Selected Bibliography Architecture - Form Space and Order | Page 98

C ORN E RS

Corners define the meeting of two planes. If the two planes simply touch and
the corner remains unadorned, the presence of the corner will depend on the
visual treatment of the adjoining surfaces. This corner condition emphasizes
the volume of a form.

A corner condition can be visually reinforced by introducing a separate and
distinct element that is independent of the surfaces it joins. This element
articulates the corner as a linear condition, defines the edges of the adjoining
planes, and becomes a positive feature of the form.

If an opening is introduced to one side of the corner, one of the planes will
appear to bypass the other. The opening diminishes the corner condition,
weakens the definition of the volume within the form, and emphasizes the
planar qualities of the neighboring surfaces.

If neither plane is extended to define the corner, a volume of space is created to
replace the corner. This corner condition deteriorates the volume of the form,
allows the interior space to leak outward, and clearly reveals the surfaces as
planes in space.

Rounding off the corner emphasizes the continuity of the bounding surfaces
of a form, the compactness of its volume, and softness of its contour. The
scale of the radius of curvature is important. If too small, it becomes visually
insignificant; if too large, it affects the interior space it encloses and the
exterior form it describes.

FORM / 8 3