Selected Bibliography Architecture - Form Space and Order | Page 373

H IE R AR CH Y

The principle of hierarchy implies that in most if not all
architectural compositions, real differences exist among
their forms and spaces. These differences reflect the
degree of importance of these forms and spaces, as well as
the functional, formal, and symbolic roles they play in the
organization. The value system by which relative importance
is measured will of course depend on the specific situation,
the needs and desires of the users, and the decisions of the
designer. The values expressed may be individual or collective,
personal or cultural. In any case, the manner in which the
functional or symbolic differences among a building’s elements
are revealed is critical to the establishment of a visible,
hierarchical order among its forms and spaces.
After a sketch of an ideal church by Leonardo da Vinci

For a form or space to be articulated as being important or
significant to an organization, it must be made uniquely visible.
This visual emphasis can be achieved by endowing a form or
shape with:
• exceptional size
• a unique shape
• a strategic location
In each case, the hierarchically important form or space is
given meaning and significance by being an exception to the
norm, an anomaly within an otherwise regular pattern.
In an architectural composition, there can be more than a
single dominant element. Secondary points of emphasis that
have less attention value than the primary focal point create
visual accents. These distinctive but subordinate elements can
both accommodat Rf&