ABSTRACT
Formal is regularly used with the intention of giving emphasis to the specifically “architectural” properties in works of architecture; but as the nouns which it is generally linked – “order,” “design,” “structure,” “vocabulary” – are themselves so ambiguous, the confusion is compounded. — Adrian Forty
Formal elements – style, harmony of parts, call them what you will – are sufficiently trivial to be awarded top billing in architectural discourse.— Diane Ghirardo
There are four levels of formal analysis of architecture. They are: descriptive, analytical, interpretive, and judgmental. Descriptive analysis simply develops a description of the building(s). It can include a description of form, materials, size, and relationship to context. Descriptive analysis makes no value judgments. It is informative but it can hardly be called analysis.
