DECODING SPATIAL PERCEPTION

Spatial Design 1
Guidelines designers
use to arrange
elements within a
composition
 WHY HOW

DECODING
SPATIAL
PERCEPTION
Form: Decoding Spatial Perception

How our brains Composition is the

naturally organize organization of the
and interpret visual elements of design
elements through a into a unified whole.
lens of "wholes"
 The Creation of Adam
by Michelangelo

All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins (detail), 2016
by Yayoi Kusama
• The organization of
visual elements
Compositional Principles

(color, texture,
shape) and artistic Smoky World (1959) by Hong Kong
photographer Fan Ho
concepts (point,
line, space) in an
artwork, guided by
principles of
composition.
Compositional Principles

Contrast can be used to draw attention to specific features

(Focal point)

High contrast creates drama and excitement.

Compositional Principles

The visual principle that entails noticeable distinctions among objects.

The differences in sizes, textures, colors, positions, shapes etc. create

contrast.
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles

Contrast in size refers to the deliberate use of objects of different

sizes within a design. This can involve large elements placed
alongside smaller ones to highlight importance, create visual
hierarchy, or simply add interest.
Compositional Principles

Just outside Piazza San Marco, Venice's human-scaled

buildings, narrow streets and intimate courtyards, sharply
contrast with the wide openness of the main square.

Narrower courtyards, creating a rhythmic transition

between the monumental and the intimate.
Compositional Principles

The Atacama Giant in the Atacama Desert in Spider geoglyph（地画 ）; part of the Nazca Giant figural geoglyph; part of the Nazca
northern Chile. Lines UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peru. Lines UNESCO World Heritage Site in Perui
Compositional Principles

Position contrast refers to the use of varying placements of elements

within a composition to create interest or tension.

Position contrast is a powerful tool in design, as it not only enhances

visual appeal but also shapes how individuals experience and interact
with their environment.
Compositional Principles

Color contrast uses significantly different hues,

saturations, or brightness levels to highlight
elements and enhance visual dynamics.

Designers employ color contrast to convey

mood, guide attention, and improve readability.
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles

Texture contrast occurs when smooth surfaces are juxtaposed

with rough ones or when materials with different tactile qualities
are placed together.
 Shoreham Street by Project Orange 30 St Mary Axe Tower by Foster + Partners

Compositional Principles
Contrast of materials Contrast of historic London architecture Contrast of texture
and modern London skyscraper
Compositional Principles

Contrast in shape occurs when different forms—such as geometric

versus organic—are used together within a design. This can create both
visual variety and thematic contrast.

When these contrasting shapes are used together in a design, they

create a dynamic interplay that captures the viewer's attention.
 The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by
I.M.PEI

Compositional Principles
Hierarchy of Importance:
A building with a complex,
curvilinear form placed next to
a simple, cubic structure
San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art Coronation 2022 by Aamer Architects suggests a difference in
importance.
Jewish Museum Berlin by Daniel Libeskind.

Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles

Playing with the scale of elements creates visual

drama and can attract attention to a focal point.

Unexpected scale is arresting and attention-

getting.
 Large title
Medium subtitle
Compositional Principles

Small body text

 Yue library in hangzhou by
Beijing Fenghemuchen Space Design

Level Up street pavilion

Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles

• Repeat colors, objects, etc. throughout the design.

• Unity and Cohesion: Repetition creates a sense of connection

between different parts of a design, making it feel visually
unified and well-organized.
Compositional Principles

A website/ APP design might use the same color palette and font throughout its pages to establish a
consistent visual identity.
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles

• regular repetition or controlled arrangement of elements to create a sense of visual movement,

flow, and unity within a composition.

• It's like a visual beat that guides the viewer's eye across the design and creates a sense of
harmony and predictability.
 REPETITION can be in the form of RADIATION where
the repeated elements spread out from a central
point.
Compositional Principles
 The ArtScience Museum at Marina
Bay Sands
by Safdie Architects

Florida Polytechnic University by Santiago Calatrava

Florida Polytechnic University by

Santiago Calatrava
Compositional Principles

Visual Rhythm and Flow:

• Repeated elements can

create a sense of
rhythm(韵律）, guiding
the viewer's eye across
the design.

Florida Polytechnic University by Santiago Calatrava

 REPETITION may be in the form of GRADATION where
the repeated elements slowly become smaller or
larger.

It involves a gradual change in elements, creating a

sense of progression and movement.
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles
Compositional Principles

• arrangement of elements in a way that creates a sense of

visual stability and equilibrium.

• It's like having equal weight distributed on both sides of a

seesaw.
Compositional Principles

Despite the difference in physical weight, the visual balance of the image above is maintained as both
objects equally vie for our attention.
Compositional Principles

Salk Institute by KLCC Twin Towers by

Louis I. Kahn Cesar Pelli
Compositional Principles

The Goddess of Mercy temple,built in 1800. Khoo Kongsi,Penang built in 1878.

Compositional Principles

• The arrangement of elements according to their

relative importance.

• It's a way of visually guiding the viewer's eye and

ensuring they understand the information being
presented in a specific order.
 The car captures all the
attention, while the CTAs below
seem to take on a secondary
role.
Compositional Principles

The picture and text capture our attentions.

 Legislative assembly in Chandigarh Florence Cathedral by Arnolfo di Cambio
by Le Corbusier

Humayun Tomb
Cathedral of Brasília, Brazil Auditorio de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Compositional Principles

by Oscar Niemeyer by Santiago Calatrava

 WHY HOW

DECODING
SPATIAL
PERCEPTION
Form: Decoding Spatial Perception

How our brains Composition is the

naturally organize organization of the
and interpret visual elements of design
elements through a into a unified whole.
lens of "wholes"