Harmony

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HARMONY:

A pleasing combination of elements in a whole or composition:

Harmony is a state of composition in which the composition may be made


up of different elements but all of them seem to be coexisting with pleasant
visual appearance. Harmony in Architecture means that the elements exist
in agreement not only with each other but also with the site, climate,
context, and culture.

Harmony within the elements of composition- all the elements compliment


each other and though they may have different forms but they coexist such
that there is a sense of unity and balance in the composition
Harmony with site and nature-
In this composition the architecture does not dominate nature but belongs to the
site and nature. In this case the building may be made up of the same material
that is available in the site and thus may even seem to merge with the site.
Example- Falling water by FLW.
Most of the vernacular architecture is harmonious with the nature.

Central African Vernacular Architecture

Kath-Kuni Architecture
Harmony with climate-
In this, architecture responds to the climatic conditions of the site. For
example the courtyard houses of dry and arid regions or the airy houses of
hot and humid regions are in harmony with the climate. The whole green
architecture movement is an attempt to make the building harmonious with
the climate.
Harmony with immediate context-
It’s very important for architecture to respond to the context as well, especially if
the context is very strong like historical precincts, heritage structures etc. Its
advisable to respect the context. For example I M Pei’s extension of Louvre
Museum in Paris. Parliament library, New Delhi by Ar Raj Rewal.
Harmony with culture-
if the architecture is set in a place which has a distinct culture, harmony can be
achieved by interpreting the culture in architectural ways. For example Charles
Correa’s architecture attempts to harmonize with the local culture. His kala
academy at Goa harmonizes with Goan culture, similarly his Jawahar kala
Kendra at Jaipur harmonizes with Jaipur or rajasthan culture. Other architects
who have made such attempts are Hassan Fathy, Riccardo Leggoretta, Geoffery
Bawa, Laurie Baker etc.
Indoor Olympic stadium, Japan
Kenzo Tange

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