In architecture and design, massing is the arrangement of elements to convey the shape, form and size of a structure or product.12 The massing of a building influences the sense of space it encloses, and helps to define both the interior space and the exterior shape of the building.1
Characteristics
Massing is the three-dimensional form of an object or building, not just the outline or silhouette.134 The use of massing affects the perception of a structure, and can emphasize the importance of a particular component or articulate its usage, for example by identifying an entrance or conveying movement through a building.4 In product design, massing helps a user identify intuitively where the important parts are and how they are used.5
Massing can be additive or a subtractive. Additive massing involves combining volumes or repeated units to create a larger form,6 emphasizing the individual pieces used to construct it.4 In contrast, subtractive or divisive massing6 involves removing parts of a larger, recognizable whole.4 Architects use massing models to depict the volume of a design and its relationship with the external space. Unlike other types of models like solid/void models and development models, massing models do not typically include openings or interior spaces.7
It is generally held that architectural design begins by considering massing.8 From a distance, massing, more than any architectural detail, is what creates the most impact on the eye.9 Architectural details or ornaments may serve to reinforce or minimize massing.10 Massing can also be significantly altered by the materials used for the building's exterior, as transparent, reflective, or layered materials are perceived differently.1 Because it has a direct relation to the visual impact a building makes, massing is one of the most important architectural design considerations.1
Massing can be impacted by laws, codes, and regulations such as setback requirements and limits on height.
Massing also has an effect on building energy efficiency. A complex shape can present more opportunities for heat loss through the building envelope. Reducing the number of exterior walls, along with a low vertical surface area to floor area ratio (VFAR) decreases heat loss potential. 11
Some architectural styles are closely associated with massing.1213 For example, the Prairie School is always low and horizontal, while the Gothic style emphasizes verticality, and Georgian architecture focuses on solidity and a sense of permanence.12
References
References
- Jacoby, Sam (2016). Drawing Architecture and the Urban. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley. p. 52. ISBN 9781118879405.
- Born, George Walter (2006). Preserving Paradise: The Architectural Heritage and History of the Florida Keys. Charleston, S.C.: History Press. p. 149. ISBN 9781596291522.
- Thompson, Arthur (1999). Architectural Design Procedures. New York: Routledge. p. 108. ISBN 9780415502849.
- Clark, Roger H.; Pause, Michael (2012). Precedents in Architecture: Analytic Diagrams, Formative Ideas, and Partis (4th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 4–7. ISBN 978-0-470-94674-9. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- Clay, Robert Clay (2009). Beautiful Thing: An Introduction to Design. Oxford: Berg. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-84788-264-6. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
- Dietsch, Deborah K. (2002). Architecture for Dummies. New York: Hungry Minds. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9780764553967.
- Mills, Criss B. (2011). Designing with Models: A Studio Guide to Architectural Process Models (3rd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-470-49885-9. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- Leyton, Michael (2001). A generative theory of shape. Berlin: Heidelberg Springer. p. 366. ISBN 9783540454885.
- Charleson, Andrew (2015). Structure As Architecture: A Source Book for Architects and Structural Engineers. New York: Routledge. p. 14. ISBN 9780415644594.
- Glassie, Henry H. (2000). Vernacular Architecture. Philadelphia, Pa.: Material Culture. p. 69. ISBN 9780253213952.
- "BC Energy Step Code Design Guide" (PDF). BC Housing. July 2019. p. 15. Retrieved 23 August 2021..
- Yatt, Barry D. (1998). Cracking the Codes: An Architect's Guide to Building Regulations. New York: John Wiley. p. 145. ISBN 9780471169673.
- Lanier, Gabrielle M.; Herman, Bernard L. (1997). Everyday Architecture of the Mid-Atlantic: Looking at Buildings and Landscapes. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 121. ISBN 9780801853241.