architypes.net - Fulfilling Materials

A great deal of the beauty that people appreciate in buildings and furnishings comes from the appearance, texture, color, strengths and other characteristics of the materials they are made of. Materials are, in fact, the first thing that many people are aware of noticing.

Materials are particularly pleasing when their true nature is celebrated. Use materials in the manner they are most capable of. Materials should truely serve the function that they appear to be serving.

This is why imitation materials - plastic painted to look like metal, vinyl imprinted with a woodgrain pattern - are particularly displeasing.

The unique qualities of materials will be emphasized by using contrasting materials together: smooth gloss-finished wood next to raw concrete, or polished metal next to rough stone.

Use materials to make structure, form and spaces explicit.

Use different materials for different parts - walls, roof, floor, columns.

Choose materials that clearly express their strength and longevity.

Allow materials to develop their natural patina.

Every structure is made of distinct parts. Where these parts connect with one another, it is important to pay special attention how they connect, both visually and mechanically.

Make the connection between parts clearly visible, so that people can appreciate and enjoy how the structure is held together. For example in this Japanese garden bridge, horizontal and vertical members are ...

Light and shadow can have a profound effect on how we perceive materials. The direction and type of light affects how a material's surface texture appears. The color of light effects how colors appear.

When choosing materials and colors, consider how they will appear under the different lighting conditions in which they will be seen, including time of day, amount of cloud cover, and ...

Use materials to define forms and distinguish between different objects / structures.

Use materials that really are what they appear to be. Do not use imitation materials that attempt to look like something they are not. Avoid painting materials to hide their true nature, but instead celebrate the imperfections of the material.

Instead, choose materials that are best suited for what you are using them for.

We are very attracted to materials that have fine detail, variation and that tell a story of where they come from.

Natural materials often feel more "alive", more pleasant, than many manufatured materials. They often have more variation on a single surfaces, and between one piece of the material and another. Several pieces from a single species of Wood, for instance, may very subly in ...

Texture is central to our experience of different materials

When choosing and contrasting materials, consider the texture of its surface. In particular, consider:

Having a surface high in texture can add interest and contrast.

Too much texture psychologically eats into personal space.

Smooth textures can attract, while rough and hard can repel.

The unique qualities of each material are most obvious when used next to or in conjunction with other materials with contrasting characteristics.

When selecting contrasting materials, consider the color, shininess, roughness, variation vs. uniformity of the materials, and select materials that are significantly different in at least one of these qualities.