Color Communication Architecture

Color – Communication in Architectural Space

Meerwein

Rodeck

Mahnke

Color – Communication in Architectural Space

Birkhäuser Basel • Boston • Berlin

We would like to thank création baumann, Kvadrat, DLW, and Ruckstuhl AG for providing material. Particular thanks goes to Ruckstuhl AG for their support in printing the book.

Title of the original German language edition:Mensch – Farbe – Raum. Grundlagen der Farbgestaltung in Architektur, Innenarchitektur, Design und Planung G. Meerwein and B. Rodeck comprehensively revised the text and list of illustrations. F. H. Mahnke supervised the translation into English. Translation: Laura Bruce with Matthew Gaskins and Paul Cohen This book was also published in German: Farbe – Kommunikation im Raum, ISBN 3-7643-7595-7.Cover: Nadine Rinderer, Basel. The cover design is based on a photograph of Panama Werbeagentur in Stuttgart. Architecture: zipherspaceworks; Color Design: Stefan Gabel.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2007922820

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailedbibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in data bases. For any kind of use, permission of thecopyright owner must be obtained.

First published in German in 1998 4th revised German edition, 1st English edition 2007 © 2007 Birkhäuser Verlag AG Basel · Boston · Berlin P.O. Box 133, CH-4010 Basel, Switzerland. Part of Springer Science+Business Media Printed on acid-free paper produced from chlorine-free pulp. TCF Printed in Germany ISBN-10: 3-7643-7596-5 ISBN-13: 978-3-7643-7596-6 987654321http://www.birkhauser.ch

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CONTENT

Introduction 1 Humans – The Focus of Design 2 The Senses as Instruments of Communication 3 Color – An Environmental Element Color – Communication in Architectural Space 4 Humans and Color What is Color? Seeing Color Perception of Color Experiencing Color Spatial Color Experience Scheme Biological Reactions to a Color Stimulus The Collective UnconsciousConscious Symbolism and Association Cultural Influence and Mannerism Trends, Fashion, Style Personal Factors Physiological and Neuropsychological Aspects Understimulation – Overstimulation Optical Patterns Physiological Effects Psychological Aspects Synesthesia Symbolism of Colors 5 The Design Essentials of Color Color Fundamentals The Color Circle and the Color Order System The Effect of ColorContrasts Light-Dark Contrast Chromatic-Achromatic Contrast Chromatic Contrast Complementary Contrast Intensity Contrast Quantity Contrast Flicker Contrast Cold-Warm Contrast Physiological Contrast Simultaneous Contrast Successive Contrast

9 10 13 16 17 18 18 18 19 19 20

6 Light and Color The Technical Basis of Lighting – Measurements and Units Lamps and Their Properties Aspects of VisualErgonomics Color Ergonomics/Visual Ergonomics The Structure of the Eye Eye Muscles Glare and Brightness Differences in Luminous Density and Surface Color Biological Effect of Light 7 Material and Color 8 Architectural Aspects of Space Aspects of Perception Aspects of the Design Process What Does it Mean to Design? Properties of Elements Relationships between Elements Relationships between Elementsand the Viewer

39 40 42 44

47 50 56 56 56 57 58 61 61 63 63 65 68 70 70

22 9 Communication: People – Color – Space Interdisciplinary Aspects Human Needs Relevant to Design Aspects of Color Perception in Architectural Space 28 32 33 33 36 10 The Practice of Color Design Aspects of Interior Architectural Color Design Relationship of People to Color Physiological Requirements Psychological...