Space: Topic Investigation Analysis

It seems that all the architects have a similiar way to create space in their designs, however few have a different concept. Most seem to make the space 'bigger' by adding plenty of windows in a way that creates a endless envirnment that stretches far beyond it truly does. Yet this may be true for some architects, I saw one that said they made a area very small and cramped, yet created space. That is something many people wouldnt understand, but obviously the architect had a idea in mind and stuck to the plan like all other 16 architects do.

NOX- 'Sometimes NOX makes buildings small and cramped creating a feeling that you are larger than life.'
UN Studio- 'UNStudio maximizes space.'
Antoine Predock- Designs are tight knit and compressed sometimes, but feel free and loose as well.
Renzo Piano- Creates thinner roofs, as if to hardly have a roof at all.
Shigeru ban- Creates wall-less spaces to just have an endless space into the natural or man-made envirnment.
Will Alsop- I am guessing that the color in his creative designs create, or distinguish the space.
Peter Zumthor- Makes designs very open with no direction so that you can walk freely.
Ma Yonsong- Always different in design creating completely different spaces and feelings.
Frank Gerry- Makes the most of the space by using unique concepts and designs.
Thom Mayne- Narrows and compresses space to create more of a cozy feeling.
Diller, Scafido, & Renfo- Creates large and different spaces that appear filled instead a blank area.
Steven Holl- Makes his spaces appear larger or smaller than they actually are.
Zaha Hadid- Creates dynamic, public space to unite together that has a feeling of well-being.
JDS- Creates different layouts for completely different feelings in each.
Norman Foster- Usually makes wide spaces that appear filled with light.
Calatrava- He places windows in unique places and makes very high ceilings.

Bringing People Together

Julian De Smedt has a way of designing buildings with the idea of social interaction in mind. In one instance he was designing an apartment complex where each appartment was self-dependent, each one had a kitchen, laundry room, and full bath. so the challenge was to have interaction. In this case he designed the rooms, and balconies to stack at angles so that one could talk to his or her neighbors easily versus a conventional appartment where they are stacked straight up and you don't see anybody around you. In this design was also a main hallway that also served as a lounge lobby area. thus bringing people together.

see picture below

the VM building balconies

'Universal Space'

Shigeru Ban's main focus in his work is to create a 'univeral space' in the design. One way he has done that is by not just using a traditional four wall house with a couple windows splattered about. One exmaple of this would be Wall-less house.

The Wall-less house has no walls technically, but sliding glass panels that hide away instead. It seems to just be one wide open space with a few pieces of furniture scattered about. It is like you areone with nature in this indoor/outdoor house. This house has slidign glass panels that are hidden yet can be rolled out to protect the 'inside' of the house from weather.

Another example of the universal space concept is the Curtain Wall House. The Curtain Wall House has two walls in the back corner and separating the bathroom from the rest of the space, but just two big curtains as the front walls against the street, but like the Wall-less house, it has a glass wall the comes out by the balconies to protect the inside from weather.

A new way of looking at Space

Zaha Hadid interprets the definition of space differently than other people do.
She wrote:"The intention is not only to question the way in which people use space- their way of life or the form in which they work but also to provide a feeling of wellbeing. I believe that at times, we lose sight of the question, "What does all this lead too?" The truly primordial consists of adding something to our lives." I agree with Zaha about using space in that way and I believe that through her work people will begin to understand too.

For example in the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center For Contemporary Art, Zaha wanted to make a dynamic public space. In most of her buildings she creates a unique space unlike any other architect. Zaha has concepts of architectural landscapes and she gets inspired in the natural land/area of the sites, and even in the geology. She also has a concept of spatial progression where her early period concept( which was plates and layers), then to spaces of greater fluidity, and then which she believed equaled her design of urban buildings.

In her building the RosenthalCenter of Contemporary art she states; "The connections and adjacency's that this creates, or the different layers of people who cross each other's paths are all different experiences of the building that confirms some of my intuition about a possibly public space." The south side of the building is translucent so that people walking by can take a peak inside. While the east side is composed like a sculptural relief, and negative product of the gallery interiors. She likes to think about the idea of the Rosenthal Center..... as a public urban space- and all her recent works.