circle as design element, concept, form, space in architecture, pros and cons.

1. A R C H I T E C T U R A L T H E O R Y
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2. IN
A R C H I T E C T U R E
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T H E O R Y
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3. Many mathematicains and philosophers consider
circle as the most efficient and perfect geometrical
shape. while theologians felt it supernatural or
divine. For the artist the mysterious circle was
always a thing of beauty and a joy forever. In the
field of architecture architects used circles, semi-
circles and spirals in different places like arches,
windows, domes etc. The prehistoric people took
the shape of circle when they built the mysterious
‘Stone Henge’. The use of circular shape can be
seen in many temples in India especially when they
designed the inner Sanctum Sanctorum.
When we study the archaeological remains of
the first settlements of mankind we will find in
many occasions that the architecture of the
houses on of a lot of the buildings has a circular
form. Our ancestors choose to build round
Because the ovid shape — eggs, tree trunks, and
stones — is what they saw reflected in the
surrounding natural environment. And, as
usual, Mother Nature knows best. There is some
natural science that makes round buildings
more comfortable, more energy-efficient and
safer — especially if the shape is combined with
modern materials.
The Circle is a universal symbol with extensive
meaning. It represents the notions of totality,
wholeness, focus, infinity, unity, timelessness, the
Sun, the Moon, the entire Universe.
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4. GOING BACK
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The Greek scholar Proclus called a circle as "the first,
simplest and most perfect form,”where every point
on the circumference is exactly equidistant from the
center. A fascination and interest in circles predates
recorded history, with many ancient cultures finding
approximations for pi—the ratio of a circle's
circumference to its diameter—thousands of years
before mathematicians gave it that name with the
tasty homophone. Because of their symmetry, circles
were seen as representations of the “divine” and
“natural balance” in ancient Greece. Later on, the
shape became a vital foundation for the wheel and
other simple machines. A focus on circles is evident
among structures built throughout history. ,

5. Circular houses use inherently fewer materials than
their square counterparts, an attractive option when
resources are scarce and extra labor meant
expending precious energy. Round homes stand up
to extreme weather. Their curved roofs make them
wind resistant— they are less susceptible to high-
velocity gusts lifting up the roof and tilting up the
house. As wind can flow around the circular
structure, instead of getting hung up around the
angles, these homes are particularly resistant to
hurricanes and tornados.
In terms of function and efficiency, a look at
indigenous architecture tells the true tale of why
round homes reign supreme. Whether a nomadic
Yurt, Navajo Hogan, or Arctic igloo, cultures have
built round structures for specific reasons.
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6. Gobekli Tepe, a series of stone circles in Turkey, is the
oldest known temple, built 6,000 years prior to
Stonehenge. The shape marks many more important
gathering places used by diverse cultures as centers
of worship, governance and even spectacle.
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And with dozens of interconnecting points forming a
strong support system, circular houses have extra
structural strength and flexibility. This is the reason
you will see round architecture adapt to heavy
snowfall and earthquakes. And the rounded walls
help with the heat as well. With 20% less exterior
wall space, heating and cooling bills are
automatically reduced and good natural airflow
means comfort, even in desert climates.

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The interior spaces of a round home follow the
same patterns.
Round buildings use less wall, floor and roof
materials to enclose the same square footage as a
rectangular structure. 15 to 20% less material is
used to create the same square foot building
compared to a rectangular design.
Air and temperature move naturally in a round
space. The thermal dynamics of open-at-the-top
architecture round space uses no external energy
to circulate temperature.
Roof trusses meet in a center ring, producing
inward and outward pressure which holds the
roof in a state of compression.
ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A CIRCULAR SPACE

8. Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad in
Ahmedabad by Louis Kahn
While Kahn was designing the National Assembly
Building in Bangladesh in 1962, he was approached
by an admiring Indian architect, Balkrishna Doshi, to
design the 60 acre campus for the Indian Institute of
Management in Ahmedabad, India. Much like his
project in Bangladesh, he was faced with a culture
enamoured in tradition, as well as a harsh desert
climate. Kahn incorporated local materials – brick
and concrete – and large geometrical façade
extractions as homage to Indian vernacular
architecture, in an effort to blend modern
architecture and Indian tradition.
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EXAMPLES

9. “Ex of In” House in New York by Steven Holl
Architects
This artist residence in Upstate New York features
multiple three-dimensional circle shapes – a series of
spheres intersect with the main trapezoid volumes,
achieving an exciting 3D circle effect. The carved-out
timber shapes are especially dramatic in the
entrance hall, and at the large feature window set on
the corner of the upper floor. Interestingly, this house
can sleep five guests despite having “zero bedrooms”.
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10. National Assembly Building in Dhaka Bangladesh
by Louis Kahn
National Assembly Building of Bangladesh in Dhaka
is an extraordinary example of modern architecture
interpreting Bangali vernacular architecture. The
building, completed in 1982, stands as one of Kahn’s
most prominent works. The design called for
simplistic local materials that were readily available
and would protect against the harsh desert climate.
The entire complex is fabricated out of in situ
concrete with inlaid white marble – a testament to
the local materials and values. Simply magnificent in
every way.
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EXAMPLES
Château La Coste Art Centre by Tadao Ando
The building, conceived by Tadao Ando for Château
La Coste, adopts many of the Japanese master’s
signature elements to create an extraordinary
experience of light and space in nature. Ando’s
uniquely smooth concrete walls are marked by a
series of conical points and are organised into tatami
proportions. His sculptural use of this medium
creates strong geometric lines, framed points of view
and a variety of reflections throughout the day.

12. The Third Eye-Micro Renovation in Shanghai, China
by Wutopia Lab
This project is a renovation of an existing heritage
building housing an office for a video company,
completed on a low budget. The architects cut out
two circles from the existing facade sitting opposite
the front door, with the intersection of the two
circles suggesting the third eye. In Chinese culture,
the third eye stands for supernatural talent, which
allows one to see what others cannot. The third eye
represents the video company’s pursuit of discovery
of the creative and the unusual, with two blue
sections of glass highlighting the intersection. When
the sun shines through the blue glass, it leaves
mysterious shadow on the floor of the front door and
the courtyard.
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EXAMPLES

13. Your Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson
Olafur Eliasson‘s installation ‘Your Rainbow
Panorama’ was completed in 2011. The permanent
elevated structure provides a 360º view of the city of
Arhus, Denmark. Suspended between the city and
the sky, the viewing platform insists on the sensory
engagement of those who enter it. The continuously
circular pathway sits on top of and proportionality
compliments the ARoS museum of art, designed by
Schmidt Hammer Lassen in 2007. Measuring 150
meters around, the transparent glass unit is designed
to act as a visual compass for the city, its colours
marking the physical location of each visitor.
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EXAMPLES

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EXAMPLES
Solomon R Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd
Wright
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum was the last
major project designed by the great Frank Lloyd
Wright. The museum was built between 1943 until it
opened to the public in 1959, six months after the
architect’s death, making it one of his longest works
in creation along with one of his most popular
projects. The exterior of the Guggenheim is a stacked
white cylinder of reinforced concrete swirling
towards the sky. The museum’s dramatic curves of
the exterior have an even more stunning effect on
the interior with “one great space on a continuous
floor.”

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EXAMPLES
Chiesa di Mogno (Church of San Giovanni Battista)
by Mario Botta
This extraordinary building made from alternating
layers of native Peccia marble and Vallemaggia
granite was extremely controversial, but eventually
became a landmark known far beyond the borders
of Switzerland. The church has no windows, and the
interior – which seats about 15 people – is only
illuminated by natural light streaming in through the
circular glass roof.

16. BIBLIOGRAPHY