2&& 
COLOUR AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF USER; 
AN EXAMINATION OF COLOUR EXPRESSIONS AND ITS 
IMPACT ON USER, IN THE CONTEMPORARY SRI LANKAN 
OFFICE BUILDINGS. 
LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA, SRI LANKA 
MORATUWA 
Dissertation 
Submitted to the Department of Architecture of the 
University of Moratuwa in partial fulfillment of the 
Requirements for the degree of 
Master of Science 
In 
Architecture 
VP b - f ^ 
Sir i fhunga K.A.S. 
January 2004 
University of Moratuwa . • / ^ ! 
85446 • 
85446 8$Wb 
Declaration 
I declare that this dissertation represents my own work, except where due 
acknowledgement is made, and that it has not been previously included in a theses, ? , 
dissertation or report submitted to thisjJ/iiversity or to any other institution for a Degree, 
Diploma or other qualification. 
Signed... 
Sirithunga, K.A.S. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 
I wish make a.'them and grateful acknowledgement of my gratitude to the 
following personalities for guiding us in the study and in the preparation of this 
document. 
" i . 
M.Sc year masters i£year one) and Course Coordinators Archt. Vidura Sri 
Nammuni and Archt. Prasanna Kulatilaka, Department of Architecture, 
University of Moratuwa, for their valuable guidance in the initial stage. 
My supervisor Archt. Arosh Gamage - Senior Lecturer, Department of 
Architecture, University of Moratuwa, for supervising me and setting me in 
correct track. 
Archt Madura Prematilake, Archt Jayanayh Silva, Archt. Vinod Jyasinghe for 
structuring case studies. 
I 
Thanks are also for the building management, the staff and the customers of 
HNB - Boralesgamuwa, Hem Tours, Jetwing Travels and Sun Street for 
providing me necessary data, discussions, & granting permission to get 
photographs the buildings 
I am needed to thankful to Anjana for the massive encouragement and kind 
concern. Moreover, Roshini Akka, Manju Akka, Manori, Rasanga, shehla and 
my ever friend Lakmali for all helps and advices. 
Finally, for vary affectionate parents and family members for helps in vary ways 
in the completion of this dissertation. 7 
iii 
Colour and the Psychology of User; An Examination of Colour Expressions and its 
Impact on User, in the Contemporary Sri Lankan Office Buildings. 
CONTENTS Page No. 
Declaration i 
Acknowledgements iii 
Table of Contents vi 
List of Figures vii 
List of Tables ix 
Abstract x 
INTRODUCTION 
1) Background to Study > xii 
2) Observation xii 
3) Criticality xiii 
4) Intention of the Study xiii 
5) Aims and Objective of the Study xiii 
6) Methodology xiv 
7) Scope and Limitations xv 
CHAPTER ONE - ARCHITECTURE AND COLOUR 
1.1. Definition and Purpose of Architecture 2 
1.2. Expression and Communication in Architecture 3 
1.3. Qualitative Attributes of Architecture 4 
1.3.1. Form 4 
1.3.2. Special Ordering 5 
1.3.3. Detailing 6 
1.4. The Theory of Colour 7 
1.4.1. colour wheel and its components 7 
1.4.2. Detentions of colour 9 
1.5. Colour and Nature 10 
1.6. Meaning of Colour 12 
1.7. Colour in Architecture 14 
iv 
1.7.1. Schemes of Colour use in Architecture 14 
1.7.1.1. Associated 14 
1.7.1.2. Contrast 16 
1.8. Concluding Remarks 18 
CHAPTER TWO - HUMAN PERCEPTION AND COLOUR 
EXPRESSIONS 
2 .1 . Human Perception on Colour 20 
2.1.1. Colour Trends and Traditions 21 
2.1.2. Colour in Sri Lankan Context 23 
2.2. Power of Colour 24 
2.2.1. Colour as Energy 24 
2.2.2. Colour and Communication 26 
2.2.3. Colour and Sense 29 
2.3. Concluding Remarks 30 
CHAPTER THREE -THE COLOUR EXPRESSIONS AND PSYCHOLOGY 
OF USER 
3.1. Concept of Office Environment 31 
3.2. Colour in Context 31 
3.2.1. Use of Colour schemes in Office Environment 32 
3.3. Colour Expressions and its Impact to the Psychology of User 36 
3.3.1. Form and Space 33 
3.3.2. Scale and Proportion 33 
3.3.3. . ; Volume 38 
3.3.4. Architectural Details 40 
3.4. Psychological Effects of Colour on People 40 
3.5. Concluding Remarks 43 
v 
CHAPTER FOUR - CASE STUDIES 
4 . 1 . Case Study - 1 SUNSTREET- Sri Jayawardhanapura 45 
4 .1 .1 . Concept of Office 45 
4.1.2. Colour in Context 45 
4.1.3. Use of Colour schemes in Office Environment 45 
4.1.4. Colour Expressions and Impact to the Psychology of User 46 
4.1.5. Psychological Effects of Colour on People 47 
4.2. Case Study - 2 HEM TOURS, Bray Brook Place, Colombo 02 49 
4.2 .1 . Concept of Office 49 
4.2.2. Colour in Context 49 
4.2.3. Use of Colour schemes in Office Environment 49 
4.2.4. Colour Expressions and Impact to the Psychology of User 50 
4.2.5. Psychological Effects of Colour on People 52 
4.3. Case Study - 3 HNB- Boralesgamuwa 54 
4 .3 .1 . Concept of Office 54 
4.3.2. Colour in Context 54 
4.3.3. Use of Colour schemes in Office Environment 54 
4.3.4. Colour Expressions and Impact to the Psychology of User 55 
4.3.5. Psychological Effects of Colour on People 57 
4.4. Case Study - 4 JETWING TRAVELS-Colombo 59 
4.4 .1 . Concept of Office 59 
4.4.2. Colour in Context 59 
4.4.3. Use of Colour schemes in Office Environment 59 
4.4.4. Colour Expressions and Impact to the Psychology of User 60 
4.4.5. Psychological Effects of Colour on People 61 
4.5. Concluding Remarks 62 
CONCLUSION 63 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 6 8 
Annexure 7 4 
F igure N o . L I S T O F F I G U R E S P a g e N o . 
1 Light House Hotel- Galle 2 
2 Afghan Girl 3 
3 Expressions And Communication 3 
4 Ballet As Medium Of Expression 3 
5 Ron Champ Chapel 4 
6 Spatial Progression 5 
7 SOS Village - Galle 6 
8 Details In Nature 6 
9 SOS Village - Galle 6 
10 Electromagnetic Colour Spectrum 7 
11 Johannes Itten's Colour Wheel 7 
12 Johannes Itten's Colour Star 8 
13 Cool Interior 8 
14 Warm Interior 9 
15 Neutral Interior 9 
16 Munsell System 9 
17 Munsell System 10 
18 Vertical Spared Of Colour 10 
19 Horizontal Spared Of Colour 10 
20 Use Of Harmony Colours 11 
21 Use Of Complementary Colours 11 
22 Use Of Creative Colours 11 
23 Nature Example For The Monochromic Colours 15 
24 Nature Example For The Analogous Colours 15 
25 Colour Spectrum 16 
26 Nature Example For The Complementary Colours 16 
27 Perception On Human 20 
28 Indian Wedding Film; Bent it like Bekham 21 
29 Japanese Interior 22 
30 Colours And Japanese Ikebana 22 
31 Use Of Colours In Victorian Style 22 
32 Use Of Colours In France 22 
33 Black Cat 24 
34 Colour As Communication Media 27 
35 Colour As Communication Media 27 
36 White Makes Spiritual Quality 29 
37 Bright Colour Makes Happier 29 
38 Blue Makes Natural Calm Quality 29 
39 Highlighting The Entrance With Colour 32 
vii 
40 Reception Counter 32 
41 Villa Savoy 33 
42 Colours In Context 33 
43 Grey Office Environment 34 
44 CIC Interior (SL ) 35 
45 ODEL Unlimited 36 
46 Form And Space 37 
47 Scale And Proportions 38 
48 Details In Stairway 40 
49 Sun Street Building 45 
50 Sun Street Building 45 
51 Sun Street Building 45 
52 Sun Street Building 46 
53 Sun Street Building 46 
54 Sun Street Building 47 
55 Sun Street Building 47 
56 Sun Street Building 47 
57 HumanResponses on Colour 47 
58 Effects Of Colour 48 
59 Effects Of Temperature 48 
60 Hem Tours - Colombo 49 
61 Hem Tours - Colombo 49 
62 Hem Tours - Colombo 49 
63 Hem Tours - Colombo 51 
64 Hem Tours - Colombo 51 
65 Hem Tours - Colombo 51 
66 Hem Tours - Colombo 51 
67 Hem Tours - Colombo 51 
68 HumanResponses on Colour 52 
69 Effects Of Colour 52 
70 Effects Of Temperature 53 
71 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 54 
72 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 54 
73 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 54 
74 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 56 
75 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 56 
76 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 56 
77 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 56 
78 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 56 
79 Hatton National Bank- Boralesgamuwa 56 
80 HumanResponses on Colour 57 
81 Effects Of Colour 57 
viii 
82 Effects Of Temperature 58 
83 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 59 
84 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 59 
85 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 59 
86 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 60 
87 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 60 
88 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 61 
89 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 61 
90 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 61 
91 Jetwing Travels, Colombo 61 
92 HumanResponses on Colour 61 
93 Effects of Colour 62 
94 Effects of Temperature 62 
T a b l e N o . L IST O F T A B L E S P a g e N o . 
1. Brightness, Colour Saturation and Illumination 38 
Level, Effect on the Perception of Volume 
2. Colour Effects on Perception of Time, Size, Weight and 40 
3. Volume 
4. Interrelationships in Living Areas 41 
5. Effects of Colour - Sun Street Building 48 
6. Effects of Temperature 48 
7. Effects Of Colour - Hem Tours 52 
8. Effects Of Temperature 53 
9. Effects Of Colour - HNB 57 
10. Effects Of Temperature 58 
11. Effects Of Colour - Jetwing Travels 57 
12. Effects Of Temperature 58 
13. Comparison in Effects of Colour 65 
14. Comparison on Effects of Colour Temperature 65 
A B S T R A C T 
"Colour in particular is so much part of our lives that we often take it for granted - until 
such time as we are deprived of it." Parikh A. (1996) p 13 
All of natural environment and built environment is colourful. W e cannot find place with 
•» out colours. If there is place with out colour, it will be feeling as very boring, 
meaningless and dead place. Sometimes colour hide the reality and sometimes colour 
improve the reality 
Colour defines boundaries, progression, and orderliness. Most important thing is colour 
effect the psychology of user. It is an amazing thing human had to experience the 
world. Both natural environment and man made environment. 
Benefits of colour are wider in present. It may more widely in future : " ~ n 
Everything in the world has a certain characteristics. From the scientific finding says 
character of colour and when it use proper way it gives much more positive effect to 
people and their by it is increase their life as well as up lift their productivity. 
Power of colour can be use as to give advices, healing purposes etc... In addition, 
colour is a one of the represents of emotions. In particular, occasions colour express 
the required meaning & it effect to the mood of people. 
In today most of building tend to use of colour. Use of bright hues only concern about 
attract to people and to take attention people However, it may Qstinable. Is this the 
proper way of using colour? Using colours may not give effect but controlled use of 
colours may give exact meaning or a mood.
 u L 
J ' 
Architecture is the most closed art to a man.Even element of architecture is effect to 
user than any other art. Architecture is feels, because it has sense. This study is done 
for examine the use of colour which related to concepts of the building, is expressions 
its massage correct way. Also these studies rather see how these expressions effect to 
user's psychology. 
Thus, it is responsibility of the designer to think deeply about the present trend and 
actually, what architects should do with colours to get maximum expressive quality of 
the space and to move up to its meaning to user with out inconsistency. 
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