Architecture:The Art of Shaping

SpaceOur Human-made Environment

Architectural Space

“First we shape our buildings, and

afterwards our buildings shape us.”

-- Winston Churchill

The shaping of usable space is

the primary function of

architecture

Architectural SpacePhysical Space – the volume of air bounded by

the walls, floor, and ceiling of a room (so many

cubic feet or meters of space)

Perceptual Space – space that can be

perceived, or seen (especially when

there are glass walls or

windows, this may

extend well beyond the

boundary of the walls

and be impossible

to quantify)

Architectural SpaceConceptual Space – the mental map we carry

around in our heads, the plan stored in our memory,

which we use to navigate familiar spaces (buildings

that work well can be easily grasped and held in the

mind’s eye, through which people move with a kind

of inevitability)

Behavioral Space - space we actually move through

and use (for example, if there is a large hole covered

with a cloth in the center of a room, we must walk

around the periphery instead of diagonally across it

– the physical space hasn’t changed, but the

behavioral space has)

Architectural Space

Interwoven Space – fluid spaces – connected

spaces that flow into one another

Static Space –

isolated spaces

that have

discrete, clearly

understood

functions

Architectural SpaceDirectional Space – when

there is one obvious,

compelling path through

a building

Non-directional Space –

when there are a variety of

paths through a building

to choose from

Architectural SpacePositive Space – one that is conceived of as a

void, then wrapped in a built shell specifically

erected to

define and

contain it

Negative Space –

created by

hollowing out a solid that

already exists, or the

open space that is simply

left over after the

construction of

surrounding

Roman architect Vitruvius gave a

definition of the basic elements of

architecture that has never been

improved upon:

STRENGTH,

UTILITY

AND

GRACE

Function (Utility)

The arrangement of rooms and spaces so

there is no hindrance to use and building

is perfectly

adjusted to

its site

Components of FunctionUtilitarian or pragmatic function – accommodation of

a specific use or activity in a specific room or space

Circulatory function – the making of appropriate

spaces to accommodate, direct, and facilitate

movement from area to area

Components of Function

Symbolic function – the visible statement about

the building’s function – we expect there to be

correspondence

between what the

building’s use appears

to be, and what it

actually is

Components of Function

Psychological function – design of a room or

building geared toward the emotional needs

of the occupants

Structure (Strength)

Solid foundations – what makes

the building

stand up

Components of Structure

Physical structure – the “bones” of the

building that do the work

Perceptual structure – what we see (for

example, a column that is much larger than

structurally necessary to reassure us that it is

indeed big enough for its job; or a wall of

glass that seems to have no ability to hold a

building up)

Components of Structure

Empathy – we develop

early a way of understanding

objects around us, of

imagining ourselves inside

the object and

feeling how gravity

works on it

Delight (Grace)

Involves how architecture engages all our senses, shapes our perception and

enjoyment of (or discomfort with) our built environment

Delight (Grace)Different eras

embrace different

aesthetic ideals, and

express in wood,

stone, metal, plaster

and plastic their

feelings and values

“Our eyes are

made to see forms

in light.”

– Le Corbusier, 1927

Delight: A Comparison

Steiner House, Adolf Loos, Austria, 1910

Carson House, Samuel and Joseph

Newsome, California, 1885

“Our architecture reflects us

as truly as a mirror.”

-- Louis Sullivan

What do the following

structures say about the

values of the cultures that

built them?

The U.S. Capitol Building

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright, Pennsylvania

Exeter Cathedral, England

Temple at Karnak, Egypt

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Russia

Taktsang Palphug Monastery, Bhutan

ActivityYou have just been hired to design a museum for the city of Ann Arbor. The museum must reflect the culture of the city, so start by considering the culture of Ann Arbor. What are 5 cultural attributes that you believe reflect our values and way of life?

Now, determine how your museum will mirror these values. Think about the use of space, the use of ornament and size, the use of materials, history and environment.

Draw a sketch of your plan, and write a paragraph description explaining how your building reflects the culture of Ann Arbor as you perceive it.