Analysis of lines and forms in buildings to rural landscape integration

Abstract

In many developed countries the recent increase in tourist and farm buildings in the countryside has seriously jeopardized the attractiveness of natural and traditional views; such is the case of inland Spain. Visual and aesthetic aspects of any object are defined by their colour, form, line, texture, scale and spatial character. This paper investigates lines and forms and tries to develop design criteria that could offer a high probability of achieving a building integration class as good or very good. The main aim of this research is to develop guidelines for future municipal planning laws, which could help professional designers and town council planners to select lines and forms that harmonize architectural design and environmental location. The proposed approach studies the relationship between buildings and their background. A method is developed to assess these visual relationships among building characteristics of lines and forms and the landscape ones. Also, this research includes public survey methods to assess building integration preferences and a summary table for systematic application of the suggested methodological process. Relevant correlations have been obtained, for example, whereas a type of relationship (visual continuity) provides a probability of 72% of achieving an integration class as good or very good other one (poorly compatible contrast) provides 0%. These relationships between different types of visual characteristics are satisfactory for the study of integration quality. Objective design guidelines are obtained and it is possible to make an evaluation of the different alternatives available and to select the most suitable according to the type of integration sought.