Jan 2, 2003 · My analysis looks at the flowing versus static nature of San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito by focusing on the articulation of columns, and their implied axial conditions.

In this image, rectangles and ovals dominate the composition. They describe the architectural details for an illusionist ceiling fresco.

The emphasis is on learning how to see and to think architecture by a method that can be loosely called “formal analysis.” The analyses move through history and conclude with examples of high modernism and postmodernism. Reading assignments and one …

The two most prevalent kinds of schematics are site study diagrams and structural diagrams. Site Analysis Diagrams: Show external factors like adjacent buildings, topography, and climate. Structural Diagrams: Highlight elements like load-bearing walls or facade systems.

The word “museum” will often evoke a particular character of building, but rarely, however, a particular space organization. This is probably the case because museums and galleries of all kinds exist in a considerable array of buildings. Museums …

Formal analysis is an important technique for organizing visual information. In other words, it is a strategy used to translate what you see into written words. This strategy can be applied to any work of art, from any period in history, whether a photograph, sculpture, painting …

This course will explicate the rich history, theory, and practice of formal analysis in architecture—through lectures, readings, discussions, and, above all, the act of visual interpretation.

The emphasis is on learning how to see and to think architecture by a method that can be loosely called “formal analysis.” The analyses move through history and conclude with examples of high modernism and postmodernism.

These series take a critical look at canonical buildings from early modernism in 1914 until the "end" of Postmodernism at the 1988 Deconstructivist Architecture exhibition at MoMA. You can find my complete Formal Analysis II portfolio, with written analysis, on Issuu, here, and my Postmodern Reader portfolio, here.

Below are a few examples of principles of design, which are illustrated in works of art in the Museum's collection. Learn about the elements of art here. Download a student handout containing a list of the principles of design and their definitions. (PDF, 190KB)