Architecture, colour, and culture : a comparative study of architectural colour in western and eastern cultures

Abstract

This thesis explores the idea and use of architectural colour as a cultural phenomenon. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate how Eastern and Western cultures affect their colour expression and give meaning to their architectural colours, and how these architectural colours identify and form the character of a culture. The first chapter generally explores the concepts of colour and culture. It Indicates how different cultures define their colours, including their perception of colour in nature. Chapter 2 focuses on specific cognitive processes of architectural colour, including cultural perception and expression. Chapters 3 and 4 explain a variety of Western and Eastern aspects of culture and architectural colour relations. Chapter 5 analyzes the cultural use and meaning of architectural colour in one Western and one Eastern example: Versailles in France and the Forbidden City in China. It details the cultural context within which architectural colour is used, and it examines how colour symbolism in architecture reflects cultural difference. Chapter 6 discusses cultural similarities and differences in colour expression in architecture. The final chapter draws the conclusion that colour relates to most cultural activities, that to understand architectural meaning requires that we identify similarities and differences amongst cultures, including similarities and differences relating to colour.