In architecture and design, massing is the arrangement of elements to convey the shape, form and size of a structure or product.[1][2] The massing of a building influences the sense of space it encloses, and helps to define both the interior space and the exterior shape of the building.[1]
Characteristics
editMassing is the three-dimensional form of an object or building, not just the outline or silhouette.[1][3][4] The use of massing affects the perception of a structure, and can emphasize the importance of a particular component or articulate its usage, for example by identifying an entrance or conveying movement through a building.[4] In product design, massing helps a user identify intuitively where the important parts are and how they are used.[5]
Massing can be additive or a subtractive. Additive massing involves combining volumes or repeated units to create a larger form,[6] emphasizing the individual pieces used to construct it.[4] In contrast, subtractive or divisive massing[6] involves removing parts of a larger, recognizable whole.[4] Architects use massing models to depict the volume of a design and its relationship with the external space. Unlike other types of models like solid/void models and development models, massing models do not typically include openings or interior spaces.[7]
It is generally held that architectural design begins by considering massing.[8] From a distance, massing, more than any architectural detail, is what creates the most impact on the eye.[9] Architectural details or ornaments may serve to reinforce or minimize massing.[10] Massing can also be significantly altered by the materials used for the building's exterior, as transparent, reflective, or layered materials are perceived differently.[1] Because it has a direct relation to the visual impact a building makes, massing is one of the most important architectural design considerations.[1]
Massing can be impacted by laws, codes, and regulations such as setback requirements and limits on height.
Massing also has an effect on building energy efficiency. A complex shape can present more opportunities for heat loss through the building envelope. Reducing the number of exterior walls, along with a low vertical surface area to floor area ratio (VFAR) decreases heat loss potential. [11]
Some architectural styles are closely associated with massing.[12][13] For example, the Prairie School is always low and horizontal, while the Gothic style emphasizes verticality, and Georgian architecture focuses on solidity and a sense of permanence.[12]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 Jacoby, Sam (2016). Drawing Architecture and the Urban. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley. p. 52. ISBN 9781118879405.
- ↑ Born, George Walter (2006). Preserving Paradise: The Architectural Heritage and History of the Florida Keys. Charleston, S.C.: History Press. p. 149. ISBN 9781596291522.
- ↑ Thompson, Arthur (1999). Architectural Design Procedures. New York: Routledge. p. 108. ISBN 9780415502849.
- 1 2 3 4 Clark, Roger H.; Pause, Michael (2012). Precedents in Architecture: Analytic Diagrams, Formative Ideas, and Partis (4th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 4–7. ISBN 978-0-470-94674-9. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Clay, Robert Clay (2009). Beautiful Thing: An Introduction to Design. Oxford: Berg. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-84788-264-6. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
- 1 2 Dietsch, Deborah K. (2002). Architecture for Dummies. New York: Hungry Minds. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9780764553967.
- ↑ Mills, Criss B. (2011). Designing with Models: A Studio Guide to Architectural Process Models (3rd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-470-49885-9. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Leyton, Michael (2001). A generative theory of shape. Berlin: Heidelberg Springer. p. 366. ISBN 9783540454885.
- ↑ Charleson, Andrew (2015). Structure As Architecture: A Source Book for Architects and Structural Engineers. New York: Routledge. p. 14. ISBN 9780415644594.
- ↑ Glassie, Henry H. (2000). Vernacular Architecture. Philadelphia, Pa.: Material Culture. p. 69. ISBN 9780253213952.
- ↑ "BC Energy Step Code Design Guide" (PDF). BC Housing. July 2019. p. 15. Retrieved 23 August 2021..
- 1 2 Yatt, Barry D. (1998). Cracking the Codes: An Architect's Guide to Building Regulations. New York: John Wiley. p. 145. ISBN 9780471169673.
- ↑ Lanier, Gabrielle M.; Herman, Bernard L. (1997). Everyday Architecture of the Mid-Atlantic: Looking at Buildings and Landscapes. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 121. ISBN 9780801853241.