DESIGN
A TREATISE IN THE DISCOVERY OF FORM
by
Percy E. Nobbs
M.A. (Edin), R.C.A.
Architect
originally published
by
Oxford University Press
London New York Toronto
1937
Dedicated
to the memory of
professor Gerald Baldwin Brown
and
Sir Robert Stoddart Lorimer
two of my masters
CONTENTS
Part
I. THE SCIENCES OF ART
I. INTRODUCTION
1. the intention.
2. instruction in design. 3. the structure of the book. 4. the limitations.
5. the illustrations. 6. the situation to-day. 7. personal note. 8.
obligations. 9. the student.
II.THEORIES
OF ART
1.
philosophers and art. 2. the inquiry defined. 3. the underlying sciences.
4. Croce's aesthetic. 5. Tolstoi and Hirn. 6. Santayana. 7. Marshall.
8. the senses. 9. artistry.
III. AESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS
1.
the public. 2. taste. 3. the spirit of the age. 4. style. 5. knowledge
in art. 6. professionalism. 7. the artist critic.
IV.THE NATURE OF
COLOUR VISION
1.
understand the eye. 2. limits of this inquiry. 3. the physical basis
of light. 4. the eye and the mind. 5. colour charts and colour names.
V.
THE APPRECIATION OF COLOUR
1.
phenomena of colour. 2. conditions of colour appreciation. 3. colour
preference. 4. colour influence. 5. colour schemes. 6. hedonic effect
of colour. 7. epitome.
VI. THE NATURE OF
FORM VISION
1.
introductory explenation. 2. seeing things. 3. retinal images. 4. perception
of space. 5. contrast. 6. optical illusions.
VII.
THE REALIZATION OF FORM
1.
form a function of mind. 2. categories of form. 3. satisfaction in forms.
4. form-vision and feeling. 5. the accustomed.
Part
II. THEORETIC CONSIDERATIONS
VIII.
SCALE
1.
various menaings of scale. 2. phraseology of scale. 3. choice of scale.
4. exampes of choice of scale. 5. maintainance of scale.. 6. interactions
of scale and proportion. 7. sclae in the human figure. 8. limits of
size.
IX. PRECEPTS IN
PROPORTION
1.
the astrology of art. 2. the Greek architects. 3. Vitruvius. 4. the
later academicians. 5. the proportionist at work. 6. the Canons. 7.
summary. 8. structural analysis of orders. 9. the appreciation of proportion.
X.
PROPORTION IN DESIGN
1. geometrical proportion. 2. the appreciation of building.
3. recurrent forms. 4. formal and functional proportion. 5. scale and
proportion. 6. conventional proportion. 7. the proportional fallacy.
8. conclusion
XI.
CORRECTIONS AND REFINEMENTS
1. introductory. 2. historic development. 3. top-heaviness.
4. subdivided space. 5. contrast. 6. confluence. 7. over-estimate of
angles. 8. some miscellaneous refinements. 9. columns and pilasters.
XII. SUBJECT IN
ORNAMENT
1. the object and
its ornamentation. 2. the purpose of ornament. 3. ornament significant
of personal relationship. 4. ornament significant of use. 5. functional
ornament. 6. enrichment. 7. the appreciation of subject in ornament.
XIII. MATERIALITY
OF ORNAMENT
1. the logic of material. 2. invention. 3. derivation.
4. transference and translation. 5. adaptation. 6. glassware. 7. readily
adaptable natural objects. 8. flowers in wrought iron. 9. beasts in
stone. 10. variations in decorative lions. 11. gothic heads.
XIV. THE PLACING
OF ORNAMENT
1. use, structure, and ornament. 2. chairs. 3. members
and joints. 4. the architectonic. 5. individual figures. 6. theme groups.
7. histories. 8. trophies. 9. garlands. 10. foliage. 11. bands.
Part
III. SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS
XV. FUNCTION AND
FORM
1. dress. 2. apparel. 3. coats. 4. armour. 5. swords.
6. varied interest in things. 7. a harp.
XVI. MATERIAL AND
FORM
1. the material element. 2. pottery. 3. textiles. 4.
wood. 5. the sculptor's materials. 6. building stone. 7. sheet metals.
8. cast metals. 9. wrought iron. 10. steel. 11. concrete.
XVII.
ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN
1. analysis of the problem. 2. list of requirements.
3. circulation. 4. analysis of plans. 5. diagram of relations. 6. topography,
prospect, and aspect. 7. materialization. 8. designing from the wrong
end. 9. evolution. 10. the completion of the design.
XVIII. EVOLUTION
AND GROWTH
1. evolution. 2. simplification of subdivision. 3. complication
of subdivision. 4. proportions in development. 5. growth. 6. unit planning.
7. solutions.
XIX.
ORGANIC PLANNING
1. the plan as an expression. 2. daylight in building.
3. libraries. 4. fire stations. 5. picture-galleries. 6. church planning.
XX.
GROUP PLANNING
1. heterogeneous groups. 2. homogeneous groups. 3. mixed
groups. 4. vertical grouping.
XXI.
TOWN PLANNING
1. land. 2. town growth. 3. life of structures. 4. planning
legislation. 5. commissions. 6. surveys. 7. zoning. 8. traffic. 9. axiation.
10. summary.
Part
IV. DESIGN AND ARTISTRY
XXII.STRUCTURAL
AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
1. analysis of design. 2. spacial planning. 3. material
support. 4. points of support and framing. 5. the structural bay. 6.
efficiency analysis. 7. cost analysis. 8. revenue analysis.
XXIII.
ARCHITECTURAL COMPOSITION
1. enveloping form. 2. unity. 3. voids and solids. 4.
axiation. 5. unsymmetrical composition.
XXIV. THE ELABORATION
OF DETAIL
1. the minor phrases of form. 2. scale of detail for
stone. 3. scale of detail for wood. 4. material considerations. 5. process.
6. stopping mouldings. 7. jointing of mouldings. 8. characteristics
of detail of various periods. 9. the designer to-day.
XXV. THE GRAPHIC
ARTS
1. graphic expression. 2. drawing. 3. linear perspective.
4. verisimilitude and imagination. 5. line drawing. 6. painting. 7.
graphic art.
XXVI. SCULPTURE
1. the sculptor's limitations. 2. movement. 3. characterization.
4. the features. 5. attitude of mind and body. 6. the sculptor's art.
7. review of sculpture.
XXVII.
THE CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF FORM
1. the critic's function. 2. critical method. 3. the
scope. 4. appreciation of plan. 5. the composition in mass. 6. the elaboration.
7. the ornament.
XXVIII.
CONCLUSION
1. summary. 2. tradition.