Colors have a unique ability to transform anything from bland into bright, in a matter of seconds. While some people prefer the absence of colors, most people have their favorite one somewhere on the scale.
Incorporating them into the modern landscape via proper architectural achievements might be a tougher job than people anticipate.
Architecture has grown quite a lot throughout human civilization. It no longer satisfies our basic sheltering needs, yet serves as a decadent expression of creativity and excess. While modern architecture may consist of Titanesque skyscrapers, isn’t it all just a bit too – gray?
Sadly, the color of modern cityscapes is gray. With brutalist architecture still dominating most countries due to its cheap price tag and interesting, geometrical shapes and buildings, we have a long way to go before the world becomes truly colorful.
In the past couple of decades, though, we’ve moved to glass. Glass has become the favorite material of architects, and we’re seeing more and more glass buildings being built.
But this fad has also seen its day. It’s no longer the most modern architectural style, and in fact, hasn’t been for quite some time.
Buildings are built to last a lifetime. This is why seeing buildings from the ’50s is still a relatively common thing. Architectural styles either pass the test of time or get demolished for one reason or another.
The problem with glass buildings and structures is the material choice. While glass might look slick and smooth, it’s colorless.
We can’t call the modern structural landscapes blue, can we? Of course not. Glass reflects its surroundings, giving it a blue-grayish tint.
But, are we seeing a transformation in the color pallet of our world?
What does the future entail for architecture, pallet wise? Well, with the rise of landscape pulling, the future could hold quite a lot of different things.
The future of architecture is closely entwined with landscape planning. Landscape planning is the process of planned neighborhoods. No longer is a single building going to be designed to fit a specific part of town – a whole new piece of the city is going to be purposefully built.
This is going to add a new dimension to our modern landscapes. Landscape planning is currently revolutionizing the way we think of architecture. Based on the psychology of colors, which is a science in itself, we’re going to see different buildings styled and colored differently.
While a small mock-castle colored in orange might be suitable for a daycare center, it’s not going to be well versed for a courthouse. Landscape planning is going to paint the portrait of the colors that we will see in architecture.
Colors have a significant impact on the people who are observing them. Therefore six primary colors bring on different feelings, notes, and tastes. They are actively serving their purpose, without us even realizing it.
Think about it. Even if every architectural style suits a different purpose, every color compliments it perfectly. When you imagine a hospital, you’re probably not thinking of a red-carpeted, luxury, lofty glass tower. When you’re thinking of a billionaire’s residence, you’re probably not picturing a soviet-esque, gray, block skyscraper.
Do you see how colors are included within your thoughts? Below you’ll find examples of how colors represent our thoughts and feelings:
Red – the most aggressive, energetic color out there. Hence it is used to sell things. It’s regularly used in superstores, fast food outlets, retailers, and such. It shows off energetic and exciting thoughts, as its primary purpose is to advocate for consumerism.
Blue – the color of safety. The police are blue more often than not, and this is why blue is often associated with trustworthiness and safety. Most security firms are either blue, gray, or black. Blue is most commonly used in places of business, banks, agencies, security firms, and governmental buildings.
Green – a calm color. It’s used primarily to promote health, positivity, and wellness. It’s a color of gyms, farmers’ markets, and hospitals. It also has a vast implementation in acupuncture, spa, and meditation centers.
Yellow – another bold color. It promotes progress, brightness, and curiosity. Yellow is also used in commercial spaces and retailers. It’s used to sell sell sell.
Orange – the color of friendliness. It’s mostly used in acceptance centers and has been the color of numerous different progressive movements. Orange most commonly used as promotion, for political parties, advertisements, and other cheerful-seeming things.
Violet – the color of intimacy. Much like red, it paints a personal picture. It’s the color of softness, friendliness, and excess. Violet promotes more intimate feelings, products, and services.
After understanding the psychology of colors, we can see their implementation in the modern world. Think about how colors influence our everyday products.
Concepts. Concepts are a frivolous thing in every single industry, from automotive to architecture. They all have their distinct curves and colors, all of which serve a purpose.
Concepts have birthed quite a lot of different things over their lifetime. Some fade away into obscurity, while others become an essential everyday item.
Did you know that the first motorcar was a mere concept? It wouldn’t have made it to the mainstream if it wasn’t for some efficient advertisement.
Architecture follows much the same broad idea. All the new architectural styles have stemmed from plans that were made real thought concepts. All the best methods have had their start like this.
It’s hard to imagine the birth and rise of an architectural style, as it happens both too quick to notice and too slow to take note. And that’s where the integration of colors comes into play.
While we as a species are slowly integrating colors into our lives through architecture, it’s going to be some time before everything becomes colorful. Gray is still the dominant color in architecture, as most of our buildings are built from concrete.
It doesn’t mean that gray is going to remain the dominant color for much longer though, and we’re stoked to see it out of our cherry red window!