color scheme.