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We know that colors can influence our sensations and cause different perceptions of a space, which confirms the benefits of designing a consistent color palette and its importance in architectural projects. The impact of color on a space and on the people who use it becomes even more perceptible when the whole environment is covered with just one color. In these cases, the selected shade can be applied to countless architectural elements. Floors, ceilings, walls, furniture, or even pipes and electrical conduits can have a specific hue to match the monochromatic environment.
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On the other hand, architects and interior designers often choose to limit the use of a single color to a specific area of a project, such as bathrooms, kitchens, or living rooms, especially when the desired color has a more vibrant effect.
We have selected, and organized by color shades, a series of projects published in ArchDaily that stand out for their monochromatic environments and show how color unity in a given space can provoke different impacts and sensations in its users.
Bright colors
Bright colors are usually associated with things like authenticity, creativity, and playfulness. Recently, many companies have been trying to get away from traditional, sober corporate environments to stimulate creativity and enjoyment in the workplace through the use of more vivid colors, often following the company's visual identity. Such is the case of the new headquarters of Vakinha.com, designed by Butiá Arquitetura. The floor, curtains, furniture, and even the electrical conduits and air ducts in the main area - connecting the reception, lockers, and lounge area - are all defined by green color in the same shade of the company's logo.
The project for Axur Cyber Inspection's new headquarters by Arquitetura Nacional also took advantage of comforting and fun colors and textures to create workspaces that are not reminiscent of traditional corporate environments. A monochromatic zone with orange flooring, cabinetry, and curtains defines the dining room, where co-workers can have their meals, happy hours, and informal meetings.
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The new interior design for Channel 7 BBTV (Bangkok TV and Broadcasting Co., Ltd), by Airbase Architects and Apostrophy's, also adopted a monochromatic approach to the work environment using blue, also used in the lighting. The new broadcasting studio, located in a former gas station, radiates blue light to its surroundings through the glass envelope that covers its structure, thus creating a vivid atmosphere, especially at night.
Schools and educational buildings can also easily accommodate monochromatic environments with vibrant colors, as in the new campus of the American School of Kosovo, designed by Maden GROUP. The project is divided into sections, each with a specific color that sets them apart and creates different identities for each purpose. Thus, the resulting variety of colors emphasizes the complexity of the whole design based on the individuality of each space.
Neutral colors
Unlike vibrant colors, neutral tones are more discreet and are usually used in sober environments. White, gray, and black can be employed in spaces for different purposes to create a cozy atmosphere or even to convey a sense of spaciousness.
The Spectral apartment, designed by BETILLON / DORVAL-BORY, for example, takes advantage of the monochromatic white environment to amplify the small Parisian atelier with no natural light. The artificial lighting design, which explores the color temperature of two different light sources, is enhanced by the simple and neutral features of the apartment, "annihilating any architectural expressiveness or narrative to leave only the logic of composition generated by light."
In the Gray Interiors, by Alexey Rozenberg, monochrome was used to highlight the owner's collection of three-dimensional models of film characters. The project explores different types of gray materials, such as textured plaster, ceramic slabs, and ferrous metal, to emphasize the bright and colorful collection.
GRT Architects chose black as the color for the ambiance of an entire room in their project for the Objective Subject Offices, a small user experience design firm. The room, used mainly for receiving clients, is flooded with light from a skylight, and the carpet flooring helps to create a cozy, welcoming atmosphere through depth, texture, and soundproofing.
Earth tones
As the name suggests, earth tones are strongly connected to the color of the ground or soil and the many different concepts related to it, directly or indirectly. This means that in people's imagination, these tones can convey a greater connection to local or regional identity and even a greater sense of belonging.
The concept for the Veneno Restaurant, by Monteón Arquitectos Asociados and Pragma Estudio, was inspired by traditional Mexican cuisine and mixology and by the various hues of the country's deserts and haciendas. For this project, desert hues were mixed in the earthen plaster, and according to the architects, “once the desired tone was achieved, continuity with the monochromatic palette was sought, replicating it in the wooden surfaces with smooth edges that, while adding texture on decks and furniture pieces, still kept the clean lines and carvings characteristic of the Mexican northwestern craftsmanship."
Gitai Architects' design for the Jaffa Roofhouse also seeks inspiration from its surroundings and context: throughout the development of the project, a close dialogue was kept between architecture and the landscape of the city of Jaffa, Israel, where it is set. The materiality of the house is composed mainly of earth elements in monochromatic environments, which is a very important attribute for the atmosphere and expression of the design.
Lastly, the PP Nutritionist Office by LANZA Atelier stands out for its pink color, even from the outside, serving as a kind of background for the plants in the garden. Inside, the color permeates all the rooms, as the paint, wood, and tiles all share the same tone and create a sense of unity and an embracing atmosphere for the users.
Quotes in the text were taken from the description provided by the architects.
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