A STUDY OF THE PARALLELISM 
BETWEEN HUMAN AND ARCHITECTURAL EXPRESSIONS 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE 
TO THE LANGUAGE USED 
A dissertation Submitted to the University of Moratuwa 
As a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of 
Masters of Science in Architecture. 
<V / ' M. S c / 8 Sc , \ 
\ 
KANCHANA SENASINGHA 
Department of Architecture 
University of Moratuwa 
July 1999 
71758 
T H 
ABSTRACT 
Human expressions are the genuine result of the bursting need to 
share emotions, to feel alone and yet not alone but 
accompanied...; face versus face, body versus body, voice versus 
voice. 'Alone' in the sense of personality; 'accompanied' in the 
sense of art. 
Architecture as the crown of art defines it's exclusive place by the 
unique combination of utilitarian, technical, contextual and aesthetic 
expression. Accompaniment of architecture with man happens 
through the emotional responses to form and the kinship of the 
language shared by both; not to produce an actual 'Photograph' of 
a human trait, but as a representation of it's mood, generated and 
modified. 
From situational human expressions to 'gestures' in buildings or 
from personality to 'character' of form, in either qualitative or 
quantitative aspects: qualitative - as form, shape and decoration; 
quantitative - as size, proportion, age and visual weight. 
As hard, soft, childish, depressive, extrovert, fair, introvert, 
blonde 
And as heavy, skinny, short, old, bulky, chubby, slender, graceful, 
attractive 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
It is with great pleasure that I express my deepest 
gratitude to; 
Dr. Emmanuel and Mr. Vidura Sri Nammuni for the 
advice extended on the topic, the study and the 
structure, together with the constant guidance 
throughout. 
Dr. Dayaratne and Dr. L.S.R. Perera for their. 
Preliminary comments on the topic and the study. 
My sister for discussions and guidance throughout, 
and for easing a tight schedule. 
Hiranthi for finding some of the interesting literature 
and illustrations. 
and 
my mother and father for their assurance and care. 
CONTENTS 
List of Figures 
List of Plates 
List of Graphs 
INTRODUCTION 1 
CHAPTER ONE : HUMAN EXPRESSION AND ART 
1.1 Emotion as a Producer of Purposeful Human Expression 9 
1.2 Methods of Human Expression 10 
1.2.1 Facial Expressions 13 
1.2.2 Vocal Expressions 21 
1.2.3 Bodily Expressions 22 
1.2.4 Categorized Lists of Human Expressions 24 
1.3 Human Expression and Personality 31 
1.4 The Mechanism of Human Expression 34 
1.5 Human Expression and Art 42 
1.6 Nature of Arts 44 
1.6.1 Function of Arts 44 
1.6.2 Meaning in Arts 44 
1.6.3 Multivalence in Arts 45 
1.7 The Emotive Classification of Arts and Their Expressive Qualities 45 
1.7.1 Temporal Arts 46 
1.7.2 Plastic Arts 47 
1.7.3 Architecture as a Useful Art 47 
Summary to Chapter One 49 
CHAPTER TWO : EXPRESSION, LANGUAGE AND CHARACTER 
IN ARCHITECTURE 
2.1 Architectural Expression 54 
2.1.1 Generators in Architectural Expression 55 
2.1.1.1 User 
2.1.1.2 Activity pattern 
2.1.1.3 Higher purpose 
2.1.1.4 Natural context 
2.1.1.5 Man made context 
2.1.2 Modifiers in Architectural Expression 60 
2.2 Language of Architecture as the Method of Expression 63 
2.2.1 Architectural Language as a Tool of Creativity 63 
2.2.2 Architectural Language as a Means of Communication 67 
2.2.3 Communication and Meaning in Architecture 68 
2.2.3.1 Meaning as indication of use 
2.2.3.2 Meaning as a manifestation of culture and symbolism 
2.3 Emotional Perception and Character of Buildings 71 
2.3.1 Emotional Response to Form and Shape 76 
2.3.2 Emotional Response to Size and Scale 82 
2.3.3 Emotional Response to Proportion 85 
2.3.4 Emotional Response to Visual Weight 86 
2.3.5 Emotional Response to Texture, Colour, Light and Pattern 87 
2.3.6 Categorized Lists of Building Expressions 91 
2.4 The Mechanism of Building Expression 94 
Summary to Chapter Two 102 
CHAPTER THREE : ARCHITECTURAL AND HUMAN EXPRESSION: 
THE PARALLELISM 
3.1 The Area of Parallelism 104 
3.2 The Pictorial Parallelism 109 
3.3 Theory and the Structure of the Study in Parallelism 117 
3.4 The Study of the Parallelism in Sri Lankan Buildings 118 
3.4.1 Supermarket, Borella 118 
3.4.2 Institute of Computer Technology, University of Colombo 127 
3.4.3 The Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall 134 
3.4.4 The Defense Ministry Building, Galle Face 138 
3.4.5 Town Hall Building, Colombo 142 
CONCLUSION 147 
ANNEX 151 
REFERENCES 162 
LIST Ol7 FIGURES 
Chapter One 
1. Non-verbal communication methods 11 
2. Emblems used as a means of communication for the deaf 11 
3. Simple cartoons illustrating the basic expressions of happiness, 
sadness, disgust and anger 15 
4. Detection of liars 22 
^ 5. Variations in posture 23 
Chapter Two 
1. Drawing of central building in a large city 56 
2. Metaphors, simile and cliche in architectural language 65 
3. A 'soaring' impression: Cathedral of Rheims 72 
4. The gesture of 'flying': TWA terminal building, New York 73 
5. A 'welcoming' gesture: Apartment block, Amsterdam 74 
6. Lines that suggest familiar human expressions 76 
7. Emotional response to lines 77 
t 8. A 'wrapping' gesture on form: Alvar Aalto's vuoksenniska 
church 82 
9. Unite 'd' habitation at Marseilles by Le Corbusier and the use 
of the 'modular' 86 
Chapter Three 
1. The University of Indonesia, Depok and it's basic components 
relative to human body 106 
m 2. The centrality of form and the dynamic quality of supermarket 
in Borella 119 
3. The ground and first floor plans of the supermarket, Borella 120 
4. Principles of Vastu Purusa Mandala 120 
5. The separation from the exterior to the interior of the 
supermarket, Borella 121 
6. Openness and friendliness of Majestic City 125 
7. The shrunk qualities of introvertness 125 
8. The welcoming and expanding qualities of extrovertness 126 
9. Perspective of the Institute of Computer Technology, University 
of Colombo 127 
10. North Elevation of the Institute of Computer Technology 128 
11. 'Tallness' as associated with respect and haughtiness 129 
12. The columns that look taller in perspective 129 
13. The first floor plan, Institute of Computer Technology 130 
14. Layout of the Institute of Computer Technology 132 
15. The expression of haugtniness and dynamic quality combined 132 
16. The ground floor plan of the Institute of Computer Technology 133 
17. The aloofness and the haughtiness of BMICH 135 
18. The concentration of the plan shape of BMICH 135 
19. The masculine and the feminine qualities of the Defense 
Ministry, Galle Face 140 
20. The mechanism of the dignified expression of the Town Hall, 
Colombo 144 
21. Ground floor plan, Town Hall 144 
22. The wideness and the bigger scale of columns 146 
LIST OF PLATES 
Chapter One 
1. Hand gestures 12 
2. Primary emotions 14 
3. Examples for sadness or grief 14 
4. Surprise and fear 15 
5. Complex emotions 16 
6. Shyness as a complex expression 17 
7. Two women belonging to different cultures welcoming friends 17 
8. Deceptive masking smile as a complex expression 18 
9. Variations of Disgust 18 
10. Attractiveness 20 
11. Expression of a baby 21 
12. Expression of the old 21 
13. Charlie Chaplin as a comedian 32 
Chapter Two 
1. Falling Waters 58 
2. Regent Street 59 
3. A 'floating' gesture: Pavilion Suisse 72 
4. The gesture of 'sinking': USAGE Pavilion 73 
5. The praying gesture of Ronchamp 74 
6. A 'wandering' impression: Stiles and Morse Colleges 75 
7. Hard character 78 
8. Soft character 79 
9. Childish character 80 
10. Heavy character 80 
11. Light character 80 
12. Confident character 81 
13. Depressive character 81 
14. Lively character 81 
15. Closedness of form 
16. Hillington Civic Centre and it's reduced scale 
17. The crushing character 
18. The gigantic character 
19. The slender character 
20. The squat character 
22. The reduced visual weight of Doge's palace, Venice 
23. The rusty character 
24. The bold character 
25. Unrefined character 
26. Earthiness 
27. Gloomy character 
28. Bright character 
29. Warm character 
30. Cool character 
31. A sympathetic expression on built form 
Chapter Three 
1. Church building at Oulu, Finland 
2. Supermarket, Borella 
3. A bodily expression of introvertness 
4. Supermarket, Mount Lavinia 
5. Sleeping gesture 
6. Majestic City, Bambalapitiya 
7. Respectable expression on Abraham Lincoln 
8. The BMICH and it's haughty expression 
9. Aloofness and haughtiness on human form 
10. The expressions of Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike 
11. Down to earth quality versus aloofness 
12. The Defense Ministry, Galle Face 
13. Masculinity and femininity in one person 
14. The Town Hall buildings and it's dignified expression 
15. A dignified, refined, striking, impressive person 
LIST OF GRAPHS 
Chapter One 
1. US subjects recognition of posed facial expressions of New 
Guinea Subjects 19 
2. Face versus body - cues for deception 24 
% Chapter Two 
1. Rational - emotional relationship in buildings by Le Corbusier 57