British Columbia Parliament Building

Purpose of the Assignment:
In this assignment you will be providing your first analysis of a work. By examining an architectural work in terms of both its Form and Function you will be able to look beyond the mere first appearance of a work, by looking at a work more in-depth. For Form, you will look at each of the formal elements of architectural design and analyze how these are found or absent from your selected piece. For Function, you will research the building’s current function and other uses it may have had throughout its history. Also mention the building’s architectural style (i.e. Gothic architecture, Neoclassical, etc.)
Steps for this Assignment:
Select an architectural work from the architectural works displayed in the assignment folder for this assignment. You will be examining your selected piece in terms of both its Form and Function.
Form – Provide a formal analysis of this piece using material presented in class on the formal elements of architectural design (this is your own analysis of this work and should not be based on someone else’s analysis that you may have found while conducting research). Your analysis of Form should include the following:
Identify sensory elements in the work such as lines, shapes, and colors.
Examine the formal elements of architectural design present such as pattern and repetition, rhythm, symmetry and asymmetry, balance, contrast, proportion and scale, theme and variation, and coherence and unity in variety. Look at how each of these elements is or is not present in your selected work (explain how each of the elements is present or absent in this work). See the list of elements and definitions for each below.

Elements of Architectural Design:
Balance
Contrast
Pattern and Repetition
Rhythm
Symmetry and Asymmetry
Proportion and Scale
Theme and Variation
Coherence and Unity in Variety