Imagine a house hovering in the air above the ground. There are no walls restricting the freedom of movement within it. Light is pouring in through huge windows along the whole building. The rooftop of the building is covered with plants and turned into a beautiful garden. Is it a building from the future? No, it was created almost a hundred years ago but still influences modern architects.
This vision was shaped by the five points of architecture. These principles were developed by the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in the 1920s. Together with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, Le Corbusier created this framework to redefine the concept of modern architecture. Five points of architecture were first mentioned in the book Vers une architecture (Towards a New Architecture) in 1923. Then they got their embodiment in such iconic projects as Villa Savoye constructed in 1928-1931.
Why should you know about these principles? They give architects practical architectural solutions for common design problems. Whatever you design – residential, office or public buildings, these points help to create functional and light-filled spaces. This guide will introduce you to each of the five points of architecture and their contemporary relevance.
What Are the 5 Main Points of Architecture?
There are not only five principles in architecture but also five points. They form a certain design system which separates structure from enclosure. At that period, all buildings had thick load-bearing walls and were dependent on them.
Le Corbusier came up with reinforced concrete columns which could bear the building’s weight and let the architect use the walls to divide spaces. This is when a whole new world of architecture began.
Five points of architecture include:
- Pilotis: Reinforced concrete columns which hold the building from the ground and create an empty space underneath;
- Free Design of the Ground Plan: Interior layout which is not conditioned by the load-bearing walls;
- Free Design of the Façade: Exterior wall independent of the structure;
- Horizontal Windows: Long windows which cross the whole façade;
- Roof Garden: Rooftop covered with plants;
All of these points changed the approach to architecture of that time and remain its basis in modern architectural education.
Pilotis
Pilotis are stilt-like reinforced concrete columns which hold the building and create an empty space underneath.
Architectural Benefits
These columns free the ground floor and make it available for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The space under the building is good for air circulation and for reducing the obstruction of the terrain. Also, the building looks lighter because of the pilotis.
Practical Applications
For the buildings located in the area where flooding may occur, pilotis are an efficient measure for protecting the building. In the densely populated area, pilotis allow to separate the building from the surrounding area and create the public space. So, the Rio Art Museum designed by Bernardes + Jacobsen Arquitetura uses pilotis for connecting the building with the public area.
Climate Responsiveness
Pilotis also help to reduce the earthworks and avoid ground moisture. That is why this point of architecture can be considered climate-responsive design strategy. Nowadays, many architects use this principle due to its environmental benefits.
Free Plan
The second principle is called a free plan since it frees interior spaces from the structural constraints. This means that there are no load-bearing partition walls in the building.
How It Works
In the free plan, the structure is held by the columns which make interior walls unnecessary. Thus, the interior walls are free to be installed wherever needed.
Why It Matters Today
Open living spaces are not a recent creation but a result of applying this principle. Free plan gives the opportunity for future changes, expansion of space or shifting the partition walls which is essential in residential design. The commercial areas can also benefit from free plan since business needs to be adapted quickly.
Contemporary Examples
An interesting example of the free plan is Beijing Sub-Center Library which is designed by Snøhetta. The building with no structural walls inside has spacious light-filled rooms. Another building where the same principle is applied is the Ágora Tech Park which was designed by Estúdio Módulo.
Free Façade
Free façade means that exterior walls of the building are not load-bearing. This means that they can have any form and material.
A New Approach to Building Envelopes
Before applying this point of architecture, the buildings had walls which carried all the weight of the building. That is why there was a limitation to where you could put windows and what kind of façade you could have.
Aesthetic and Functional Freedom
Nowadays, façades are no longer load-bearing elements of the building. They are more similar to the skin which makes a building more attractive and gives it an architectural value.
Contemporary Applications
The examples of buildings with free façade design are Badari Residence by Cadence and Xi’an Qujiang Art Center by gad. These buildings demonstrate the façade which reflects the creativity of the architects while preserving structural integrity of the building. This point of architecture also makes it possible to put horizontal windows in the building which brings us to the fourth principle.
Horizontal Windows
The horizontal windows (or ribbon windows) are long continuous openings which span across the entire length of the façade of the building.
Design Advantages
These windows allow better lighting of the rooms comparing with vertical windows and stronger connection with the exterior space. They stress the horizontality of the building and highlight its modernist features.
Natural Lighting Strategies
Horizontal windows also provide the building with natural lighting and can significantly decrease the necessity to turn on the artificial lighting. They also provide a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape.
Contemporary Variations
Nowadays, architects use various styles and locations of horizontal windows. So, for example, Villa Oreveien by Lie Øyen Arkitekter and House in Shunde by Multi-Architecture are the buildings which use this principle of architecture. Though the traditional horizontal windows are widely used, architects experiment with their form.
Roof Garden
The fifth principle is roof garden which transforms the plain roof into an additional room. This point of architecture restores the ground area lost because of the building and also brings some environmental benefits.
Environmental Benefits
Roof gardens are providing natural insulation and help to save money on heating and cooling the building. Also, they absorb the rainwater and make stormwater runoff management easier. They also create a habitat for wildlife in urban areas. Thus, this point of architecture perfectly fits today’s sustainable architectural solutions.
Recreation and Amenity
In addition to environmental benefits, roof gardens provide recreational spaces for their inhabitants. They are places for eating, gardening or just resting. In densely populated areas, roof gardens provide the building with the space which would not be available in other cases. Toni Areal Roof Garden designed by Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture is an example of roof garden.
Materials and Technology
The development of technologies of making roof garden waterproof and different materials made it much easier to design roof gardens. Now, architects can create different forms of roofs and plant different plant species.
Relevance in Contemporary Architecture
The five points of architecture are not a part of history but are relevant in contemporary projects where flexibility and sustainability are important factors.
Flexibility and Adaptability
The principle of free plan provides the opportunity for the adaptive reuse of the building. Since during its life a building can change its purpose, flexible interiors will make it easier.
Sustainability
Pilotis protect the building from floods and reduce earthwork. Roof gardens make stormwater runoff management easier and provide natural insulation. Horizontal windows make maximum use of natural lighting. All these are not only theoretical benefits but practical solutions to the problems.
Architectural Identity
The free façade allows architects to create unique buildings and thus is important in commercial and residential areas. These points are also helpful in human-centered design since they prioritize light, space and connection with nature.
As Susanna Moreira states in her research of contemporary projects, whenever a building applies several points of architecture, “the strong relationship between these points is renewed, and the modernist heritage of current architecture is somehow reaffirmed” .
Conclusion
Le Corbusier’s five points of architecture (pilotis, free plan, free façade, horizontal windows, and roof garden) are not just historic terms. They are practical principles which influence the process of architectural design till now. The separation of structure from enclosure gave the architects the freedom to create flexible, light-filled and human-centered spaces.
That is why these points are relevant – they solve the problems which architects face. How to make the spaces flexible? How to make maximum use of natural lighting? How to connect buildings with the environment? Five points give the answers to these questions.
If you are an architect or just interested in architectural design, learning these points will help you to understand modern buildings better. These principles are a proof of how valuable ideas stay relevant and evolve.
Architectural Solutions With Camellia Buildtech
At Camellia Buildtech, we utilize the timeless principles of architecture to provide our clients with creative architectural solutions. No matter whether you are going to work on your home or commercial building project, our architectural solutions will help you achieve the best result. Feel free to contact us today to discuss your next project!
FAQS
What are the 5 points of architecture?
Five points are pilotis, free design of the ground plan, free design of the facade, horizontal windows, and roof garden.
Who invented the five points of architecture?
These principles were developed by Le Corbusier, a Swiss-French architect in the 1920s. They were first mentioned in Le Corbusier’s writings and then were published in his book titled Vers une architecture (Towards a New Architecture) in 1923.
Why are Le Corbusier’s 5 points important in modern architecture?
These principles allowed architects to separate structure from enclosure and thus provided them with much more freedom of designing interior space, façade appearance, natural illumination and interaction with the surrounding environment.
How do pilotis affect architectural design?
Pilotis allow buildings to be lifted off the ground, providing additional spaces for circulation, better air ventilation, solving problems associated with moisture, saving from earthworks. Moreover, they make buildings lighter and more elegant in their appearance.
What is the difference between free plan and free facade?
The free plan means flexibility of interior layout without any restrictions related to load-bearing walls. The free facade stands for the independence of the exterior walls from the structure and their appearance.
How does a roof garden promote sustainable architectural solutions?
Roof gardens serve as an insulator, solve the problem of stormwater, provide habitats for wildlife, return the land occupied by buildings and provide urban residents with recreation areas.
