READ BUILDINGS

Learn to recognise architectural styles, understand the language of architectural forms and uncover the stories hidden within the buildings that surround us. What makes a building truly remarkable? How do architects use space, light, proportions and materials to shape the way we see and experience the world around us? Discover how buildings reveal the artistic ambitions, cultural values and historical ideas of their time. Look at and beyond the façade and learn to read architecture like an expert.

BASICS

TO GET YOU STARTED

HOW TO DESCRIBE ARCHITECTURE


SPEAK IN FRONT OF ARCHITECTURE 

Architecture is more than the design of buildings. It combines artistic expression, practical function, engineering and the organisation of space. A building can communicate power, religious devotion, cultural identity or technological progress, while shaping the way people live and experience their surroundings. To speak about architecture, we must learn to look beyond its appearance and examine how its forms, proportions, materials and spaces work together.

The essential principle is to move from observation to interpretation: learn to recognise the forms, understand the spaces, examine the materials and discover the ideas behind the architecture. A building is never simply an object to look at – it is a space to experience and a cultural expression to understand.

1. IDENTIFY THE BUILDING

Begin with the essential facts: What is the building, where is it located, who designed it and when was it constructed? What was its original purpose – a church, palace, residence, museum or public institution? Consider who commissioned it and whether its function has changed over time.

2. OBSERVE THE OVERALL APPEARANCE

Take a step back and consider the building as a whole. Is it monumental, elegant, imposing, restrained or playful? Examine its scale, silhouette and general form. Does it appear predominantly horizontal or vertical, symmetrical or asymmetrical, solid or transparent? Identify the features that immediately attract your attention, such as a dome, tower, entrance or distinctive roofline.

3. ANALYSE COMPOSITION, FORM AND PROPORTION

Look at how the different parts of the building are organised. Consider symmetry, balance, rhythm, repetition and the relationship between horizontal and vertical elements. Examine its volumes and geometric forms, as well as the proportions between its different sections. How do solid walls and structural elements relate to openings, windows, arcades and courtyards?

4. EXPLORE THE SPACES

Architecture is experienced through movement, not simply by looking at a façade. Consider how the interior is organised, how rooms and spaces connect, and how people move through the building. Is there a central hall, a sequence of rooms or a clearly defined axis? How does the building connect its interior with the exterior and its surrounding environment?

5. EXAMINE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS AND MATERIALS

Identify the principal architectural elements: columns, pillars, arches, vaults, domes, staircases, windows, entrances and roofs. Look at the materials used, such as stone, brick, timber, steel, concrete or glass. Consider their textures, colours and finishes, and how the construction contributes to the building's appearance and structural character.

6. STUDY LIGHT AND ATMOSPHERE

Observe how natural and artificial light enter and illuminate the building. Does daylight flood the interior or create dramatic contrasts between light and shadow? Consider how light influences the perception of space and creates a particular atmosphere – solemn, intimate, dramatic, peaceful or monumental.

7. RECOGNISE STYLE AND DECORATION

Identify the architectural style or historical tradition, paying attention to characteristic forms and features. Consider whether the building belongs to Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Modernist or Contemporary architecture. Examine its decorative elements, including sculpture, reliefs, frescoes, mosaics and ornamental details. Do they serve a symbolic, religious, political or purely decorative purpose?

8. UNDERSTAND THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Architecture reflects the society in which it was created. Consider the political, religious, economic and cultural circumstances of its construction. Who commissioned the building, what ambitions did it express, and how did it relate to its urban or natural surroundings? Has it been altered, extended or adapted to new purposes over time?

9. INTERPRET THE BUILDING

Finally, bring your observations together. What does the architecture communicate? Does it express authority, wealth, spirituality, civic pride, innovation or a particular cultural identity? How successfully does its design combine aesthetic qualities with practical function? Explain your interpretation by referring to specific architectural features rather than relying on general impressions.


PRACTICAL OBSERVATION CHECKLIST

How to Look at and Describe a Building

Use the following checklist when examining a building, either in person or through photographs.

1. BASIC INFORMATION

  • Name and location
  • Architect and date of construction
  • Original and present function
  • Patron or commissioning institution

2. OVERALL APPEARANCE

  • General impression and architectural character
  • Scale and proportions
  • Silhouette and roofline
  • Symmetrical or asymmetrical composition
  • Horizontal and vertical emphasis

3. FORM AND COMPOSITION

  • Geometric forms and volumes
  • Arrangement of the different sections
  • Balance, rhythm and repetition
  • Relationship between solid surfaces and openings
  • Relationship between the building and its surroundings

4. SPATIAL ORGANISATION

  • Arrangement of interior spaces
  • Central spaces, halls and corridors
  • Entrances, staircases and passages
  • Movement and circulation
  • Connection between interior and exterior

5. ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS

  • Columns, pillars and pilasters
  • Arches, vaults and domes
  • Windows, doors and entrances
  • Roofs, towers and façades
  • Cornices, pediments and other details

6. MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

  • Stone, brick, timber, concrete, steel or glass
  • Colours, textures and surface treatments
  • Structural system and construction techniques
  • Relationship between materials and architectural appearance

7. LIGHT AND ATMOSPHERE

  • Natural and artificial lighting
  • Distribution of light and shadow
  • Openness or enclosure of spaces
  • Emotional atmosphere and sensory experience

8. STYLE AND DECORATION

  • Architectural period and style
  • Characteristic formal elements
  • Sculptures, reliefs, paintings and mosaics
  • Ornament, symbolism and decorative programmes

9. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

  • Historical circumstances of construction
  • Political, religious and social significance
  • Patron's intentions and architect's ideas
  • Later alterations and changes of function

10. INTERPRETATION

  • What does the building communicate?
  • Which features make it distinctive?
  • How does its form relate to its function?
  • What is its architectural and cultural significance?

FINAL QUESTION:

What makes this building distinctive, and what does its architecture reveal about the time, society and people who created it?