Colour : properties, meaning and applications in an urban context : case study : colour proposals for Mdina

Abstract

Colour plays a vital role in the environment and architects/urban designers have always used and still use its attributes in their works. It is however not common for colour to form part of initial decisions processes or to be used solely to alter the shape of an object or building. Colour considerations tend to be taken towards the end of the design process. This study considers the main characteristics which define colour, including various colour models: both modern and historic ones. It also explains the basic principles of how colour is formed, how it appears to the human eye and how the type of ambience and time of the day alter colour. The psychological response produced by each colour, and to what extent does colour effect us in reality are other factors which require careful attention. In other words, colour should be understood as both a psychological and physical object of study. For the architect and urban designer, such an understanding crates a whole new way of perceiving and analyzing street-, town-, and city- scapes. The above mentioned considerations provide the basis for the analysis of the manner in which the windows of the buildings in he historic town of Mdina in Malta are coloured. This assessment has, in turn, provided the basis for the formulation of a colour palette reflecting the history of Mdina, including zone proposals where the colour palette should be applied in view of the need of a comprehensive Colour Master Plan for Mdina.