project13:Styling

Activities and Space

The activities have already been mentioned in the interactions chapter. The diagram is shows in this paragraph as well. Each of these activities needs a different environment. An architectural space that differs in size, materialization, shape, interior, perception, outside connection, routing, etc. But the activities have a lot in common at the same time. They are even better subdivided in some sort of gradient than a strict matrix. Therefore, lots of different spaces are needed.

Activities

• - Think
• - Meditate
• - Input
• - Output
• - Discuss
• - Teach

Characteristics of Spaces

• - Shape
  • - Composition
  • - Scale
• - Materialization / Color
• - Interior
• - Objects
• - Lightning
• - Openings
• - Routing / Connectivity
• - History / Character
• - Actors / Figurants

Perception of Spaces

There exist a lot of different ways an architectural space can interact with people. For this stage of the design process focus has been shifted towards one of them: architectural space. The feeling people have in a church is completely different than, for instance, a classroom. Ignoring the function, materialization and use of color and looking only at the shape and the proportion of dimensions the perception of the two is completely different. How can a space influence a person's behavior, thoughts, feelings, etc.? How is architectural space perceptible?

Biological and Mathematical Spaces

A great way to shape different size spaces is to research nature and mathematical principles. The Fibonacci series is found both in nature as in mathematics. A first shape is derived from these series.

In this plan scheme the activities are ordered taking in account the inside/outside relationship, some sort of continuity or chronogality (first learning, then discussing, then thinking, etc.).

Confrontation

Remark/Critic: In one of Sarkis' interviews he mentioned the quality of the exhibition being the visitor able to walk to every part of the exhibition without having to follow a certain route. By taking on the Fibonacci shape some sense of direction is created. Is this useful? Is this a quality or should visitors have some sort of freedom? Besides that, the round shape is very strong. It does not allow the visitor to much freedom to reflect.

A solution for both of these problems is to allow an extra layer. A layer with a different shape and a different grid. These layers are somehow interconnected, via visually, acoustically or something else. The both layers are a confrontation.