Beauty and aesthetics may not be as subjective as we often credit them to be.
While many of the instincts and perceptions behind what people find appealing vary across different periods of time and cultures, one thing is certain: successful designs captivate us by tapping into our subconscious preferences.
What if you could gauge the appeal of a design solution even before it is presented to its intended audience?
This is possible – at least to some degree. In this white paper you will learn aesthetic principles of landscape design that have held value through centuries of human civilization and decades of scientific study.
These principles will unlock the ability to speak with authority about aesthetics and communicate with your clients the reasoning behind the design decisions you make.
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Beauty and aesthetics aren’t as subjective as is sometimes believed. But how can we clarify what makes a space beautiful when it is so often said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”?
Beauty is defined as a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially sight. Beauty can be measured by how the brain reacts when the nervous system experiences something beautiful versus something ugly. Neurobiologist Moheb Costandi writes, “An object’s beauty may not be universal, but the neural basis for appreciating beauty probably is.” This conclusion is drawn by the way certain qualities are constantly found beautiful by all people, regardless of culture or experience.
Aesthetics are a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty. Aesthetic principles justify judgements and notions of beauty by establishing their meaning and validity. In his book “The Architecture of Happiness,” Alain de Botton observes that people admire the buildings that, through the combination of materials, shapes, or colors, represent the values we think worthwhile. He writes, “Our sense of beauty and our understanding of the nature of a good life are intertwined.” Therefore, to the extent that we value the same qualities and share similar fundamental human needs, aesthetic principles can be universal.
The following are universal landscape design principles for increasing beauty and evaluating aesthetics of rooftop and outdoor living experiences.
Alignment
Alignment is the placement of site elements in a way that either their edges line up or they are centered on an axis. Every site element should align to one or more site or architectural features.
Alignment brings unity and cohesion that is critical to helping people orient themselves and feel comfortable. In some cases, alignment provides safety from injury caused by stumbling because our brains will tend to assume that things are aligned even if they are not. Alignment is instinctively desired as it represents the values of unification and order.
While alignment is aesthetically appealing to view in a 2D plan drawing, its presence in 3 dimensional space brings a sense of connectivity and meaning as you move through it.
Gardens designed in the French Formal style, such as the Gardens of Versailles designed by Andre le Notre, utilize alignment to organize and unify the space.
Fibonacci Sequence
A Fibonacci Sequence is a sequence of numbers in which each number is the sum of the preceding two numbers. For example: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.
Patterns with this sequence are frequently found in nature from the formation of galaxies to the structure of plants and the human body. References to the Fibonacci Sequence are also prevalent throughout many classic works of architecture and design. Due to its long history, there is an on-going debate concerning whether the Fibonacci Sequence is truly inherently aesthetic or rather people have just been taught to believe it is. Either way, designs that exhibit Fibonacci relationships are considered exceptionally beautiful.
Opportunities to explore the use of the Fibonacci Sequence in rooftop and outdoor living spaces include geometric patterns, planting design, and organic motifs.
Golden Ratio
Derived from the Fibonacci Sequence, the Golden Ratio is equal to roughly the division of any two adjacent numbers in the sequence (approximately 0.618). In design it is commonly the ratio within the significant elements of a form.
Examples include the Parthenon, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Eames LCW Chair, Apple iPod, and da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.
Although the Golden Ratio has a long history in design, many manifestations of the Golden Ratio in design occurred before widespread knowledge of the principle. These occurrences hint at a subconscious preference for it. Whether instinctive or learned, there is no question that people prefer forms that exhibit the Golden Ratio.
According to the 2009 calculations of Duke professor Adrian Bejan, human eyes can scan an image the fastest when its shape is a rectangle based on the Golden Ratio. He declares that golden rectangles are “part of an evolutionary phenomenon that facilitates the flow of information from the plane to the brain.” It seems our preference for the Golden Ratio has to do with our ability to perceive the world around us – a strong reason to incorporate it in the design of physical space.
Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is a technique used to create asymmetry that is interesting to look at and aesthetically pleasing. The technique is applied by dividing the medium (be it a visual image or tangible product) into thirds horizontally and vertically, resulting in nine equal spaces within a grid of four lines. The primary element is then placed on an intersection of the grid.
The Rule of Thirds was widely used during the Renaissance and has a close relationship to the Golden Ratio (a two-thirds section equals 0.666). It is a simple principle to apply, easy to explain, and generally very successful in increasing the appeal of an outdoor amenity design.
Prospect-Refuge
Proposed by Jay Appleton in 1975, the prospect-refuge theory is that people seek out to satisfy an innate desire when reviewing a space. They desire opportunity (prospect) while being safe (refuge). It is based on the evolutionary history of humans.
Environments with a balance of prospect and refuge are perceived as safe places to be in and explore and are therefore more aesthetically appealing. The principle suggests that people prefer edges over the middles of spaces because they can look out at a view while having their backs against something. According to urban planner Kevin Lynch, edge conditions encourage people to sit and survey their surroundings. People instinctively like to be in a place where they can see but not be seen.
In the built environment, trees, shrubs, partial screens and overhead structures contribute to making a space more aesthetically appealing by providing locations for refuge.
Savanna Preference
People prefer savanna-like environments with open grassy areas, water, and scattered trees over other natural environments. People of all ages and cultures consistently choose savanna-like images as the most appealing.
This preference is so strong that studies suggest even the savanna-like artificial imagery can be preferred over other kinds of natural imagery. Savanna-like imagery isn’t just visually appealing, it is also relaxing. Just viewing such images or spaces is linked to better productivity, health, and well-being.
When designing spaces for people, creating savanna-like environments and imagery is a sure way to create more aesthetic appeal.
The gardens at Pyne by Sansiri, designed by TROP Terrains + Open Space, uses the elements of a savanna-like environment including grassy areas, water, and scattered trees.
Defensible Space
A Defensible Space is one that has territorial markers, opportunities for surveillance, and a clear indication of activity and ownership. These principles that constitute a Defensible Space are used to reduce crime as well as increase aesthetic value.
Territorial markers include fences and gates and other visible boundaries such as walls or hedges. They are used to clearly define spaces of ownership. Buffering private apartment unit patios from a common area, for example, will make both the private patios and common area more attractive to people.
Opportunities for surveillance are provided by lighting, windows, and well-maintained and well-trafficked areas. Places without opportunities for surveillance are perceived as unsafe and unattractive.
Indications of activity and ownership create the perception that an area is cared for and worthy of defense. Spaces that include objects such as furniture or decoration make a space more appealing because they indicate that other people use the space and value it.
Entry Point
The Entry Point of a design is the point of either physical or attentional entry. It forms the initial impression of the space or design and either attracts or annoys and repels visitors from entering.
To be appealing, Entry Points should have minimal barriers, both physically and aesthetically. They should allow people to orient themselves and have time to review options of where they want to go to next. Finally, attractive Entry Points should incorporate progressive lures (for example, a focal point water feature in the landscape) to draw people into the space by increments. This will encourage people to approach, enter, and move through the space.
Color
Aesthetically pleasing color arrangements are achieved by using any of the following color combinations:
Analogous Colors: These colors are next to each other on the color wheel.
Complementary Colors: These colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel. Opposites on the color wheel achieve great contrast and visual interest.
Triadic and Quadratic Colors: These colors are at the corners of a symmetrical triangle or square that is circumscribed by the color wheel.
Self-Similarity
Self-Similarity is a property in which a form is made up of parts similar to the whole or to one another. Many natural forms exhibit Self-Similarity at a variety of scales.
Irregular geometry that is continuously self-similar at every scale is referred to as “fractals.” Fractals differ from many man-made patterns in that they are not self-identical so they look looser, softer, and more natural. Fractals are considered a “universal aesthetic” because, at the optimal density, they are so visually appealing they can reduce stress levels by as much as 60 percent.
The facade of Airspace Tokyo, designed by Faulders Studio, forms a foliage-like cover using Self-Similarity.
Signal-to-Noise-Ratio
Signal-to-Noise-Ratio is the ratio of relevant to irrelevant information in a display. This applies to physical space because every unnecessary site element steals attention away from the relevant elements.
When laying out a built environment it is important to only express each feature to the extent necessary. Every excess is noise and detracts from the overall composition in a way that lowers its aesthetic value.
Wabi-Sabi
Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese word signifying nature, simplicity, and understated elegance combined with deterioration, the passing of time, and taking pleasure in the imperfect.
The aesthetic principle of Wabi-Sabi is not disorder, but rather natural order. It includes using colors, materials, and forms found in nature. It is best employed in subtle ways as any extreme application will undermine the design.
Though originally more meaningful to Eastern cultures, Western ideals have begun to evolve away from post modernist minimalist aesthetics, and toward Wabi-Sabi. This Western shift to embracing natural forms, simplicity, and imperfection is making Wabi-Sabi an even more universal design principle.
Tahari Courtyards, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, exemplify Wabi-Sabi with the careful use of exfoliating river birch, moss, river cobbles, and wood planks in the design composition.
Aesthetics and Design
Aesthetics are concerned with the emotional and sensory connections we make with the objects and environment around us. Aesthetic principles provide insight into the mysterious, subconscious instincts of all people. They give tried and tested ways to craft a built environment that both represents universal values and meets fundamental human needs and desires.
Despite the many differences in taste and style, designers can produce universally appealing work by applying principles of aesthetics. Aesthetic landscape design principles are the tools designers can use to create, evaluate, and promote the overall appeal of their rooftop and outdoor living spaces. Using aesthetic principles to justify design decisions helps establish one as an authority on the subject, increasing the value of each design.