Spatial Narratives in Residential Spaces by Shlok_Patel

Spatial narratives in residential spaces

Shlok Patel Guided by: Prof. Yatin Pandya

Spatial narratives in residential spaces

30/ 04/ 2021

Table of Content

Acknowledgments Abstract Purpose statement Scope and limitation Research methodology Introduction The Decode

Phenomena of perception Tools of perception 18 Factors of coherence 22 Contrast 25 Balance 27 Seeing is not perceiving 31

The Encode

Space Physical elements of space 35 Natural elements of space 64 Depths of space 67 Densities of space 69 Narrative example 70

The

Case study

Dialogue

Criteria 82 Approach 83 Unbuilt 91 Built 131

The end note

Conclusion End note 260 Bibliographic references List of figures Feedback report

Acknowledge -ments

Recollecting the time I have spent in these five years of my life so far, have been the most beautiful, precious, joyous and the most heart touching years by far. It must have been extremely benevolent and kind for those who have helped me reach till here and made me the person who I am today. First of all, I would, very proudly and lovingly, thank my father Mr. Deepak Patel, for always letting me do whatever I wanted, for believing in me, for inspiring me and making me face everything that I used to run from, for always letting me do what I wanted to and for all those years and even the coming years, to always hold me and support me in ways I can’t even describe, without even letting me know. I would thank my mother, Mrs. Uma Patel, who has been a great inspiration and an influencer of my life, pouring all the knowledge, all the wisdom and all the love to live life the way it is meant to be lived. For all the years of tantrums and mischief and drama I have brought onto you, and you very lovingly and with an open heart absorbing all of it. Thank you for always being my partner- in- crime for almost everything. Secondly, I would like to thank my guide, Prof. Yatin Pandya, for believing in me, encouraging me, supporting me at every step, guiding me by giving valuable feedback and direction for my research and being a critique of my work. I am fortunate to have worked under you as a student. 8

My heartfelt gratitude and love to the constant gurus of my life, mama (Mr. Abhay Kothari) and brother (Mr. Kathan Kothari), who have, till date and counting, never stopped guiding me and teaching me in ways that are unimaginable. They are my constant support and one of the few most loving people of my life. Would also like to thank bhabhimaa (Swati Jangir Kothari) and mami (Shraddha Kothari) for all the love and care over the years. Thank you Gopi didi and Premesh jiju for being a constant support since the very beginning and bringing me up in every way possible. I would always be thankful to my mentors over the years, Snehal Nagarsheth ma’am, Hamid Raj sir, Vishal Wadhvani sir and Niyati Patel ma’am to help me develop and gain an understanding regarding the field of design, along these five years. My warmest regards to Krishna ma’am for understanding me and seeing in me the person belonging to this campus. A big thanks to KD sir and Chandra ma’am for their endless efforts and help. Thanks to the few people of my batch who have always been there for me. Thank you Chitransha for understanding me, never giving up on me and supporting me going out of the way every time throughout this entire journey. Would like to thank my brojaan (Deval) for being a partner- in- crime in all the craziness. Kedar for loving me and providing the bond of brotherhood that we share. Would also like to thank Aditi, Harsheen, Pushti, Mahak and Bhagyesh for all the talks, all the laughs and all the beautiful moments we shared. Thank you Vyas for being such a great friend. Would like to give my warmest regards to Mrs. Maneesha Doshi, Mr. Vasu and Keshav for letting me study their home and be a part of their family. Will always be thankful to Vinod sir for teaching all that he knew about life. Lastly and most lovingly, would thank CEPT University for shaping and teaching me not just about the field but about the things important in life, for introducing me to new people and being my home... away from home. I will always be thankful, grateful and fortunate to have walked on this land.

Abstract

Space is not a physical object, but is loaded with potential. It is not just an act of physical building but its own impact on one is undeniable. Design or space making is a communication, as an architect/ designer encodes a set of clues and the perceivers decode them. This dialogue of encoding and decoding messages is about cognition and perception, and the spaces or architecture communicates in terms of narrative. Therefore it is important to understand it as a narrative. Spaces in relation to residences, offer diverse aspects for the perceivers. In a Home/ Residence, diversity in spaces is a need and according to each space or function, the sensorial needs are different. So, to understand the dialogue of encode and decode, by looking into contemporary residences, the study focuses on the understanding of spatial narrative. 10

Purpose statement

Aim and objectives

Understanding the spatial narrative in residential spaces. • To understand the spatial role and capabilities the elements of space offer and its impact on the user. • Understanding the phenomena of space perception. • Analyzing the contemporary residential spaces to derive correlation between the spatial order and human perception.

Research questions

• What and how does a space encode in order to perceive it in a certain way? • How does a space narrate or dictates itself and signals the user? • What are the factors or aspects that contribute in creating spatial narrative?

Scope

The study simply focuses on understanding how a space commu-

& limitation

nicates with the user and in what ways. It does not talk about the construction techniques and details as a part of the study. The aspect of context and culture has not been taken under consideration. It essentially deals with the qualitative aspect of space making and fundamental human responses (here, human responses does not mean its activity but the kind of interaction with the space). 11

The study does not look upon the user as one of the core factors in gaining an idea of space perception, but rather focuses on the spatial dynamics and its construct of the residences. The space, here, is chosen to be a contemporary residence which is located in Baroda, Gujarat. It aims in understanding the principles, attributes and spatial roles of the elements of space but does not generalize the research while performing the case study.

Methodology

As the aim is to understand the spatial narrative, which is the dialogue of encoding and decoding, the research is structured in three stages. One, by understanding what leads to perception and in what ways can it be achieved, by which the decode is derived. The second stage focuses on the space and aspects of space which provides the encoding factor in the narrative. The last stage would be a demonstration on how the dialogue of encode and decode is understood through various multiple aspects leading to the verdict of the research. The first stage focuses on • Phenomena of perception. • Human senses and its importance in perception. • Identifying the primary tools for perceiving a space • Through those what can we achieve for in terms of visual percept. Understanding the phenomena of perception will help develop an understanding on how a person looks at a space, by seeing touching and moving through, as they register and decode the cues. The second stage focuses on • Understanding what is space. • What makes a space through studying the elements of spatial definition i.e. the physical and the natural elements.

• What qualities does it offer? • Understand the design decisions taken while making a space and how does it set clues/ signals to narrate itself in a certain manner. Space would be looked at from the point of view of built and unbuilt, movement and organizational structure, assembly of elements, irrespective of the typology in this particular section. What makes a space would be understood through the attributes and spatial role of each element of space making. It would be supported through a secondary case study which gives a pictorial analyses of the residential space to get a clear idea. The final stage focuses on • Looking at the space through junctures. • Understanding the spatial construct at every point. • Performing the study by dividing the space as built and unbuilt. • Carrying out observations, inferences and interpretation of the case study. The study will be performed through the aspects of how a person perceives the whole space and how it dictates/ encodes. The house will be studied through junctures throughout the space (inside and outside) that will be analyzed through the story of junctures and sequential unfolding. This will help in deriving the correlation between the space and the user leading to an end note discussing the learnings from the study that helped in developing an understanding the spatial narrative and its importance in spatial dynamics.

Introduction

The resulting overall idea is not the objective fact of space as it is, but space experienced, passed through the filter of perception. It becomes a critical aspect to address while linked to spatial design. Space, and each component of space is potential to exert its influence. It is communication and dialogue i.e. the human responses to the space, a dialogue of encoding and decoding where a space with all its aspects and qualities encode a set of clues and signals for human to respond to it accordingly. Human response to these signals are established physically, visually and notionally. As architecture or space communicates as narrative, it becomes crucial to understand it as a narrative. Space has its own attributes and it dictates itself in a certain manner, according to how it is articulated, setting out clues and signals for the perceivers to register. These attributes contribute to a particular characterization of space, becoming appropriate by its needs and demands. For a space to be experienced, it has to give out a set of cues and signals for the perceivers, making it rich on spatial and organizational qualities. The spatial elements play a role of becoming the means of highlighting attributes that gives the perceiver an opportunity to look at, listen to, feel, touch and move through space which allows them to experience. These elements of spatial definition can be categorized as physical and natural, both having their own quality and serving a definite purpose in relation to spaces and architecture. 14

Human responses to the space, can be articulated better by understanding what makes one experience a space and how? As human beings we do not consciously need to register in a linear fashion all the fragments present in order to obtain an overall idea of the space which we are visiting or in which we are living. But in order to experience a space, perception becomes the medium through which a person can experience a space by subconsciously using the senses, which allows them to register the set of cues encoded by the space. This factor is known as the phenomenon of perception, where the human senses help in identifying the components and attributes of a space which helps in encoding and decoding messages. Home/ Residence is an intimate space. It, by default, is an assembly of diverse functions and diverse spatial demands. Each space within, is capable of supporting particular set of emotional and perceptual demands, and according to the functions, their sensorial needs are different. Each function/ activity in a residence demands an expected ambiance or generally understood ambiance and its qualities. This study is on the contemporary residential spaces to understand the spatial roles and capabilities the elements of space play for the onlooker to gain a sense of perception and in what ways.

The Decode

Phenomena of perception

Human

For a human, in order to understand, feel or register anything

senses

from the exterior world, human senses play a major role for its achievement. These senses can be understood as visual, tactile, auditory, smell, taste. All together, they help in understanding and perceiving things and can be identified as tools of perception. Although, if looking through the lens of spatial context, not all the senses come into play except for four that can be categorized as primary and secondary tools of perception.

Tools of perception

The senses being the tools of perception are categorized according to their role in understanding the natural laws of space and architecture. The primary being vision and tactility, due to its constant connect with the three dimensional realm where the eye sees the environments and the hands touch and feel things. The secondary tools/ senses then becomes, listening and smelling, as it cannot be denied that the sense of perception is not only derived or understood through seeing or touching things but also by listening and by recognizing the smell of things and places.

Secondary tools

Auditory Senses like hearing gain their importance when there is restriction of visual and tactile information. In various fields, the sense of listening/ hearing is not necessarily realized like in music and performing arts (theater, dance and cinema) . For a visually impaired person, the auditory information becomes the primary medium, for them to understand and experience their surroundings. Certain situations tend to make us realize the importance and value of listening/ hearing, for e.g. one can make out whether someone is approaching towards them, even if their visual sense is shut giving no visual information, as they can hear the sound of the footsteps that informs about their arrival. The acoustics in a church adds on to defining its character and if we visit a church that lacks the touch of acoustics, it tends to lose its character.

Smell Various types of smell helps a person recognize and understand objects, places and even certain moments for a lifetime. Smell of materials, gardens, freshness, burnt, rustic, earthy, old, new, all these contribute in our understanding and perception of our surrounding environments. The information of smell remains so powerful that once we smell something, it remains in our memory forever, attached to something or somewhere or someone. For e.g. just by recalling the smell of ones old house, brings in the images of the place in certain situations that makes one revisit the place notionally. The power of smell is identified through situations like these. 19

Primary tools

Tactility When it comes to architecture and spaces, tactility is one of the most important tools of perception. The forms and its textures are felt by the tactile information given to us through the sense of touch, even while moving, our bodies are constantly in touch with the ground due to the gravitational pull. We tend to examine objects and surfaces by touching them with our hands, that gives us their characteristic information like smoothness and roughness and even weight. Such information invites us to interact with them by touching and feeling and it is not enough to simply see and look at things without being attracted towards them. The skin becomes a medium through which one can feel and help identify hot and cold, smooth and rough, burnt and refreshing, hard and soft, air, breeze, etc.

Visual laws The experience and perception of the physical world without any visual information is registered differently, which as a matter of fact, is undeniable. In many situations, in a user’s cone of vision, some objects, forms and figures are evidently highlighted than the others, even before the user can gather and consider its information. This can be identified as one of the fundamental factors for visual perception known as the theory of figure and ground. The figure tends to stand out, in a composition, by its shape and edges touching the secondary objects making them the background. This relation of the two derives the concept of negative and positive spaces in a frame or cone of vision, as a whole. The negative can also include figures but they are perceived or understood as secondary elements. (Fig. 1 and 2) 20

Figure

Ground

Fig. 1. Letters as figures and the arrow as ground

Fig. 2 Poster of the movie The lobster- The hands and the head define figures and the white plain extended area is understood as ground Each of these spaces share a common edge and when both of these, negative as well as positive areas/ spaces, carry equal ratio and proportion, it causes confusion to the visual percept which results to illusion. This is more commonly observed in the two dimensional realm. (Fig. 3)

Fig. 3 Painting by Escher- Showing figure and ground causing an illusionary effect 21

Whereas in the three dimensional realm, the shape and form of the object is considered as a predominant factor. When the three dimensional shape tends to have undulations in its characteristic features in relation to the ground, that extend its limits creating contrast, it can be identified as the figure. Factors of

The human eye tends to register things around in a simple manner.

coherence

It gather and combine the elements that are in their simplest form by breaking them down in parts and understanding them separately. By examining and understanding them as separate parts at first and then seeing them as a whole makes one realize the importance of grouping. Similarly, while looking at the built, the pleasures and difficulties we experience can be understood through our mental registration of grouping elements. This could be explained in a much elaborated manner through the laws of repetition, similarity and proximity. Repetition It is easy for a human eye to group things and objects which shows resemblance with each other in any which ways like in its form or shape or size. Even if, elements that carry different characteristics and features, put together they can be differentiated and identified through their structural resemblance or repetition of an aspect. This leads to creating rhythm while looking at the whole which, through its composition, gives a sense of coherence to it. (Fig. 4 and 5)

Group 1

Fig. 4 Even though all placed together, the eye

Group 2

differentiates the two groups through its resemblance in structural character

Fig. 5 The repetition of the square window on the facade naturally suggests the human eye to combine and read them as one group Similarity Coherence can also be reinforced through common or similar factors and aspects of these groupings. If we take an example of windows on a facade, the similarity here can be identified through its positioning, its proportions and also through the spacing between them. The other factors involved, to identify the similarity, could be through their texture and materials, which contribute in giving a sense of coherence to the visual percept, even though each building is different in multiple ways. Similarity can also be understood through similar shapes and sizes of objects. But this is considered as a secondary factor as these objects may differ in terms of their materials and finishes which breaks the coherence dominating the visual percept and are read differently to the human eye. (Fig. 6 and 7)

Group 1 Group 2

Fig. 6

The shaded shapes and the non shaded shapes naturally gets differentiated by the human eye 23

Fig. 7 The similarity between two drastically different shapes is the blue color which stands out and can be read as one group even though the difference in their features Proximity Proximity is a powerful grouping principle. The human eye tends to group things/ elements that are placed close to each other in relation to many such objects and elements. They are evident and stands out due to their togetherness that creates tension and concentration in one area which is easily grouped by the human eye than the ones that are scattered and far away. Even though they differ by similarity in terms of shape, color or size, the distance between them define their groups. If this distance becomes greater than the size of objects/ elements, one might get back to referring the cues of similarity. (Fig. 8 and 9)

Fig. 8 Dissimilarity between objects and elements are neglected due to the dominance of proximity 24

Fig. 9 The human eye differentiate two groups of three different sizes of windows. Similarity has become silent in this composition compared to proximity Contrast

Contrast helps in identifying two separate entities or systems within a whole. The independence of these two entities can be achieved through characteristic differences in each of these elements that brings out contrast. Contrast that creates opposition can be expressed and articulated in many ways and forms, but in order to develop and bring a sense of dialogue between two systems, one must consider a certain level of proximity as well as super imposition to a body. (Fig. 10) • Negative and positive • Natural and artificial • Big and small • Verticality and horizontality • Dark and light 25

Fig. 10 Contrast in the surrounding environments- Light and dark, negative and positive, solid and void Contrast enables the user to differentiate between things and objects by relating it with the phenomenon of figure and ground. A dialogue between contrasting objects can only be achieved through two bodies. If the objects are more than two, it becomes impossible to differentiate between them through contrast being the primary principle for visual percept. A form carries meaning only through its relationship with the opposite fields. In order to achieve dialogue between the opposites, the difference should be evidently pronounced. However, there is no such defined rule in order to achieve the dialogue of contrasts as opposition in nature takes many different forms and the eye is the judge for it. (Fig. 11)

Fig. 11. Contrast through colors 26

Balance

Balance is considered as a prominent and powerful factor for visual perception. It can be achieved through the medium of seeing something like an object, drawing, space, etc and how they look back at you. These mediums to derive balance in nature, can be identified as symmetry and asymmetry. Symmetry Symmetry is the closest principle to balance, as it is the balance between two parts that forms coherence to visual percept. Due to a certain type of orientation of elements, symmetry is defined as a powerful and dominant attribute/ factor to achieve coherence, providing visual balance. It is also proven through Gestault’s study that the effect of symmetry to the human eye is more powerful than of similarity. (Fig. 12)

Fig. 12 Even though the elements carry similarity along with repetition, they still are overpowered by the balance of symmetry It catches the attention of the user as it tends to bring all the symmetrical elements together which are read as one to the human eye, irrespective of its placement and positioning. Symmetry gives satisfaction in seeing as it has potential to derive balance from nature and its surroundings which creates unity with ease. (Fig. 13) 27

Fig. 13 A still from the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel which gives visual balance to the whole composition through symmetry Asymmetry The eye, today, has learn to appreciate, not only the symmetrical balances in nature but asymmetrical balances as well. In visual perception, balance cannot be assumed or understood objectively. It has a subjective approach to it by different individuals, although not diverging it completely. Having its articulation in paintings and sculptures is organic and natural, but for architecture and spatial design, the involvement of asymmetrical balance is considered as a conscious attempt by the architect or designer. (Fig. 14)

Fig. 14 A sculpture by Santiago Calatrava portraying asymmetrical balance through its structural asymmetry 28

Compared to symmetry, perception of asymmetrical balance is difficult to achieve. The primary players to perceive balance in a composition are the vertical and horizontal elements through which the user can identify its top and bottom, vertical line and horizontal line and also the angle that is achieved by its adjacent. These become the direct cues to understand balance can catch even the slightest of deviation, easily. A composition can be perceived as a balanced one through the factors of verticality, horizontality and gravity. The phenomena of visual balance can be understood through two scenarios. (Fig. 15 and 16)

Fig. 15 Above is an ideal situation and its theoretical solution with axial symmetry whereas the below shows the real situation speaking of the elements added in a random manner having no similarity 29

Fig. 16 The above three examples show the solution of restoring balance on the facade. The archway, now, gains relation with the windows and edges of the facade which gives balanced tensions, yet in asymmetry Dynamism, as a misunderstood term by many, is not the opposite of balance but rather imbalance and instability. Imbalance is created due to inaccuracies in the distances between elements (forces) that lack natural counterbalance to the whole system. For example a leverage. (Fig. 17)

Fig. 17 Balance through leverage 30

Seeing is not percieving

Perception is not a linear phenomena. The human eye tends to understand and perceive things through continuous comparison between what we see and the situations that we encountered previously in the past. Perception not only hold the visual laws but also the knowledge we carry and the experiences from the previous events and situations that lead to expectations. We constantly tend to find meanings in an image that gives character to the forms/ figures. Here, familiarity in information rules out the visual percept as we tend to relate and recall meanings from the objects/ figures than other evident information. This can be explained through a simple example of an image. (Fig. 18)

Fig. 18 While looking at just a fragment of the above image, the past information informs the eye to relate it with the memory about it The above image is a fragment of a painting “the girl with the pearl earing”. In the above example, the painting is zoomed in showing only the visual cues to understand figures and forms without revealing the entire painting. But due to the information we carry about the painting, helps us perceive it as a whole and the eye knows what to see. Human eye tends to see what it expects to find out and not what it actually sees. Our memory affects the way we perceive things and also influences our judgments beyond the objective truths.

The Encode

Space

A space is perceived through the arrangement of planes, vertical and horizontal, forming a negative enclosed area or a void, that can be understood only when in relation to surfaces or physical cues surrounding it, which is understood through the shell that gives enclosure creating a space. It is the negative derived from the positive. Through the positive or the elements that defines the negative/ void, one can create different spaces with different forms that can be interpreted differently from the outside and differently from the inside. The shell or the form that demarcates and divides the exterior from the interiors is called architecture, and the hollow/ void created within, is known as an interior space. Both defines each other and are interdependent, as there is no negative identified without a positive and vice versa. Architecture is identified by the elements that define the interior space, for e.g. the planes defining the limits or boundaries. These clues can be articulated differently to define a volume or the negative void within. To define a notional space, the planes not necessarily needs to play a role for the spatial definition, as even the minimum clues can guide us get the visual enclosure, for e.g. columns at four points. The arrangement of these elements guide us in perceiving a certain type of space, as the edges and corners, by default, give signals and clues for orientation and directionality, for e.g. a rectangular and enclosed space is limited by six planes defining the void, where the user, subconsciously understand the 34

clues of corners for orientation and directionality in movement. These elements, if brought to the minimum, establishes a relationship between the inside and the outside. Human responses to these clues allow one to get an over all idea of the space without consciously registering every information set out in it. These elements help in creating volumes and voids of different formations and characteristics that suit a particular environment in relation to the outside and its context. In relation to get a better understanding on how a space is defined or created, the study of these elements becomes a mandatory, informing the role of each individual element in space making. What makes a space? The elements that define a space can be classified in two different categories. One where only the inside becomes primary defining the interiors and one where the outside is understood into the space providing an inside- outside relationship. These can be identified as the physical components and the natural components, both together contributes in creating a space. Physical elements of spacemaking

These are the elements that suggest physical limits and boundaries that makes one perceive a space. The human eye understand these elements as fundamental cues that defines a space. These elements carry attributes of verticality and horizontality which helps framing a picture to the eye.

Floor

The floor being a horizontal plane, provides a surface for the objects in space to rest on it. Considering it as the base for the space, it becomes the constant point of reference to the human eye that also allows certain level of undulations and floor modulations by which one can understand the difference of higher level and lower level in relation to the horizontal surface. Being the base that rests on the ground, due to the dominance of gravity, it provides stability and firmness to its characteristics that allows any mass on the surface to rest on it.

Attributes a. A floor can be defined as a horizontal plane that provides a base or ground for all the objects resting above and through its planarity and horizontality, it becomes a consistent reference point for a person. The horizontal flat surface covers or stretches itself throughout providing a base for the space. (Fig. 19)

Fig. 19 Floor providing horizontal and planar spread b. Floor through its wide spread resting on the ground, acts not only as a physical support but also brings balance to the composition. As a medium of rest/ support between mass and gravity, the floor provides a flat surface where one can move and place objects resting on it. This makes the floor a firm and stable element. (Fig. 20) Opposing forces giving stability and firmness

Fig. 20 Floor providing stability, rest and movement 36

Spatial roles a. One of its spatial role is to allow movement which makes it the movement guide for the human eye. By articulating the surface in terms of materials, form and shape, flooring can set clues and signals that guides one in their movement pattern inside the space. This can be understood through two examples. (Fig. 21 and 22)

Fig. 21 Sangath- Floor as a guide for movement

Fig. 22 Mughal gardens- Rashtrapati bhavan 37

b. Floor modulation on a planar surface giving a raised plinth helps define boundaries creating not only level differences, but also to express thresholds in a space. When there are no vertical cues to define areas or spaces, the modulation on the floor defines these areas, including the threshold, which announces differently about their spatial character. (Fig. 23)

Fig. 23 The glass house- Raised plinth defining threshold c. They also act as a medium that defines and divide different areas in one space. This can be articulated through materials, textures and finishes, in relation to the function or the purpose of the area. Even due to modulated flooring, these expressions are defined differently which also demarcate the areas. (Fig. 24)

Fig. 24 Lotus fountain, Red fort- Difference in flooring defines the area 38

d. Through the articulation of motifs and pattens on the floor, it sets out certain messages that gets registered evidently and can effectively become the grounds for communication. (Fig. 25)

Fig. 25 Patterns in Zen gardens Wall

Wall is a planar element oriented vertically providing physical enclosure to the space by the sides. It also serves the purpose of transferring load from the roof to ground, even before the invention of column. It protects the interiors from the outside intrusions like climate, and also demarcate limits between the built and the unbuilt. Attributes a. For a wall, verticality becomes one of its prime attributes which acts as a barrier or dividing element in a space from outside to inside as well as from within. If one wall stands on the ground it becomes a point of reference which can either divide a space or can orient a person in a certain manner. But the placement of more than one plane standing, starts gaining enclosure, not just visually but also physically. They also give cues for directionality. (Fig. 26)

Vertical element (wall)

Fig. 26 Verticality of the wall b. Wall has two axis vertically, i.e. X and Y axis that provides length and breadth to it which is considered as a major reference that define its planarity. A wall, irrespective of the materials, has a certain thickness to it that offers opportunity to articulate the surface in many possible ways like for decoration, embellishment and articulation. Its verticality demarcate its limits but the planarity provides a surface and if multiple such surfaces/ planes arranged together, becomes a medium to achieve enclosure. (Fig. 27 and 28)

Fig. 27 Planarity of the wall

Fig. 28 Arrangement of planes provide physical cues for enclosure 40

Spatial roles a. One of the main roles of a wall is of a dividing element, as to define different areas and spaces like private and public, exposed and protected, sacred and profane. In an enclosed space, according to various activities, uses and requirements, one whole space is subdivided into multiple subspaces, each serving a particular function. The placement of the walls within divides the space physically, visually and notionally into subspaces. (Fig. 29 and 30)

Fig. 29 and 30 Walls/ planes creating subspaces from a whole b. Along with being an element of partition, it can also be identified as the element of transition and display, as they also allow to create different openings. As for transitioning, the opening is a threshold through which we move from one zone to the other and niches allowing objects to rest. (Fig. 31 and 32)

Wall as alcove

Wall as niche

Wall as display Fig. 31

Walls giving possibility for display and embellishment 41

Fig. 32 Wall as a transitional element c. Through the arrangement of walls/ planes, its verticality and planarity helps create a void or hollow volume within, defining a ‘space’. If two planes placed adjacent to each other on the floor in a right angle, they create corners for the user to register as an end point or a point of termination giving no opportunity of passing through. Such multiple corners or angles created by the placement of walls, encloses the space from all the sides creating a volume or void within it. (Fig. 33)

Fig. 33 The planes enclosing the space, starts bringing out the volume d. The planarity and the verticality, if solid, does not allow physical penetration through it. But being a dividing element, differentiating spaces within a space, it gives suggestive clues for a user to move along its length either ways with respect to the destination. These solid planes, restricting the transition from one space/ zone to another, becomes a movement guide that signals the user to walk along its planar horizontal axis which makes the user utilize the whole space while moving into it. (Fig. 34 and 35) 42

Fig. 34 Walls as movement and directionality guides

Fig. 35 Works of Richard Serra as an example for being a movement guide Column

Column is a vertical element whose role in spatial context is of support. It can also be considered as a free standing element unless it does not support mass above it. As it stands on the ground/ base and supports mass above it, it becomes a medium to transfer axial load from upwards to downwards. Attributes a. The verticality gives balance to the composition, standing perpendicular on the horizontal plane/ floor. (Fig. 36) 43

Fig. 36 Column as a vertical memeber

b. The arrangement of columns can guide the user in moving in a certain direction. A single column stands freely giving the opportunity to move around it however, where as the linear arrangement of the columns guide you in a particular direction along its length either ways. If two columns placed besides each other, they suggest a perpendicular movement from between them. (Fig. 37)

Fig. 37 Three situations giving directionality

c. If the arrangement of columns is in a linear manner, and their distances are consistent in relation to the other members, it creates a visual frame and suggests continuity. Through this a rhythm is achieved in its composition that adds its value. (Fig. 38) 44

Fig. 38 Pantheon, Rome- Columns creating rhythm that adds compositional value Spatial role a. Columns more than three if arranged in proximity with each other, starts setting physical cues for a space that notionally is understood as void/ volume. It set limits to the volume. (Fig. 39)

Fig. 39 Columns setting physical cues that defines a volume 45

b. Arrangement of columns, on the XY plane, if placed near to each other in X axis and a little further to each other on the Y axis, they create subdivisions into the whole space. (Fig. 40 and 41)

Fig. 40 Columns dividing the space notionally

Fig. 41 Columns sub-diving the space (e.g. a parking lot) c. Columns, when placed linearly or in a slight curvature near each other or just two columns standing besides each other, acts as a directional guide to the human eye as it sets specific clues for movement and direction. (Fig. 42, 43 and 44)

Fig. 42 Columns in repetition giving directionality and movement 46

Fig. 43 Repetitive columns perceived as perforated wall giving direction

Fig. 44 Columns as directional guides d. Due to its verticality, rhythm, composition and also its sculptural value, columns can modulate or create visual facades. (Fig. 45 and 46)

Fig. 45 Columns as facade modulator 47

Fig. 46 Columns as facade modulators Door

Door is a cutout or an opening on a wall/ plane that allows transition from one space to the other through penetration. Door becomes a medium to move through spaces and can be considered as a spatial connector. Attributes a. The primary purpose of a door, being a cutout on the plane, is to allow human movement through it, as a point of access. The human tends to penetrate these planes through the medium of these cutouts which suggests access to one space. (Fig. 47)

Fig. 47 Penetrability 48

b. The door plane typically tends to divide a space as outsideinside, outside- outside and inside- inside. Door becomes the point where both the spaces, divided by the door plane, connects and touches each other. (Fig. 48 and 49)

Fig. 48 Inside- inside

Fig. 49 Outside- inside Spatial roles a. Door is an access point for any space. Due to its cutout on a solid plane it announces itself as an opening that allows human transition from one space to the other. It also defines entrances and movement flow. (Fig. 50) 49

Fig. 50 Teen Darwaza, Ahmedabad- As access point b. Door being an access point, gives a sense of transition from one space to the other, penetrating through the cutout. But considering the fact that door plane has a certain thickness, with different situations, which provides volume and this volume is experienced through the cutout on the plane i.e. the door. Due to this, a door can also be considered as a threshold giving an in- between space with respect to the wall thickness and volume. (Fig. 51) Volume by the in- between space

Volume by the thickness of material

Fig. 51 Door as a threshold 50

c. The door or the cutout being the only point/ medium of transition, naturally orients the user to move having it as a point of reference, which acts as a directionality guide. The placements and its location creates a notional circulation path within spaces that informs the user to move in the given direction for transitioning. (Fig. 52)

Fig. 52 Placement of doors setting cues for movement d. Door as an access point serves the purpose of transition from one space to the other, but the main door that defines an entrance from the outside to the inside, is considered to be a prominent identification of the built. As being one of the first point of impression, the main door acts a tool to create an image about the built and its identity. (Fig. 53)

Fig. 53 Buland Darwaza, Fatehpur Sikri- as an identity of the built 51

Window

Windows can be considered as the breathing points of the built. Where doors are considered as points of access, windows, on the other hand, allows air ventilation and natural light to enter the space. It can also be defined as a frame that captures the outside from the inside, creating relationship between built and unbuilt as well as between areas within. Attributes a. Walls/ planes mark territories and boundaries, even from within, divides/ separates spaces. But essentially, the windows serve their purpose on the walls by connecting the inside with the outside. As they become the medium through which light can penetrate into the space illuminating the area/ space of the built that is physically enclosed by the planes. Scale of these opening differ from space to space according to the quality of light the designer/ architect wants to articulate into the space giving various play of light. (Fig. 54)

Fig. 54 Window as a medium of light b. The openings/ apertures not only allow the light to pass through it but is also a medium for air ventilation into the space. The placement and positioning of these cutouts on the facades of the built, allow various kinds of air ventilation. These windows are articulated according to the functional needs of different spaces. The scale of the openings matter as well, as they can control the temperature of the air coming in, for e.g. small scale apertures 52

compresses the air while traveling from the outside to the inside that results in having cooler ventilation in the space. (Fig. 55)

Fig. 55 Window as a medium for air ventilation Spatial roles a. Windows, on the facade, calls for attention to the human eye. They set links to communicate differently, with respect to privacy and closure. The cutouts make the solid wall explicit as it is pronounced due to the elimination of the physical cues from a solid mass. This allows the observer to see beyond that point giving direct visual connection with the beyond. There are a few examples like jalis/ perforated screens which set a one way connection without interrupting internal privacy. (Fig. 56 and 57)

Fig. 56 Window as a visual communicator 53

Fig. 57 Jalis/ perforated screens as an element of privacy

b. While looking at a building from the outside, the key elements hitting our eyes are the facade and the roof. Windows as punctures on the solid wall plane, plays an integral role in modulating the facade. Through its articulation on the solid plane, differing by scale, proximity and placement, it has the potential to define nature of the built, through the aspects of rhythm lightness, sculptural quality, etc. (Fig. 58 and 59)

Fig. 58 Casa BatIlo, Barcelona- Windows as facade modulators 54

Fig. 59 Indian coffee house, Trivandrum- Windows giving a prominent character to the facade c. Windows offer visual connection with the outside but also contributes in defining identity of the building through its articulation. The characteristic features of the windows help in identifying the building. Scale and proportion, proximity, intensity, transparency and openness being the physical characteristics of the window, pronounces a building as a residence, religious place or an institute. It also indicate the notions of privacy and security. (Fig. 60)

Fig. 60 National assembly building, Dhaka- Windows giving identity 55

Stairs

Stairs become the medium for upward transition from one level to the other through vertical movement divided in multiple smaller units (steps), which is convenient for a human scale and ergonomics. It connects to horizontal plane at different levels. Attributes Vertical movement in a space/ nature becomes a mandatory through spatial and natural conditions. The stairs, being connectors, comes into play while moving from one level to the other as they break the vertical transition into multiple smaller units that include horizontal as well as vertical surfaces. Due to this unitary division, horizontal and vertical spreads both are considered as a part of the staircase volume. Due to their horizontality and verticality, that are defined by the treads and the risers, they create a volume allowing physical movement. (Fig. 61)

Fig. 61 Stairs offering movement and volume

Spatial roles a. A series of steps on the outside of the building, placed to reach the level of the plinth, acts as an inviting factor giving access to the building, defining itself as a pedestal. (Fig. 62 and 63) 56

Fig. 62 Steps as pedestal

Fig. 63 Asiatic library, Mumbai- Steps as pedestal b. Other than being an element of transition and movement, it also consists of horizontal surface along with a vertical surface. The horizontal surfaces, due to the vertical heights, are situated at different points over the staircase giving different levels. These surfaces can also be utilized for seating as it gives a base for our buttocks to rest on. This can be a conscious attempt, through modulation in its scale and size, which can provide ergonomically convenient seating space along with movement. This makes the stairs multipurpose or multi functional elements through their aspect of transition as well as seating. (Fig. 64, 65 and 66) Base

Fig. 64 Steps as a seating element 57

Fig. 65 Amphitheater seating modulated by steps

Fig. 66 Steps as informal seating c. Even though the stairs are considered as multi functional elements, their primary purpose is providing a medium for transitioning and moving from one level to the other. These levels can also be a part of the same space as well as two different floors of the building altogether. Through stairs being a medium for movement, connecting two levels or spaces, it can also be identified as a physical link between two spaces. (Fig. 67) 58

Fig. 67 Steps as movement guides and physical link

d. Stairs being the physical links between two levels, are also strategically and consciously placed and located on the site in the movement path. The staircase, both physically and visually, defines a pause point through its location in the space that encodes directionality and movement towards it that leads to another space. It also has the potential to orient or disorient the user by creating conflict. (Fig. 68)

Fig. 68 School of architecture, CEPT University Steps as an orientation guide and physical link 59

e. The walls as vertical planar surfaces adjacent to the floor, provides depth by volume to the space by their axis in three dimensions, can be used as storage systems. Similar characteristics are followed by the staircase due to its vertical and horizontal surfaces creating smaller volumes underneath and surfaces over them. The surface over the steps can be utilized for movement, seating and also gives the possibility for placing objects, making them as elements of display. Whereas the space underneath can be utilized as storage systems, also allowing pockets for display of objects, due to their depth. (Fig. 69 and 70)

Fig. 69 Radhika Villa, Ahmedabad- Steps for displaying objects

Fig. 70 Radhika Villa, Ahmedabad- Volume underneath the steps as display 60

Roof

Roof or an overhead plane provides shelter to the space below it. It sets volumetric limits to the space underneath, by enclosing it horizontally from the top. It also acts as a protection to the interior spaces. Attributes a. The primary purpose of the roof is to provide shelter through its horizontal enclosure overhead. There are multiple manifestations of the roof, but its expected feature is of a planar surface protecting the space which can be identified as an overhead plane. (Fig. 71)

Fig. 71 Roof as an overhead plane b. As an overhead plane, in the space, it provides shelter from the natural elements like sun, snow, rain, etc. Due to the horizontal planar surface overhead, it demarcates and divides the physical space inside form the exterior world, similar to what walls being the vertical planar elements do. This provides safety from the natural as well as human intrusions. (Fig. 72)

Fig. 72 Roof as a sheltering device 61

Spatial roles a. Roof, by its planarity, provides an over head shelter that physically encloses the whole space giving a volume. The spread of this plane defines the area of enclosure whereas its height, the distance from the ground to the top, define its volumetric limits that gives a sense of containment and enclosure. (Fig. 73)

Fig. 73 Villa Shodhan, Ahmedabad- Roof as spatial enclosure and defining area of the space underneath b. The roof providing volumetric enclosure to the space, has the potential to modulate the volumes underneath. Through multiple ways of modulating the overhead plane i.e. the roof, the play of levels directly affect the void underneath which gives variations in the volume, both by its shape as well as its size. This difference in volume in one space also,notionally, suggest subspaces within one whole. (Fig. 74 and 75)

Fig. 74 Ahmedabad ni Gufa, Ahmedabad- Variations in volume by the roof 62

Fig. 75 Ahmedabad ni Gufa, Ahmedabad- Modulating the roof plane give variations in volume providing subspaces c. The roof being the enclosing element of any building, is understood as a crown of the built. Through the variation in volumes while framing an overall picture of the built, along with its modulation planar surfaces that are then read as forms, contributes in giving an identity to the typology of the building like temples or institutions or residences, etc. Due to the play of surfaces, by their height, scale and proportions, it grabs attention of the eye, even through a further distance, making it one of the primary elements contributing in giving identity the to the building. (Fig. 76)

Fig. 76 Roof giving identity to the building 63

Natural elements

The natural elements are an integral part of spatial definition, as they directly or indirectly affect the spatial experience of the user. These elements develop correlation between the spatial order and nature as tangible and intangible attitudes. They can be understood as a part of spatial construct and also as a part of nature’s role into space making. Natural elements as intangible matters of space Sun and wind are considered as two of the powerful elements of nature, through which the built is affected in the form of getting natural light through sun and air circulation through the wind. Natural light and air ventilation affects the spatial dynamics as they tend to touch whatever comes in their way and penetrate through if the surfaces have porosity. This made the man develop the need for physical shelter and enclosure. Over the years, these elements have become a part of the built as much as they belong to nature, and the architects and designers have found a way to design buildings that interact with nature and not completely get cut off in response to protection and shelter. The articulation of natural elements, like light and wind, into the space deriving a spatial experience out of it contributes in developing the narrative of the space. (Fig. 77 and 78)

Fig. 77 Light as an experience 64

Fig. 78 Church of light, Osaka- Light as a spatial element Natural elements as tangible matters of space As the natural light and wind brings in nature notionally as we feel and experience, but cannot touch, the tangible elements of nature tends to bring a notional, physical and visual experience to the spatial context, being, consciously and subconsciously articulated in the space. These can be identified as land/ earth, vegetation and landscape and water bodies. These become a part of the spatial order, primarily in the unbuilt, but according to the user’s need, these can also be articulated into the built by both, naturally and artificially. They are considered as the tangible elements as they live in their physical form contributing in the spatial dynamics of the building. (Fig. 79 and 80)

Fig. 79 Radhika Villa, Ahmedabad- Water body as a spatial element 65

Fig. 80 The serpentine pavilion, London- Vegetation as a spatial element Through the assembly of the natural and the physical elements, a space is understood as a whole. These elements make a space and through various types of play and articulation of the same, it brings out qualities into the space. Qualities that contribute in space perception. It encodes not just messages in a direct manner but lets one experience the space. The spatial narrative is not about understanding a space as it is, but rather experiencing it. It offers many opportunities to the user in terms of experience, which makes one wonder, what does a space offer? What does a space offer? Space is perceived in many different ways. As we understood what makes a space and what each element narrates or conveys to the user to function in a particular manner, does not bring the aspect of experiencing it. But the medium to achieve it and bring in, is through the articulations with these elements, that brings out the qualities a space carries. It does not only talk about the assemblage of the physical and natural components in a certain manner but suggest its importance in the spatial context through the articulation deriving depths and densities. 66

Depths of space

Depth is a matter of perception. To understand the phenomenon of depth, our human mind registers the observation where the physical cues play the major role. In a situation of two objects in a composition, when one object covers the other object eliminating or cutting off the cues of their physical appearance, it is considered to be in the foreground or in the front and the one that has been cut off is in the background or in the back. The human eye is convinced that the overlapping object they see is in front giving a depth by a comparative analysis of the two objects. This can be understood through a simple example. (Fig. 81)

Fig. 81 Mountains showing depth in visual perception In the above composition, there is a natural arrangement of mountains randomly placed, from the view point of the user (i.e. like above), the mountain on the right (on the top) which is fully appeared in its physicality, is naturally perceived as the object in front, where as the mountain on the left gets cut off by the other one on the right making it perceived as an object which is in the background. This gives a sense of depth for the observer to understand the limits of the space (here, the mountains). Similarly in the example below, the mountain in the center is appeared fully to the eye in relation to the others, but here, even its darker shade plays a role in pronouncing it as an object in the front. (Fig. 82) 67

Fig. 82 Spatial decomposition of the painting showing layers of objects For noticing depth, texture also plays a major role as a rough surface stands out sharp and bold when nearer to our sight and as it gets further away it starts fading it’s texture making it seen as a smooth surface. 68

Densities of space

The aspect of spatial density changes the way we perceive or look at a space, as density can be brought in by the physical layering of depth through articulations like modulating the floors, walls and ceiling giving a play in space which becomes evident for our visual sense to register it. Through the level of density, at different selected points in a space, a sense of fullness or emptiness can be achieved both visually and physically. (Fig. 83 and 84)

Fig. 83 and 84 Sagrada Familia, Barcelona- Due to the layers of columns into the space at different heights and sizes, the space starts getting denser. Bibliotheque nationale, Paris- Has a seamless and continuous space with no physical layers interrupting our visual percept. This makes the space read as rather empty than dense. Tools of

By understanding the elements that creates a space, one can

narrative

understand their spatial role in making space as a sense. The qualities like its depth and density, are followed by as a natural expression. These become the tools to bring in spatial experience, depending on the architect or the designer who is the storyteller or the poet of the space. These elements act as tools for spatial experience but this experience is differed by various architects/ designer, as each of them would have their own way of expressing and articulating the space. Different kinds of experience takes place due to different kinds of narrative involved. The elements become the medium to achieve the narrative quality. 69

Radhika Villa

A better understanding for the tools of narrative can be expressed through highlighting various factors from Radhika villa. It is designed by Architect Rajeev Kathpalia and is owned by himself and Mrs. Radhika Doshi. It is a perfect example of how the physical and natural elements come together as an assemblage in order to encode various set of clues that creates a narrative.

8 UP

down

1 ENTRANCE VERANDA 2 VESTIBULE 3 LIVING ROOM 4 DINING ROOM 5 KITCHEN 6 STORE 7 GUEST BEDROOM 8 TOILET 9 STORE 10 SERVANT'S TOILET 11 SERVANT'S ROOM

5 6

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Fig. 85 Radhika Villa- Ground floor plan Juncture 1

Fig. 86 Entrance plinth 70

Here, the floor modulation from the parking lot differs itself from the ground and announces itself as a plinth that is read as a threshold to the house. This gives a sense of arrival and makes the perceiver notionally step into a private domain from a common ground. (Fig. 87)

Fig. 87 Floor modulation defining the plinth This orients the user giving an obvious clue for entry. Here, the plinth plays the predominant role from the assembly of physcial elements. Where as once climbed up, the welcoming engagement is shifted to the water body that is placed linearly continuing till the point where there is a small window. Its linear continuity suggests a forward orientation, yet keeping the user engaged with it. Here the natural element, comes into play. (Fig. 88)

Fig. 88 Water body as an engaging element 71

Juncture 2

Fig. 89 Vestibule After entering through the main door, the perceiver is volumetrically transitioned from the outside to the inside. This gives a sense of transition especially from the outside to the inside. Ceiling as the physical element provides this volumetric enclosure that allows such an impact. (Fig. BED ROOM TOILET 90)

STUDY

VERANDHA

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

Fig. 90 Volumetric transition SECTION THROUGH ENTRANCE VERANDAH & LIVING ROOM

The frontal plane not only allows the user to penetrate through its opening but suggests an access point for entrance. (Fig. 91). The plane on the right is continued inside as well being a consistent reference other than the flooring. Due to the arresting plane on the right, the visual orientation of the user constantly becomes the space on their left. Another aspect for engagement towards the left can be identified as a secondary access point which leads to the outside. The connect from the inside- out and the light as a natural element highlighting the space, are constant cues for orientation. (Fig. 92)

Fig. 91 Door as an access point

Fig. 92 Opening as an access point to the outside from the inside As the perceiver moves further towards the opening, the ceiling is continued jutting out as a cantilever which volumetrically encloses the outside space, making it a veranda which becomes a semi open space of the house. From the physical cues, the ceiling and the flooring, as two references and their horizontality, brings notional tension, which suggests the user to move towards the outside and these two elements as catalysts for the given movement (Fig. 93) 73

Fig. 93 The physical cues continued outside to give volumetric enclosure

Fig. 94 Creating a semi open space (veranda) Juncture 3

Fig. 95 Living room and staircase 74

From the vestibule as we move further ahead, notionally our mind divides the space into two, the left from the column becomes the living room and the right becomes the access point towards the stairs. This happens as in the user’s visual percept, the whole composition was dominated by the horizontal planes, except for one column in front of the user’s point of view. On the left, the two columns placed in line along with the single height ceiling, pronounces itself as a gateway to the living room. Whereas, the column resting on the raised plinth, naturally defines itself as another zone. (Fig. 96)

Fig. 96 Column as notional space divider The living room has another significant clue which is the double height ceiling. It defines the area underneath as a settling space. Along with the living area, the plinth on the right plays two roles. One of defining two zones/ areas and one being a subtle part of the space by providing flat surface for seating. The floor modulation demarcate areas along with the difference in ceiling. Two different heights of the ceiling gives different volumes to the spaces underneath according to their functions. The living room as settling space is a double height and the plinth is of a single height. (Fig. 97) 75

Fig. 97 Plinth and the living room as two different volumes Plinth being a part of the modulated flooring, continues to modulate further as steps. The steps has a prominent character to the space giving the possibility for vertical displacement as well as the surface are modulated in such a manner that it can be utilized for seating and for displaying objects. This also makes it as an evident clue for informal seating, movement and object display, which leads to considering it as a multi functional space. (Fig. 98)

Fig. 98 Steps as informal seating, display for objects and vertical access 76

Juncture 4

Fig. 99 The outside The outside is a combination of physical and natural elements. These elements dominate the parts according to its function. The floor being the base, is a hardscape which allows the user to move and provides a medium for rest. The floor modulation, segregates the space into two functions being seating (veranda) and moving (hardscape). (Fig. 100)

Fig. 100 Ground modulation on the outside defining open and semi open spaces The trees surrounding the house from three sides, obscure the house from the outside of the premises. This can be considered as an isolating element which conditions the user to absorb with the house. (Fig. 101) 77

Fig. 101 Trees and vegetation obscuring the house The landscape outside is not only defined by the ground, but the area is restricted by a vertical continuous plane throughout the garden. This plane is the front facade of the house that set limits to the space outside. The vertical element also becomes the point of engagement through the play of surfaces. The surfaces are modulated in such a manner that the user is naturally engaged and oriented towards the facade. (Fig. 102)

Fig. 102 Facade of the house diving the two domains and acting as a divider 78

Summary

This house offers various kinds of clues and signals for the perceiver to decode to have an over all understanding of the space. As we understood the importance and spatial roles of each element, be it physical or natural, in the previous section, the study of this house gave a glimpse on how these elements contribute in the spatial construct creating a certain kind of narrative. Radhika villa is a story of combination of elements acting as one system to encode a story. How each element plays its role in the spatial construct. Natural elements not only brings a tangible sense of narrative but also highlights the importance of the intangible factors of it (for e.g. light). The physical as well as natural, elements bring a sense of orientation, engagement, involvement, transitioning experience, etc. Through this study, we can understand that these space making elements, are considered as the cannons for narrative. A narrative is a story that is told or exerted by the space to the user. The physical tools of narrative then can be considered as the space making elements.

The Dialogue

Criteria: Case study

The architect The focus is on understanding the spatial narrative as manifested in contemporary residential spaces. In India, modern architecture was introduced by Le Corbusier, and was followed by B. V. Doshi. Maneesha house is a residence designed by Shri. B. V. Doshi that is considered as a contemporary home. Aspects contributing in narrative The house offers certain aspects in terms of spatial configuration, journey and perception. Due to its elongated or elaborated articulation, and integration of natural as well as physical elements, is considered as a crucial factor for the study of narrative. As it is known that narrative is communication between space and the user, this space in particular, exerts significant set of clues which makes the study more prominent in terms of the aspects of narrative. Scale and qualities The house is of a medium scale consisting a balance of built as well as unbuilt, giving engagement in both. The house does not reveal itself from the very beginning but rather brings a sense of unfolding as we move from one space to the other, eventually leading to the house. 82

The approach

The spatial narrative is about multiple factors coming into play altogether. Architecture or spaces allow to perceive or communicate through narrative, so the space as a narrative becomes important to understand. It can be understood through sequential unfolding, story of junctures, relation of the built and unbuilt. The narrative would be explained through the junctures or episodes of the house in terms of a. Unbuilt b. Built The study will be performed through the aspects of how a space dictates/ encodes and how the perceiver decodes them. The house will be studied in terms of junctures throughout the space (inside and outside). They would be defined through the lens of a. Assembly of physical space making elements b. Scale/ volume c. Natural elements | Light/ Vegetation d. Color/ shade The above factors add on to how we perceive and experience a space. The correlation between spatial order and human perception can be achieved through the mediums of the points discussed above. The tools to perform the study would be • Through plan • Photographs and images of the space • Sketches, diagrams and illustrations 83

Maneesha house

1999 Baroda, India Designed by : B.V. Doshi Owned by : Mrs. Maneesha Doshi and Mr. Vasudevan Maneesha house is located in Baroda, India, designed by Shri B.V. Doshi in the late 90’s (1999). This house is an appropriate example of being obscured by isolating itself even among the other houses and buildings surrounding it. With an indirect entrance pathway, the architect has tried to bring in a sense of journey through the unbuilt to the built. It is a balance of nature and built coexisting. The design engages the sense of experiencing through various systems of articulating the narrative into the space. It also offers a sensitive response to the interiors through experimenting with the assembly of physical space making elements that allows the continuity of the journey. The house owned by artists, also serves their purpose in their daily activities and practice along with a unique way of showcasing it through spaces and architecture. 85

Drawings

6 2 5

Ground floor plan Legend 1. Vestibule 2. Living room 3. Dining 4. Kitchen 5. Store room 6. Guest bedroom 86

4 3

First floor plan Legend 1. Studio 2. Bedroom. 1 3. Bedroom. 2 4. Balcony 87

1 2

Second floor plan Legend 1. Studio 2. Terrace

Long section

Cross section

0 1

Unbuilt

Fig. 103 Key plan highlighting the juncture As we enter through the main gate into the premises, we are unable to see the house directly. The house is partially visible behind the parapet and through the trees that obscures it. The approach towards the house is not direct but rather follow different junctures from the outside to the inside. The journey from the unbuilt to the built is defined through four points or junctures into the space to get an overall understanding of space perception. 91

Juncture 1

Fig. 104 Key plan highlighting the juncture Once entered the premises, we arrive in a visually as well as physically enclosed space. Assembly of physical elements

As the observer arrives to this point, the assembly of three planes create a visual as well as physical enclosure from the three sides, from the observer’s cone of vision, giving a sense of containment. The three planes acts as enclosure elements, but the plane in front of the observer also has an opening along with a single height slab. The two parallel walls gives linearity and direction to move further beyond. (Fig. 105.)

2 1

Fig. 105. The three walls/ planes act as physical and visual enclosure

The seamless flooring flows beyond the plane i.e. the parapet (which is in front of the observer’s cone of vision) giving a linear axis for moving further ahead in the space. (Fig. 106.)

Fig. 106. The seamless flooring giving a linear flow of movement 93

Scale

The assemblage of the physical space making elements create an

and volume

enclosed rectangular space which can be understood visually and physically. Its scale and volume is defined through the assembly of the three planes positioned adjacent to each other creating an intangible block. (Fig. 107.) The front plane having an opening also has a low height slab which gives a volumetric transition from one space to another, in this case, into the pathway leading to the entrance. Through the play of volumes, tangible as well intangible, and by the assembly of elements enclosing the space, identifies it as a gateway for the inside, which is defined by the scale and its volume. It plays the role of a transitioning connector which further leads to the pathway. (Fig. 108)

Fig. 108.The slab provides a volume, which defines the volumetric transition 94

Fig. 107 The assemblage creates an intangible block

Fig. 108 The gateway

Fig. 109 The main gate 95

Natural elements

Tree as a physical barrier Here, plants, trees and vegetation are not the dominant elements except for a visual obstruction and a physical diversion. As we enter, our flow of movement is disoriented by the placement of a tree which is in the middle of a linear pathway entry. This orients the user in moving around it, breaking the linear axis, and move into the whole space having a partial view of the house from behind the parapet.

Fig. 110 The tree disorienting the movement by breaking the axis

Fig. 111 Difference in the spatial fields by the placement of the tree 96

Fig. 112 The space percept from orienting on the right hand side of the tree Tree as a visual barrier The juncture is perceived in parts and not as a whole. With the tree located in the middle of a linear axis leading towards the gateway, visually the space is not fully perceived at the point of entrance. It divides our visual percept into two, one is the left hand side of the tree from where the parapet suggests the linearity towards the gateway and also gives a glimpse of the house. (Fig. 113). Whereas on the right it highlights the tall wall/ plane that demarcates the boundary of the site, along with no visually exciting element offered. As the user/ observer orients themselves towards the right, the whole space is perceived within and beyond. (Fig. 112)

Fig. 113. The spatial percept from orienting on the left 97

Juncture 2

Fig. 114 Key plan highlighting the juncture As we pass through the gateway and reach to the next point, the user enters a rather open space with no horizontal elements interrupting the visual percept. Here, the space is governed by the pathway that leads further ahead along with the landscape and a solid wall/ plane on the user’s right. Whereas on the left side, the plane and the ground creates a threshold and a suggestive entry point. The juncture has conflict as there is a designated pathway leading forward but the ground being the threshold, and an opening on the plane gives the possibility to orient the user towards their left.

Fig. 115. Arriving to Juncture 2- View from the gateway 98

Fig. 116. Juncture 2 - After entering Assembly of physical elements

Once entered the space, the human eye subconsciously registers the spatial elements of the juncture. a. The pathway b. Solid plane on the right c. The plane on the left d. Raised plinth on the left The pathway The pathway, which is on the ground, being the horizontal plane gives seamless flow of movement without any interruptions. As by default our visual focal point becomes the center, the designed pathway suggests the user to go further ahead by the linearity of the ground. (Fig. 117)

Linear element

Fig. 117. Pathway 99

Solid plane on the right The wall on the right running along with the base/ ground, being a linear element, adds on for moving forward along the pathway suggesting the visual focus ahead in the direction. These two solid planes, the base/ ground (horizontal) and the wall (vertical) demarcate limits and gives a linear axis. (Fig. 118)

Fig. 118. Dominance of the right plane Plane on the left As the other two planes set up limits giving a linear axis, the ground and the plane on the left makes the juncture conflicting. The left plane, from the observer’s cone of vision, acts as a perforated or rather a partially solid plane. Even though the plane gives linearity, the visual orientation shifts as the height of the wall varies making it implicit. (Fig. 119 and 120)

Fig. 119. Plane on the left 100

The openings and the variation in height makes the wall implicit

Fig. 120. Elevation of the plane on the left The low height parapet and the opening gives a possibility for the user to orient towards the left direction (Fig. 120 and 121). Even though it breaks the physical nature of a solid plane, it still gives linearity and direction to move further through its low height parapet (Fig. 122). Here, the juncture becomes conflicting in terms of visual perception.

Fig. 121 Opening and the low height parapet, Image of the plane

Low height parapet as a consistent linear element

Fig. 122 The linearity given by the continuous band (low height parapet) 101

Scale and volume

The scale and volume of a space is experienced by the assemblage of the physical elements. A visual enclosure is created from the two parallel planes and a continuous base/ ground having a linear continuity, making a cuboid volume (Fig. 123). The three planes, as a matter of scale/ volume, are understood as elements of visual enclosure even though a horizontal plane on top is not physically present but the heights of these two parallel walls and their assembly does define a volume along with a sense of enclosure from the sides and the ground. (Fig. 124)

Fig. 123 The three planes providing a visual volume

Fig. 124 Volume created by the three planes 102

Fig. 125 Planes creating visual enclosure

Natural elements

Vegetation In the user/ observer’s cone of vision the entire space is filled with plants and trees and natural landscape. a. Trees on the right b. Trees on the left

Fig. 126 The green landscape while entering the juncture 103

Fig. 127 Series of trees placed along the right plane Trees on the right On the right of the user’s point of view, along with the solid plane running forward linearly, a series of trees are placed at an even distance. This suggests a linear directionality as any vertical element if placed linearly, acts as a directional guide to the human eye. It creates a frame and gives a visual continuity, which creates rhythm. (Fig. 128)

Fig. 128 Series of trees being a directional guide The foliage of the trees starting from above the solid wall, gives another layer to the right hand side plane as it also covers the blocks/ covers the openness above the solid plane. This completely breaks the visual connect with the space outside the premises. (Fig. 129) 104

Fig. 129 The trees extending the visual plane

Trees/ plants on the left To create conflict by giving a suggestive entry from the left, in the front side of the left, the plants are placed in a scattered manner which reduces their proximity and allows the user/ observer for a visual connect with the space beyond (the house). (Fig. 130 and 131)

Fig. 130 The trees placed in a scattered manner 105

Fig. 131 The vegetation along the left plane

As for the rear part of the pathway, the plants are placed above the low height parapet which tends to extend the visual plane till the height of the plants. It adds another layer to the height of a parapet, together perceiving it as one plane that breaks the visual as well as physical connect with the house. (Fig. 132 and 133)

Fig. 132 Plants above the parapet extends the visual plane

Fig. 133. Plants breaking the visual connect with the house 106

Color / shade

A human eye register colors in a subconscious manner and a few stands out into our cone of vision. Through contrast, in the overall color palette a human eye catches in a frame, an element or the contrasting object stands out as the highlight. Here, the juncture, along with the pathway area, is dominated by the greens as maximum plants and trees are in front of the observer’s cone of vision. (Fig. 134)

Fig. 134. The pixels show the overpowering color in the frame The base/ ground and the wall adjacent to it on the left are defined by a rather contrasting color/ shade that suggests the circulation and the opening towards the left. Whereas the wall on the right acts as a rather subtle plane due to its color, which camouflages with the surrounding landscape. The green color of the wall does not hit the human eye considering green as the dominant color in one’s cone of vision. (Fig. 135)

Fig. 135. Contrast in color highlighting the elements 107

Juncture 3

Fig. 136 Key plan highlighting the juncture The players/ elements of the journey further leading to the main entrance of the house, remain consistent and keeps the user engaged in walking along the pathway till the porch. This leg of the journey is predominated by the surrounding landscape as the plants and trees on both the sides of the walkway conditions the user to reach the destination (here, the porch). Here, the players/ elements identified for perceiving the space are a. The pathway and the low height parapet b. Entrance porch c. A disorienting opening on the left and d. The predominant landscape 108

Fig. 137 Pathway leading to the porch

Fig. 138 Arriving to the porch 109

Fig. 139 A disorienting entry point

Fig. 140 Porch as the threshold 110

Assembly of

As the user moves further ahead, the primary elements that

physical elements

gives directionality to reach the porch remains the same i.e. the pathway and the low height parapet on the left. The wall on the right hand side of the user’s view point, gets completely obscured by the trees that are placed in its front making it visually unnoticeable due to the distance. Therefore it no longer remains the primary element for information to the user. The primary elements of encode are then defined as a. The pathway and the parapet b. The porch The pathway and the parapet The pathway along with the parapet are the constant guides for movement and directionality since entering through the gateway. Due to these two consistent elements, the user is conditioned to stick to the route and reaching the threshold i.e. the porch, without any visual or physical interruptions (Fig. 141)

Fig. 141. The primary elements for directionality Before reaching the threshold i.e. the porch, the low height parapet on the left ends leaving a distance that suggests an indirect entry point. This unduly interrupts the flow of movement for the user disorienting them visually towards the left entry. (Fig. 142 and 143) 111

Fig. 142 The indirect entry point by the parapet ending at a distance

Fig. 143 The indirect entry point by the parapet ending at a distance

The porch As the user arrives the porch, it conditions them to stop. They get into an enclosed space (visually and physically) due to the assemblage of three planes in the user’s point of view, that creates a pocket. The front facing wall to the user acts as an arresting plane along with the other two walls adjacent to it leaving no choice for further movement. (Fig. 144) 112

Arresting plane

Pocket created by the assembly of the three vertical planes Fig. 144 Diagrams showing the enclosure created by the planes A horizontal slab jutting out from above the left plane that gives shelter and encloses the space, defines the volume. (Fig. 145 and 146)

Fig. 145 Image showing the horizontal slab above the left plane 113

Fig. 146 Diagram showing the horizontal planes With a level difference on the ground, the assembly of three vertical planes and two planes being the ground and the shade, makes the pocket. This is identified as a threshold for the entrance giving a volumetric transition from an open space into a rather contained or private space. Scale and volume

Pathway The pathway gives a sense of openness to the journey where no physical planes in the space, neither horizontal nor vertical, dominates the juncture. The ground being a matter of fact. But the landscape surrounding the pathway is dense on both the sides due to the plants and trees (Fig. 147). Thus the walkway is perceived as a narrow tunnel, giving a longitudinal volume. (Fig. 148)

Fig. 147. The trees and plants acts as planes 114

The landscape on both the sides act as planes with depth

The volume created in between by the landscape on both the sides

Fig. 148 Highlighting the volume of the pathway The porch The horizontal plane jutting out from above the vertical plane on the left sets physical limits defining the volume that creates a sense of containment than open. The three vertical planes, placed adjacent to each other physically creates an enclosure from the three sides and the slab over head, creates intangible block by applying volumetric definition, making the porch a cubic block that can be identified as a threshold. (Fig. 149) 115

Fig. 149 Cubic volume of the threshold/ porch Natural elements

Vegetation Along the pathway, the vegetation on both the sides is predominant in the user’s cone of vision. To the left of the user, the plants are placed above the low height parapet which gives a layer to the side creating a visual plane, that disconnects the user’s visual interaction with the facade of the house (Fig. 150). This continues to go along the pathway till the point of threshold.

Fig. 150 Vegetation as a visual barrier 116

On the right side of the pathway, from the view point of the observer, there are trees planted in series. This is registered subconsciously to the human eye to guide the user towards the threshold or the end point. Due to multiple layers of trees planted parallel with each other in that area, gives a sense of depth in the right hand side area and it also makes it visually and physically dense (Fig. 151). This does not allow the user to consciously notice the space on the right.

Fig. 151. Layers of vegetation giving depth to the area Color / shade

Pathway In the user’s cone of vision, the landscape and the pathway is of a cooler shade, yet contrasting by color (Fig. 152). This gives linear directionality through the pathway and the sides with vegetation having no dominance over the aspect, till it reaches the threshold.

Fig. 152. The overpowering color palette shown through pixels 117

In this set up, the receiving plane of the threshold (porch) i.e. in the front, facing the user, is highlighted as the overall color palette is cooler and the plane is of a warmer and contrasting shade i.e. orange. (Fig. 153)

Fig. 153 The receiving plane standing out in contrast Porch As the user reaches the threshold i.e. the porch, each plane sets conscious clues for space perception. The arresting plane, that comes right in front of the user’s view point, has a brighter shade and it contrasts with the overall color palette. This also gets highlighted as we walk along the pathway. (Fig. 154)

Fig. 154. The receiving plane standing out in contrast 118

The plane with the opening and the slab that juts out from the above are rather in a darker shade i.e. purple. By differing these two adjacent planes (horizontal and vertical), suggests the entry point that overpowers to orient in its direction simply by painting the horizontal plane above, of the same color which gives volumetric dynamics to the entrance. (Fig. 155)

Fig. 155. Color palette of the entrance planes Whereas the wall on the right remains silent in color giving no dominant choice of orienting or engaging towards its direction. (Fig. 156)

Fig. 156. Right hand side plane 119

Juncture 4

Fig. 157 Key plan highlighting the juncture Before entering the house, a major part of the unbuilt is not the circulation path or the pathway leading to the entrance, but the open garden at the center of the plot that has hard landscape as well as soft landscape. This juncture is the hard landscape area portion of the entire space. The circulation path does not have any directly inviting entry point to the space but has two indirect ones. This juncture is a story of the horizontal plane resting on the ground along with an adjacent vertical plane i.e. the east facade of the built. This space is isolated from the outside building and houses, yet open due to the trees and plants surrounding it from the three sides. 120

Fig. 158 The juncture

Fig. 159 Facing the facade of the house 121

Fig. 160 Showing hard and soft landscape

Fig. 161 Facade as a vertically planar element to the plinth 122

Fig. 162 From the indirect entry 1

Fig. 163 Facing towards the indirect entry 2 123

Assembly of physical elements

The juncture is located at the center of the plot, that is surrounded by the circulation path and the house from the other side which spatially can be perceived as a courtyard. Through the horizontal spread of the plane i.e. the raised plinth, it stands out demarcating it differently from the area surrounding it. The level raise from the ground defines threshold and due to the continuation of the plane from the house, makes it a prominent part of the built rather than the unbuilt, even though it being located on the outside. (Fig. 164)

Fig. 164 Base as part of the built At certain points on the base, the floor is modulated and pulled upwards creating seating elements. These seating elements, because of protruding from the ground, are not identified as separate free standing elements but rather parts of the horizontal plane itself. (Fig. 165)

Fig. 165 Seating elements as part of the base 124

The facade of the house plays the role of a vertical plane to define physical limits to the space, orienting the user towards the unbuilt area of the house i.e. the plinth. It becomes the wall that creates the space (Fig. 166 and 167). The vertical plane being the facade, not just acts as a space defining and dividing element, but due to the play of openings on its outer side, it becomes an engaging factor for the user to also acknowledge the facade. (Fig. 168)

Fig. 166 Vertical plane orienting the user towards the outside

Fig. 167 Vertical plane as a visual guide 125

Fig. 168. Play of openings on the east facade Scale

The spread of the ground/ horizontal plane starts from the facade

and volume

of the house and stretches till it hits the circulation pathway which is parallel to the facade. This distance between the two limits, provides a lot of open area making it a large scale spread. It lets the user perceive the unbuilt as well as giving equal opportunity to perceive the built. (Fig. 169)

Fig. 169 Scale defined by distance From one side, the facade stands as the vertical plane and the other three sides are filled with plants and trees and because of its foliage, they are read as visual planes. This defines rectangular 126

block right in the center whose horizontal limits are defined by the level difference on the ground which contains showing the volume limits. The height of trees and facade defines the vertical limit for the volume. (Fig. 170 and 171)

Fig. 170 Heights of the wall and the trees set volumetric limits

Fig. 171 The volume created by the plane and the surrounding trees Natural elements

Vegetation When talk about unbuilt space of the house, the natural elements like plants and trees become dominating than the physical elements. Here, the natural elements act as guides for visual

127

orientation and engagement. The foliage of the trees surrounding the central area, obscure the space with the outside. Due to its placement, proximity and the distance from the compound wall to the edge of the plinth, it visually as well as physically obscures the space along with the house, through its depth and density.

Fig. 172 Surrounding landscape defining densities through foliage The distance from the compound wall to the edge of the plinth, gives depth to that space that allows multiple layers of trees to be planted in a series in the given distance. And due to these layers, the foliage getting layered with depth, grows even denser creating disconnect with the outside and acts as intangible visual planes. 1

Fig. 173. Layers of plants and trees in the given space defining depth 128

Color / shade

The whole space along with the facade of the house has a complimentary color palette. In order to make the built a part of unbuilt and vice versa, choice of cooler shade has come into play. The landscape and trees being monochrome, the ground is of a similar subtle color so the user is not distracted visually and lets them connect with the whole space seamlessly.

Fig. 174 The color palette of the space showing the trees and the ground

Fig. 175 Color palette of the ground landscape and the facade together 129

Built

Fig. 176 Key plan highlighting the juncture From the porch, as the perceiver enters the built, a sense of transition is developed while moving from the outside to the inside not only physically and visually, but even notionally. The sense of privacy and intimacy from an open ground is involved while its spatial construct plays its role in order to orient, involve and engage. 131

Juncture 1

Fig. 177 Key plan highlighting the This space, or this leg of the journey is when the user arrives inside the house. The user moves through, this space acts as threshold to enter the inside. This can be identified as the vestibule that acts as a transitional space. 132

Fig. 178 Facing the vestibule from the porch

Fig. 179 Facing the porch from the vestibule 133

Fig. 180 Vestibule 134

Assembly of physical elements

The user arrives into a relatively enclosed space where the assembly of three vertical planes, from the user’s view point, provides a physical enclosure and the horizontal plane above defines the volume. The vertical planes demarcate limits to the vestibule creating a pocket like space. The front facing wall and the wall on the left are solid planes whereas the one on the right has a cutout/ opening that allows the user to pass through.

Fig. 181 The vertical planes on the sides defining limits giving enclosure

Out of the three planes, the one on the left is completely solid making it the least engaging plane for the user/ observer. (Fig. 182) The frontal wall is read as a rather orienting plane due to its physical nature of being slanted. The slant towards the right, guides the user to orient themselves to move further in the pointing direction. (Fig. 183) And the wall on the right is the plane that gives the possibility to penetrate through, going into the space beyond. (Fig. 184) 135

Left wall being a complete solid plane

Fig. 182 Solid plane on the left

Fig. 183 The slanted wall acts as an orienting guide

Opening on the right hand side wall making the plane implicit

Fig. 184 Plane on the right showing the opening 136

The opening on the right plane, is not located right besides the main entrance but near the slanted end of the frontal wall to achieve a sense of curiousness for the user on what is beyond instead of giving direct visual connect. (Fig. 185)

The distance restricting the immediate connect with the inside

Fig. 185 Distance between the opening and the entry

The wall in the front being the orienting plane, gets evidently registered to the human eye as the floor, being the contributing factor as well, is modulated on its side creating a platform for placing objects and artifacts which also becomes the point of focus while moving inside. (Fig. 186)

The platform also being the point of focus

Fig. 186 Floor modulation near the frontal plane 137

Scale and volume

Composition of the physical elements give enclosure to the space from all the sides, giving a sense of containment. From the entrance opening to the opening on the right plane becomes the points of reference defining the area identified as small scale (Fig. 187). The horizontal plane above, gives the volumetric limit to the small scaled pocket (Fig. 188). Due to its scale and enclosure by volume, it subconsciously conditions the user to transit through this space without investing much time.

Fig. 187 and 188 Volume by horizontal planes and enclosure by the vertical planes

Fig. 189 Space by scale and volume 138

Natural elements

Natural light Even though the vestibule is physically enclosed, there are two points from where the light enters in the space, out of the two where one is a dominant medium while the other acts more as a visual focus. Through the opening on the right wall, the light enters the space hitting the opposite corner where the slanted wall is covered the maximum, highlighting the orienting plane. (Fig. 190 and 191)

Fig. 190. Light highlighting the orienting plane The other point is a rather small opening on top of the vertical plane i.e. the slanted wall. It is a square opening from where the indirect light comes in and gives a subtle wash to the ceiling making it noticeable and also becoming the point of engagement to the human eye while moving through the space. (Fig. 192)

Fig. 191 and 192 Light entering from the right plane Light entering from the opening above the frontal plane 139

Color / shade

The use of colors on the planes, specify information in perceiving the space. The wall on the left which is a solid plane, due to its lack of visual engagement, the wall is painted in a brighter shade using the color yellow. It also gets consciously noticeable to the human eye, when the light from the opposite opening hits its surface highlighting the plane. (Fig. 193)

Fig. 193. Yellow color painted on the solid wall to the left The ceiling being the horizontal plane is articulated in a darker shade, makes the user experience the volume through its striking dark color. The enclosed space is experienced even more visually through the planar dominance from the horizontal plane above that packs the space volumetrically. (Fig. 194) Whereas the two frontal planes, in the line of user’s view point, due to their physical nature of one being slanted and one with an opening makes them visually more noticeable than the rest. By the choice of applying a lighter shade i.e. warm white, it silences their dominance visually. It subconsciously also conditions the user to move through them acting as guides for orientation and directionality. (Fig. 195) 140

Fig. 194 Color of the horizontal plane showing volumetric dominance

Fig. 195 The two adjacent planes highlighted the warm white

141

Juncture 2

Fig. 196 Key plan highlighting the juncture The juncture is about the sense of arrival. Passing/ transition through an enclosed space i.e. the vestibule, the user arrives to a rather open space which announces itself as the inside of the house. Once the user gets into this stage, they get a sense of arrival while the vestibule was still a transitional space. This leg of the journey involves two major spaces that gets evidently noticed being a. Living room b. The passage 142

Fig. 197 View of the living room (from the right corner)

Fig. 198 View of the living room (from the opposite right corner) 143

Fig. 199 Living room- Right after entering from the vestibule

Fig. 200 Living room- Facing the longer side of the house 144

Fig. 201 Living room- From the opposite facing wall looking towards the vestibule entrance

Fig. 202 Living room- Facing the wall dividing the inside with the outside 145

Assembly of physical elements

Living room Transitioning from the vestibule, the user arrives to a rather open space from within i.e. the living room. The space suggests physical enclosure from the front and the right side but due to the assemblage and play of physical elements, the space is not perceived as contained.

Fig. 203. The living room After entering the space, the vertical planes give a sense of visual hierarchy through their planar and linear characteristics which gets registered seamlessly to the human eye, until the columns being the vertical members, break the visual flow. (Fig. 204)

Fig. 204 Seamlessness of the planes getting obstructed by the columns 146

From the user’s view point, the front and the plane adjacent to it from the right set limits to the space and provides enclosure through their arrangement, conditioning the user to visually orient towards the opposite direction. The columns play the role of engaging the user more towards the left by being free standing vertical members drawing maximum attention. (Fig. 205)

Fig. 205 The adjacent planes create enclosure while the openness and change in element becomes visual orienting guide The wall on the right, from the user’s view point, is a solid plane with two openings on the opposite ends. One behind the wall that divides the vestibule from the living room and one adjacent to the frontal plane. The opening located on the passage is a window which is read as the medium for the light to enter and a puncture that allows the visual connect with the outside. (Fig. 206)

Solid plane Opening as a threshold Opening falling on the passage

Fig. 206. Plane on the right 147

Whereas the opening adjacent to the frontal plane allows the user to penetrate themselves through it from the inside to the outside, making it a threshold. Coming right in front of the user’s cone of vision the frontal wall can be identified as the receiving plane. The openings on the plane, located diagonally at two ends, are of small scale so that they do not directly hit the human eye and rather work as subtle informers of the plane. The opening on the top right corner of the plane becomes a focal point for the user in order to engage and orient themselves towards it. Whereas the opening on the bottom left corner of the frontal plane becomes a medium to visually connect the user with the outside. (Fig. 207)

Fig. 207 Openings on the receiving/ frontal plane of the living room 148

The plane on the left, creates maximum engagement with the user, due to the play of elements and cavities making the plane explicit. (Fig. 208) Frontal plane being solid

Plane on the left having lesser planar cues making it more explicit Fig. 208 The left plane highlighting the play of elements While looking at the space from right to the left, the first point of focus becomes the column being the vertical member. Through its verticality, it tends to divide the space visually into two functions from the user’s view point, one being the circulation passage on the left and the other being a rather settling space (Fig. 209). Passage

Column as a divider of space

Living room

Fig. 209. Column being the visual and notional space divider 149

Continuing to look from the right to left from the point of column, a cavity and level difference on the ground makes it a suggestive entry point reaching the staircase area. (Fig. 210 and 211)

The reduction of planar cues suggests an entry point

Fig. 210 The undulations and level differences read as one whole plane

Fig. 211 The cavity suggesting entry point Beyond this point, the planar element becomes dominating as it being the wall on the side of the staircase. This plane is stretched and extended till the point it touches the edge of the frontal plane where it also has a puncture on the above, giving visual connect from the living room to the mid landing of the staircase. 150

The play of these elements engage the user orienting more towards it, visually. Even though the plane having play of elements and each element getting registered separately, the column and the corner where the wall touches the frontal plane, creates a visual frame defining the start and the end point due to which the wall, columns and steps, as a whole, are read as one visual plane. (Fig. 212) Column (Vertical element)

Slab (Horizontal element)

Wall (Planar element)

Fig. 212 Even though all elements are registered separately, it is still read as one plane The front left corner of the space extends the seating in two directions, one along the frontal plane and one along the left plane. The seating element is achieved by modulating the ground/ base defining it as a part of the physical elements itself. (Fig. 213)

Modulated floor

Fig. 213 Seating as element of ground modulated from the floor 151

Furniture as a spatial element

In the user’s cone of vision, the seating element starting from the front left corner of the room is a part of the physical elements i.e. the floor and the wall. Even though it is a seating element which can be classified under furniture, yet it cannot be read as a free standing furniture element. (Fig. 214) User/ Observer

Fig. 214 Floor modulated seating element This seating element extended in two directions, along the left wall and the frontal wall, defines an area for the other furniture additions. (Fig. 215) Floor modulated furniture element Free standing furniture elements

Fig. 215 The furniture layout in the space 152

The floor modulated seating elements extending in two directions set up limits for the seating area by the corner. The add on furniture elements are placed opposite to that corner creating a convenient rather functional layout. (Fig. 216)

Fig. 216 Area definition through the limits of seating element Opposite to the frontal plane, a sofa is placed aligned to the edge of the column (on the left), becomes an intangible space divider which demarcates the area of the living room segregating from the passage (Fig. 217). Due to this, one open space is understood or perceived as two different spaces by the arrangement of furniture.

Fig. 217 Arrangement of furniture defining different spaces/ areas 153

Scale

The arrangement of three planes, physically encloses the space,

and volume

although it seems to be open visually. The frontal plane and the plane on the right being solid compared to the third wall having cavity and column, demarcate physical limits of the space. The wall on the right is also read as one plane that cuts off the one directional spread of the space. These three planes assembled together creates a cubic space whose front limits are identified by the placement of furniture in the line of the column. Through its visual percept as a space dividing factor, the scale of the living room in relation to the adjacent planes define its scale. The ceiling having a seamless spread throughout the space gives a definite height through which the volume is defined (Fig. 218 and 219).

Fig. 218 and 219 Space by scale and volume 154

Natural elements

Natural light After entering the living room, the space has multiple openings of different scales to allow the light to enter the space. The space suggesting orientation towards the left, the major amount of light that enters the space is from the opposite facing plane i.e. the right hand side plane, from the user’s view point, while entering. (Fig. 220)

Opening being the primary medium to allow the light to enter the space

Window being the secondary medium that illuminates the passage more

Fig. 220 Main sources of light

The plane on the right has two openings, one adjacent to the frontal plane on the right hand side corner and the other one falling on the passage, which can be noticed right after entering the room adjacent to the wall that divides the living area with the vestibule. The opening adjacent to the frontal plane, allows the maximum amount of light to enter that illuminates the entire space by falling on the opposite plane giving a wash to the surface of the ground that continues to spread diagonally throughout. (Fig. 221)

155

Fig. 221 Light from the primary opening adjacent to the frontal plane Another opening is the one falling on the passage i.e. adjacent to the wall dividing the living room from vestibule (Fig. 222). Even though its major illumination spread covers the passage, it still is considered as a part of the living room as the space dividing elements being the sofa and the point where the column is located, define the area’s limits, there still is no physical barrier dividing the space that can define these two functions as two separate physical spaces.

Fig. 222. Light falling on the passage area as well as the living room 156

Fig. 223 The secondary medium- window These two openings were the primary mediums through which light penetrates into the space. The other two mediums are on the frontal plane and acts more as visual engaging factors than illuminating. The frontal wall being the receiving plane, draws maximum attention towards it and the openings on this plane becomes a contributing factor (Fig. 224).

Fig. 224 Light from the primary opening adjacent to the frontal plane Both being small scaled openings, does not directly hit the human eye, but calls for attention. The openings placed diagonally on

157

two ends of the plane becomes evident to notice and both being away from each other linearly as well as diagonally, gives focus to the space between them i.e. the planar surface between them conditioning the user to focus more towards the frontal plane (Fig. 225). Out of the two openings the opening located at the bottom left corner which is at the seating level also gives a visual connection with the outside (Fig. 226).

Fig. 225. The space in between becomes the focal surface

Fig. 226. Window on the bottom left corner 158

Whereas the opening above also highlights the seamless ceiling by giving a subtle wash of light to its surface making it noticeable (Fig. 227).

Fig. 227 Window throwing light on the ceiling from the top right corner Color/ shade

The two planes adjacent to each other (the frontal and the wall on the right) are painted in white making them visually subtle to the human eye. The wall on the right that sets physical limits and creates the space inside becomes the most subconsciously unnoticeable plane as it orients the user towards its opposite direction,except for the fact that through its openings it brings in maximum amount of light inside. This factor already dominates the space, making this plane being of a rather subtle shade that blends with the over all color palette and also lets the human eye focus on the paintings hung on the wall. (Fig. 228)

Fig. 228 Warm white on the right wall 159

Due to the play of elements on the left plane, it already becomes the most engaging plane to the human eye than the other two solid planes. The plane having a warm white color which is neutral, balances its factor of engagement. This visually does not add on to its loudness that conditions the user to look at the other two planes just as a matter of fact (Fig. 229).

Fig. 229 Warm white on the left wall

While the ceiling is a plain white color with no horizontal element (beam) obstructing its physical flow throughout the entire space. (Fig. 230)

Fig. 230 Plain white on the ceiling

160

In this arrangement of planes (horizontal and vertical), the two parallel planes being the right and the left wall along with the ceiling having neutral colors balance the color palette of the space by making it neutral for the human eye. The frontal plane then stands out due to its darker shade of color that gets highlighted by drawing the user’s attention. The three planes being the parallel walls and the ceiling falls adjacent to the frontal plane, that extends till its edge making the user orient towards it through color as the focus and the neutral set up along with the planarity. This makes the frontal wall as the receiving plane. (Fig. 231 and 232)

Fig. 231. Color as the focus for the frontal plane

Fig. 232 Frontal plane as the receiving plane due to its choice of color 161

In this neutral set up of colors in the space, the furniture as spatial elements to get noticed as separate elements, have their tapestries/ fabric in a contrasting shade and color that stands out in this neutral setup (Fig. 233).

Fig. 233 Tapestry of the furniture in a contrasting color

Fig. 234. Furniture 162

The ground, modulated as a seating element from the base is articulated in a darker shade than the vertical planes above it. This makes the ground and the seating element different from the walls, and the fact that the vertical planes above are of a lighter shade whereas the lower part of the planes and the ground are of a darker shade. Being contrasting in color, they are read as separate entities even though they are physically one. This defines the seating and the settling of the space. (Fig. 235)

Fig. 235 Difference in colors of the plane and the modulated floor

163

Fig. 236 The Passage- From the entrance of the space

Fig. 237 The passage- From the dining area section 164

Fig. 238 The passage- Focusing on the plane (frame) on the right from the entrance

Fig. 239 The passage- Focusing on the plane (frame) on the right from the dining 165

Fig. 240 The passage- From the living room

Fig. 241 The passage- Facing the plane sharing the house facade 166

The passage The space where living room is located is the same space from where the passage passes by. Its the intangible and physical cues that help us define and understand two functions as two different spaces. Right after entering the space, passing through the vestibule, towards the left is the longer spread of the house that by default orients the users towards it, where a linear narrow pathway is created that acts as a main circulation walkway to move in the house and that connects all the spaces.

Fig. 242. The passage Assembly of physical elements

The passage is defined by the arrangement of the physical elements in the space. It can be understood by breaking down the physical elements that play a role in creating the space. a. Ground as a continuous spread b. Plane and blocks on the left c. A colonnade frame on the right d. Seamless ceiling Ground as continuous spread The base of the house is seamless throughout. Therefore the ground/ floor is just a matter of fact, yet conditioning the user with a designed pathway for human movement due to its horizontal planarity making the user move in that direction. Due to its linearity, it suggests directionality in the space in the same orientation. In this set up, no horizontal linear element or member interrupts the way, physically or visually, which makes the space perceived as an elongated passage (Fig. 243) 167

Fig. 243 Ground as linear element Plane and blocks on the left The plane on the left of the user consists of cut outs that open into cubic pockets along its depth including the vestibule, secondary entry point, and a small space for shoes. These spaces defines the plane on the left that has a rhythm through the cutouts and the solid, in repetition. Due to this framed continuity, it makes the facade of the pockets read as a whole. The cutouts on the solid facade reduces the physical cues making the solid wall explicit, a human eye still sees it as one plane due to the rule of enclosure (Fig. 244).

Solid plane

168

Cutouts/ openings

Fig. 244 The frame read as one plane

This plane is continued till a certain extent and after the third pocket, the continuation of this part of the plane ends and another part is added from the middle and continues to extend in a linear manner. It is because of the offset in the planar flow that makes the user see it as a secondary part of one continuous plane (Fig. 245). Here, a low height seating, that is modulated from the floor, and the surface above and behind, becomes the planar cues for linear directionality which makes the user move along the plane further in the direction. (Fig. 246)

Fig. 245 The other part of the plane 169

Fig. 246 The secondary part of the plane acting as a directional guide This assemblage divides the whole plane into two parts that still are read as one yet gets registered separately to the human eye. One being a framed plane due to the cutouts being vertical obstructions to its planarity and one being a solid plane, both setting cues for linear directionality and also set limits to the space that defines the passage (Fig. 247) Framed plane

Solid plane

Fig. 247. The two parts of one plane 170

A colonnade frame on the right As we enter the space through the vestibule or the secondary entrance, two columns stands right in front of the user’s view point that visually acts as a notional dividing element that divides the space into two, one being a settling space whereas the other being a circulation path (Fig. 248).

Fig. 248 Columns as orienting tools and space dividers

The columns are a part of the raised plinth which has a continuous horizontal planar band of its height that extends till the plinth ends. Along the plinth, the columns resting on them, are placed at a definite distance with each other and continues to repeat along the plinth till its end point which by default orients and informs the user to move along its linear direction into the circulation path (Fig. 249). 171

Fig. 249 Plinth and the column being directionality guides The repetitive assemblage of the columns are understood as directionality guides along with the plinth, as it sets visual continuity to the eye which becomes a contributing factor for human movement (Fig. 250).

Fig. 250 Columns and band of the plinth

The plinth also has a level difference after the two columns that acts as visual informers. Besides the two columns there is a level difference that gives a suggestive entry for the user to move through the plinth upwards creating an access point that further connects to the staircase (Fig. 251). 172

Fig. 251 The access point The raised plinth provides linear band to the human eye i.e. the side of the plinth due to level difference, that is a consistent element throughout the passage that gives directionality to the human movement and also demarcates and differentiates the floor with the plinth and set limits to the area of the passage. And it is further read as one plane also due to the four columns resting on it from end to end creating a rectangular frame to the separate entities or elements. Due to its framed nature, the assembly of the plinth and the columns together is perceived as one plane that falls adjacent to the ground defining the passage (Fig. 252). 173

Fig. 252. Assembly of elements perceived as one plane Seamless ceiling The assemblage of elements identifies the ceiling as just a matter of fact as it has a seamless flow throughout the space with no horizontal element obstructing or interrupting the visual as well as its physical flow for the user to perceive it as any different. It acts as a rather secondary and subtle clue for linear directionality (Fig. 253).

Fig. 253. Ceiling as a matter of fact 174

Scale and volume

The passage is defined by the arrangement of four planes, two horizontal and two vertical. The two horizontal planes are seamless and solid in nature due to its planarity and as they are parallel to each other, the distance between them mark its volumetric height (Fig. 254).

Volumetric limits

Fig. 254 Parallel horizontal planes The clues to define the passage through its floor area becomes the two vertical planes along the stretch. They limit the area of the space making it a passage by visually and physically enclosing the space from the two parallel sides. This defines the area and makes the passage even more evident to the human eye (Fig. 255). Enclosing the passage by the sides

Fig. 255 Parallel vertical planes This set up of four planes assembled together, through its linearity and planarity, gives us a narrow cuboid stretch that can be identified as the passage. The packed and elongated volume of the passage gives an understanding of scale, as for the settling area 175

being the living room, the scale had to be large compared to the scale of the passage. The assemblage of elements and their limits define the scale of a particular area and here, the limits being the two vertical planes suggest a smaller scale (Fig. 256).

Fig. 256 Space by scale and volume 176

Natural elements

Natural light The primary sources of light entering the passage are the two opposite openings on the walls being at two ends along the longitudinal axis of the house, giving a wash of light on the surfaces of the space (ground and the ceiling). These two openings become the primary illuminating mediums for the light to enter the space (Fig. 257 and 258). The secondary sources of light becomes the plane on the left of the passage which has cutouts/ openings of different scales and at different points to illuminate the space in parts. (Fig 259 and 260)

Fig. 257 Through the kitchen door

Fig. 258 Through the opening adjacent to the main entrance 177

Fig. 259 Through the cubical and the plane

Fig. 260 Through the niche as its surfaces being the openings

Starting from the secondary entrance, the block is scooped out through and through for the human movement from inside to the outside, and gives a volume equivalent to the size of the opening that allows direct yet diffused light enter the space that, on that point, hits the human eye suggesting an entry/ exit point and also due to the volume it creates, in the overall space it highlights the area subtly. (Fig. 261) 178

Fig. 261 Through the secondary entrance The next space through which secondary light enters and becomes a mode of engagement is the pocket or space besides the secondary entrance. This is a rather semi open cube than a plane that is enclosed by two adjacent sides and open from the other two being the plane adjacent to the passage floor. Above the enclosed corner of the space/ pocket, a circular skylight makes the diffused light enter. This can be identified as a visual distraction, as it gives a subtle wash over the enclosed surfaces which highlights the area making it the only spot that has a spread of light with depth. This calls for attention and the user is signaled towards it. (Fig. 262)

Fig. 262 Skylight over the corner 179

The plane that falls on the mid way of the passage has two openings, one small scaled square in the center at a standing height and the other one on the upper part touching the ceiling which is a large scale rectangular opening. The large scaled opening allows maximum light to enter the space illuminating the ceiling and the passage area (Fig. 263).

Fig. 263 Openings on the plane adjacent to the passage

Whereas the small scaled square opening acts as an eye catching element that makes the user focus on a specific point through the inside outside relationship by just giving a sneak peak making it as a visual engaging element. (Fig. 264) At the end of the passage, on the left a niche juts out of the space creating a cubic offset. The three planes of the niche have openings through which maximum light comes into the space. (Fig. 265) 180

Fig. 264 Small scaled square window

Fig. 265 Light entering from the openings of the niche (dining area) 181

Fig. 266 Light entering from the openings of the niche (dining area)

Fig. 267 The niche (dining area)

Color / shade

The ground being seamless throughout the space suggests a continuous flow and a darker shade gives dominance to the ground/ base without any visual or physical interruptions through change in color. This defines the base as a predominant surface flowing in the whole space. (Fig. 268)

182

Fig. 268 Color and shade of the ground defining its predominance

The plane on the left, due to its planarity, becomes an evident guide for directionality and linearity. This plane even though registered as two parts, the former being an explicit due to openings and cutouts and the later being implicit due to a planar surface with no perforations or undulations or depth, it still is read as one planar and linear element to the human eye due to the principle of enclosure. The color on the plane is white which is a neutral color that blends with the overall color palette, not striking on the human eye, yet stands in contrast with the ground as definitive separate entity that set limits to the space that restricts the orientation towards the left and conditions the user to utilize the space that flows from the point of this plane. Except for the skirting and modulated floor being a seating element on the later part of the plane, that suggests to be a part of the ground as the ground has molded and lifted the plane, yet different by its verticality. (Fig. 269) 183

Fig. 269 Color and shade of the ground defining its predominance

The plane on the right is of the same shade and color as the ground. Acknowledging the fact that this plane is a frame structure that is read as one plane due to its assemblage of physical elements. It is an assembly of modulated ground with the back side plane that creates a plinth and four columns placed on the front side resting on the plinth. This part of the space has the maximum suggestive orientation due to its play of elements and the predominance of the color that dominates the volume of the whole space. As it is a physical part of the ground, the columns and the plinth, being the plane, are shaded in similar color as the ground i.e. a darker shade. This also denotes as the greater volume of the space to be oriented towards this side making the user utilize the space by moving upwards. Also suggesting visual continuity in the movement and flow irrespective of its physical differences. (Fig. 270) 184

Fig. 270 The greater space in one shade and the plane on the left standing in contrast setting limits and orienting towards the other side (In the illustration above, the colors/ shade used are just to define the contrast between them and are not the true colors)

Ceiling being a seamless horizontal element of space defines and demarcates the spaces though color. On the ceiling, from the center of the passage, the left side is painted in a darker shade and the right is painted white contrasting the other shade. This demarcates and segregates two sides through the medium of passage being a linear element that divides the physical space into two, visually (Fig 271). The left side painted in a darker shade (purple) is lesser than the white on the right. It also suggests the left side, being the lesser and the darker side, being the limit of the space within and defining as a transitional plane that carries the inside outside relationship through movement (Fig. 272). And the portion on the right being more dominant than the darker side, through its spread in space, signifies and defines the inside of the house as the major area of the built. (Fig. 273) 185

Fig. 271 The difference in color segregating two spaces (left and right) visually

Fig. 272 Space on the left

Fig. 273 Space on the right 186

187

Juncture 3

Fig. 274 Key plan highlighting the juncture As a central space surrounded by the passage and the living room by two sides, a raised plinth leading to the staircase becomes the heart of the house. It becomes the central point of the house that allows vertical movement and connects all the spaces at this one point. 188

Fig. 275 Looking from the dining area

Fig. 276 Standing on the plinth looking towards the living room 189

Fig. 277 View of the juncture connecting the living room and the staircase

Fig. 278 Looking from the secondary entrance of the house 190

Fig. 279 Facing the end point of the juncture along the longer axis

Fig. 280 Facing the rear plane looking towards the staircase 191

Assembly of physical elements

This juncture is basically a part of the ground that is modulated and to further define it, the four columns resting on the plinth towards the front, creates this space/ juncture. The seamless floor of the house is modulated to create a raised plinth that connects the spaces to the staircase. The plinth , due to its placement in the house as a central point and its height, is registered as a separate entity even though it being a physical part of the ground. This level difference provides a volumetric transition in the space that makes it perceive as a separate body. From the point of the passage till the point of touching the staircase, this juncture gives a sense of space by the difference in level and volume. This rectangular juncture is further defined by its framed facade/ plane. This plane is perceived as a framed facade due to the arrangement of the columns on its frontal edge. The columns stand as the front layer of the juncture creating a frame. (Fig.281)

Fig. 281 Columns and the plinth as the front layer of the juncture

There are two access points to arrive at this juncture. One being on the side along the passage and the other being on the side of the living room. (Fig. 282) 192

Passage

Fig. 282 Left entry from the living room, front entry from the passage

The entry from the living room is along the longitudinal stretch whereas the other entry point is along the shorter depth. (Fig.283)

Living room entry

Passage entry

Fig. 283 Axis of the two entries 193

The entry point from the living room makes the user have a seamless view beyond the threshold, not suggesting any vertical movement in the view point, instead informs the user to focus on the seating which is at the end of the plinth along the longer side. (Fig. 284)

Fig. 284 View facing the juncture from the living room entry point This entry point gives a sense of transition, through the two step level difference from the living room to the plinth (Fig. 285). The columns placed on its left side and the solid plane on its right along with a horizontal plane over head forming a doorway that leads to another space, yet being a part of other spaces. (Fig. 286)

Fig. 285 Level difference creating volumetric transition 194

Fig. 286. Threshold as a doorway The entry from the passage focuses more on the vertical movement, being it on the longer side of the plinth, it faces the shorter side. According to this arrangement, the user faces a solid plane that appears as the receiving plane. This shifts the user’s view point to the staircase that is right besides the arresting solid plane. (Fig. 287 and 288) Receiving plane

Fig. 287 Arresting plane being the point of orientation 195

Fig. 288 Frontal wall as the receiving plane This along with the two columns on the sides and an asymmetric entry with a two step level difference and further with another step level difference defines a transitional path leading the user to the staircase. (Fig. 289)

Fig. 289 Path for the transition The entrance point from the passage, has a level difference and columns on both the sides along with a horizontal plane over head being the ceiling, creates a doorway to the space beyond that can be identified as a threshold (Fig. 290). 196

Plinth (Horizontal plane)

Columns (Vertical elements)

Ceiling (Horizontal plane)

Fig. 290 Entry point as doorway The rear facade, where the plinth ends touching the staircase, can be divided in three parts. Looking at the juncture standing on the passage, on the extreme right, a modulated floor along with a plane by the side, that becomes a receiving plane for the entry from the passage, defines the plane as solid. In the middle, a cavity or a cutout that leads to the upper level through the staircase, is read as an open plane with no physical cues to justify it as a plane. Whereas the third part which is the extreme left can be defined as a semi solid plane due to having an opening (slit) on the upper part of the wall that allows the user to engage and connect with the space beyond. (Fig. 291) Semi solid plane

Open plane

Solid plane

Fig. 291 Entry point as doorway 197

The front facade of the juncture being the colonnade plane, gives a visual frame to different functions or activities on it. Starting from the left, standing at the passage facing the juncture, the frame through the columns capture a rather settling space which is located at the end of the plinth along the longer side. (Fig. 292)

Fig. 292. Frame capturing the seating The mid frame captures a rather transitioning activity by showing the staircase and the steps on the plinth (Fig. 293). This becomes as the main frame and calls for attention as it is placed right in the middle that denotes its importance and also highlights what it is meant for i.e. the transitioning from the lower level to the upper level. 198

Fig. 293 Frame capturing the staircase and the cues for transitioning And the two columns, placed right next to each other, on the extreme right, defines the access point from the living room to the plinth, that is behind the columns and the columns being a part of the threshold. (Fig. 294)

Fig. 294. Frame capturing the threshold

199

The entire front facade with columns can be divided in such frames that capture different functions and activities like settling as well as transitioning. It is also perceived as two spaces in one space dividing from the staircase. Both the entries to get to this point are located on the right side of the staircase. The level difference here, also becomes a contributing factor in understanding this portion as a transitioning space. (Fig. 295 and 296)

Fig. 295 Right side of the staircase

Fig. 296 Right side being a transitioning space

Whereas, on the left side of the staircase, the plinth has no level difference as well as no point of entrance. Here, an informal seating makes this part of the juncture a rather settling space and visually gets the whole plinth being at the end of the juncture (Fig. 297 and 298). 200

Fig. 297 Left side of the staircase

Fig. 298. Left side being a settling space According to such clues in the physical assemblage, this juncture acts as both, a space for seating as well as a space for transitioning, making the user perceive it as a space or a threshold subjectively depending upon their activities. Scale and volume

The raised plinth define limits to the juncture’s rectangular shape. Even though the space is not enclosed from the three sides, due to the clues like the modulated floor and columns mark points to create visual planes that makes the space explicit. The distance from the colonnade facade and the rear plane define the two ends of the juncture. The columns on the front stand as the front layer of the juncture, the other layer becomes the wall adjacent to the rear edge of the plinth that touches the staircase. And the distance between these two layers give depth to the juncture creating a rectangular void in the space between. (Fig. 299) 201

Column facade (layer 1)

Rear wall (layer 2)

Fig. 299 The layers setting limits

The void is defined by the ground, being modulated, giving volumetric difference as well defining the area. The series of columns acting as visual planes from the three sides and the ceiling defining volumetric limits to the space, creates a cuboid void, being the negative space of the juncture. (Fig. 300)

Fig. 300 Space by scale and volume 202

Natural elements

Natural Light This space has the quality of openness. It is only defined through the plinth and columns making the user perceive it as a separate entity. But it still is a part of the whole open space surrounded by the passage from one side, living room from the other and the staircase void from the back. Standing on the juncture looking towards the passage, the punctures on the frontal plane illuminates the juncture letting the light enter the space and directly touch the surface of the juncture, that lightens most of the central area. (Fig. 301)

Fig. 301 Left side being a settling space

From the dining area due to its opening on three sides, it gives the maximum amount of natural light illuminating the plinth from the front left corner making the seating area, the most illuminated. (Fig. 302) From the side of the living room, the plane that is opposite to the access point to this juncture, has openings on two ends of the plane which not just illuminates the living room and the passage but the wash of light also touches this juncture, due to its physical openness. (Fig. 303 and 304) 203

Fig. 302 Light entering the space from the opening near the dining area

Fig. 303. Light from the opening in the living room also touches the plinth and the columns

Fig. 304. Showing the openings in the living room that allows the light to enter 204

The void of the staircase makes the rear central portion of the juncture open. From that part, due to the openings (slits) on its mid landing that allows the light to become a visual guide to movement and orientation which gives a clue to the user to go upwards through the visual engagement of light into the void of the staircase. (Fig. 305 and 306)

Fig. 305. Slits for light on the mid landing

Fig. 306. Diffused light entering from the staircase void 205

Also the plane on the left of the staircase, which is a semi solid plane, adjacent to the seating, has an opening from the top that allows diffused light to enter the juncture. As a clue, that signifies the relation between the two spaces i.e. the front and the space behind. It connects the two spaces through light just by the opening. (Fig. 307 and 308)

Fig. 307. Slit/ opening over the plane adjacent to the seating

Fig. 308. Slit/ opening over the plane adjacent to the seating Color / shade

The whole block (the juncture) is physically a part of the ground. Even though we register it as a separate entity, the fact remains of it being a part of the horizontal (ground/ base) that is modulated and protruded upwards. To visually articulate this fact, the

206

color and shade of it is similar to the ground, making it a part of the greater body/ space of the house. According to its physical assemblage, it already stands out to the human eye, but the color similar to the ground makes it merge with the rest of the space. (Fig. 309)

Fig. 309. Floor and the modulated floor being of the same color The four columns are registered as separate free standing members on the plinth due to its verticality and proximity in placement. The gray color of the columns, that is similar to the ground and the plinth, makes the user perceive it as a part of the system as all these different elements are visually connected by the color palette. (Fig. 310)

Fig. 310. All the elements visually perceived as a continuous one 207

Even though this juncture provides a seating space, it is the only point through which vertical movement is possible, defining itself as a threshold to the staircase or a transitioning space leading the user to the staircase. Along with the function of settling, it is also a transitioning space that allows the vertical movement and this becomes predominant through its continuity in color, as ground merges/ continues with the staircase defining a path for transitioning from point a to point b. (Fig. 311)

Fig. 311 Uni color staircase along with the steps of the plinth defining as one

The solid planes on both the sides of the staircase cavity, defines the limit of the juncture. The planes being in contrast against the whole set up, makes the plane read differently making it the plane that ends the juncture at that point (Fig. 312 and 313). 208

Fig. 312 Plane on the right (looking from the passage)

Fig. 313 Plane on the left (looking from the passage)

The ceiling being an element that defines the volumetric limits, physically as well as visually, is subtly articulated through the lightness in its color and shade that is in contrast with the lower volumetric element i.e. the plinth. Due to the lighter shade on the top, being the ceiling, the space is perceived as rather open than contained. (Fig. 314). 209

Fig. 314 The lighter shade on the ceiling makes the space get perceived as more open The staircase and the ground being of the same color, gives a visual continuity to the movement flow. As we move upwards, the mid landing being the first point of arrival, is defined by the plane adjacent to the landing. As a receiving plane and due to its overpowering height, it is colored in white making it neutral yet creating a pause at that point. (Fig. 315)

Fig. 315 Plane on the mid landing 210

The planes placed parallel to each other along the sides of the staircase, acts as visual guides for vertical movement. The mid landing plane being the predominant in the users point of view blends in the neutral color palette not highlighting it as bold but due to making the parallel planes along the staircase of the same shade and color as the receiving plane at the mid landing. This gives a subtle definition of each element that plays a role in the assemblage and gives vertical directionality to the human movement. (Fig. 316).

Fig. 316 Neutral shade on the sides suggesting vertical directionality

211

Juncture 4

Fig. 317 Key plan highlighting the juncture Moving further ahead in the upwards direction, the next point one reaches is the mid landing which is a part of the staircase. This point acts as an orienting point towards the upper level where the user arrives at a rather private space. This juncture is divided in two spaces at two different levels, one being an orienting point while the other being the arriving point. a. Mid landing b. Lobby 212

Fig. 318 Looking from the mid landing

Fig. 319 Standing on the upper level looking towards the mid landing 213

Fig. 320 Cutout on the mid landing

Fig. 321 Upper level 214

Fig. 322 Upper level

Fig. 323 Upper level 215

Assembly of physical elements

After passing through the lower level juncture i.e. the plinth, it orients the user to the staircase that leads them to the upper level of the house. Mid landing The user, while moving upwards, has two constant guides for directionality. One being the staircase, modulated from the ground, leading to the mid landing and a solid wall on the left side that acts as a restricting plane extending till mid landing. This set up conditions the user to move in a linear manner giving no visual clues from the left being a point of distraction. These two elements (staircase and solid plane on the left) becomes the primary guides for vertical movement. (Fig. 324)

Fig. 324 Staircase and solid plane as directionality guides 216

Once the user/ observer reaches the mid landing, they are received or paused by a double height solid wall in the front. Due to its solid physical nature and planarity, it acts as an arresting plane that orients the user to move in the other direction (Fig. 325). Due to its double height scale, the movement from lower level to upper level gives a volumetric transition from an open single height space to a rather visually contained double height space. This transition gives a sense of arriving or leading to a different space. (Fig. 326)

Fig. 325 Double height solid wall being an arresting plane

Fig. 326 Volumetric transition 217

Standing at the mid landing, while the left plane and the frontal plane arrests the user and restrict by moving or orienting towards that direction. The wall on the right becomes a rather interactive plane. The first point of focus while orienting towards the right due to the enclosure from the other two adjacent sides, becomes the opening at the ground level of mid landing that visually connects the user with the living room. This creates a dialogue between the user and the space through attaining relation between spaces that makes the space perceived as one single system. (Fig. 327)

Fig. 327 Lower level opening as point of engagement The ground becomes the movement guide for the space as the staircase can be understood as a part of ground that is modulated and flows towards the upper level. As the ground (staircase as well) is the only consistent element throughout the house, it makes the user to look and move into the space in continuity. (Fig. 328) 218

Fig. 328 Ground and the steps being a continuous movement reference The first point of engagement being the opening/ cutout on the right plane further leads to the other point of engagement. The staircase flowing continuously into space being the constant visual reference, makes the user focus on the cutout on the top right corner of the same plane. The staircase as a constant visual guide, it leads the human eye to follow it according to its physical continuity, and once reached at the upper level the staircase ends at that point of the cutout above. This naturally gives emphasis on the cutout/ opening above and conditions the user to assume it as the destination point of the journey upwards. (Fig. 329)

Fig. 329. Cutout at the upper right corner becomes another point of engagement 219

From the mid landing, the staircase leads the user to the upper level i.e. the lobby, but not completely exposing it by blocking cutting the visual connect with a physical barrier i.e. a low height parapet on the side of the staircase. As the ceiling flows seamlessly from the double height mid landing to the single lobby, it gives a sense of difference in spatial functioning as, from the mid landing, the space seems rather open due to the double height volume while the lobby seems to be an intimate space by parapet being a physical barrier to avoid visual connect and the low height volume contains the space. (Fig. 330)

Fig. 330 Ground and the steps being a continuous movement reference Lobby The staircase leads the user to the lobby. The assemblage of physical elements here gives a physical enclosure to the space that gives a sense of containment. This also defines the difference in public to private domain of the house. The frontal wall and the wall on the right arranged adjacent to each other provides physical enclosure from the two sides, whereas the wall on the left calls for attention due to its explicit physical nature through the cutout that engages the user and informs about the space beyond the plane. (Fig. 331 and 332) 220

Fig. 331 Defining the enclosing planes and the explicit plane

Fig. 332 The left plane with the opening and cutout making it explicit Even though the left plain being explicit makes the space visually flowing, it still is read as a plane, just not solid. According to its continuity from the mid landing till the lobby and end in the of the frontal wall set limits to the area defining the depth of the lobby. And since it is enclosed by from the other two sides, it still is a story of three planes. The frontal plane having a window in its center, visually engages the user and define it as the point of focus. It also frames the picture of the outside that sets the inside and outside relation 221

with the built. Due to the opening being the focal point for the user, and it framing the vegetation and landscape outside, gives predominance of the natural elements than the physical elements in the user’s visual percept. (Fig. 333)

Fig. 333. Defining the enclosing planes and the explicit plane Even though the two adjacent planes (Front and right) gives physical enclosure to the space, the wall on the right can be considered as visually explicit plane. Facing the right plane, the two openings placed on opposite ends of the plane and visual cutouts on its sides creates perforation on the physical solid form of the plane (Fig. 334). It also create visual connection of the two spaces (lobby and the space beyond the wall) that is divided by the plane on the right. The openings suggests the user to penetrate themselves through the plane leading to space beyond.

Fig. 334. The plane read as an explicit 222

The wall is read as an explicit plane as the physical cues of the solid plane are eroded or taken out. The doors on the two ends along with slits over them and on the side allows the floor and the ceiling to flow through the plane connecting it physically as well as visually. These lack of cues, makes the plane implicit to explicit (Fig. 335).

Fig. 335. Right plane- from implicit to explicit Scale and volume

This juncture includes two spaces located at two different levels, the mid landing being at the lower level and the lobby being at the upper level. Even through these two spaces are segregated by level difference, they still are a part of one common space that can be defined as a juncture. The mid landing and the lobby are connected through staircase. Here, staircase becomes the movement guide as well as transitional element, which takes the user from an open volume to a rather contained or compact volume (Fig. 336). The change in volumes can be created through the horizontal planes that sets volumetric limits to the space. Here, out of the two horizontal planes (floor and ceiling), the 223

ground is modulated by creating staircase that takes the user to the upper level, due to which the base of both the spaces are at different heights/ levels. Whereas the ceiling flows seamlessly throughout the juncture being at a consistent height in both the spaces, mid landing as well as the lobby, giving a double height volume to the lower level space i.e. the mid landing and a single volume space to the upper level space i.e. the lobby. (Fig. 337)

Fig. 336 Staircase as transitional element

Ceiling at consistent height Horizontal plane 1 Horizontal plane 2

Fig. 337 Ground as horizontal planes defining different volumes 224

Along the longer axis the two planes at both ends encloses the space longitudinally that set limits to the upper as well as lower space. And the two parallel planes by shorter axis continues to flow in both the spaces, marking the same depth throughout the juncture. This contains both the spaces giving enclosure as well as volume and the difference defines the kind of spaces the user moves into, being a transitional space and an arrival space.

Upper level (lobby) Single height volume

Lower level (mid landing) Double height volume

Fig. 338 Juncture by scale and volume 225

Natural elements

Natural Light The juncture has multiple openings of different scales from all the four planes arranged to create a space (here, juncture), illuminates each space/ area differently but lightens the juncture as a whole. Mid landing As the user reaches the mid landing, the frontal wall acts as a receiving plane. This plane is subtly highlighted through slits, adjacent to its edges, from the side walls giving a wash of light to the plane making it visually stand out amongst the other two parallel planes. (Fig. 339)

Fig. 339. Wash of light on the frontal plane 226

These slits act as silent illuminators that focuses on a particular object (here, the frontal wall) (Fig. 340). Where as the ceiling being on a double level, makes the user perceive it as a volumetrically heavy space. The plane on the left has a small square cutout on the top that allows light to enter the space giving a wash to the ceiling making it noticeable. This creates openness and a lesser volumetrically heavy space by just a simple cutout. (Fig. 341)

Fig. 340 Standing at the mid landing facing the right plane

Fig. 341 Standing at the mid landing facing the left plane 227

The cavity from where the staircase starts, from the lower level, is also an opening of the space. Due to its openness in space, the lower level openings let maximum amount light enter that provides indirect or diffused light to the mid landing. (Fig. 342)

Fig. 342. Diffused / indirect light from the lower level Standing on the mid lading facing the plane on the right, at the lower part of the plane, adjacent to the base, is a square cutout/ opening that gives visual connection with the living room. This also allows the light, falling in the living room, enter into the surface of mid landing, which acts a visual engaging point rather than an illuminating medium. (Fig. 343)

Fig. 343. Diffused / indirect light from the living room 228

Lobby The lobby opens up to multiple spaces being the bedrooms on the right and studio of the left. The light falling in those spaces also contribute in illuminating the lobby indirectly. Even though the mid landing and the lobby are at different levels and so are perceived as two different spaces, it still is a part of the juncture being one common space, that is not divided by any physical elements. As the two spaces are a part of one big space, the opening that allow the light to enter the space and illuminate the mid landing, also brightens the lobby by its indirect approach towards the upper level space. (Fig. 344)

Fig. 344 Diffused / indirect light from the mid landing

The direct source of light is the window on the frontal plane. It is a large scaled window that makes it a point of focus for the user as well as allow the light to enter the lobby and illuminate the space. (Fig. 345 and 346) 229

Fig. 345. Window on the frontal plane

Fig. 346. Spread of the opening / window on the frontal plane Towards the right hand side, beyond the plane, spaces like bedrooms are located which has their own openings and windows that allows enough light to illuminate the space inside. Due to the lack of physical cues that makes the wall solid, on the plane dividing the lobby with the bedrooms, makes the right plane explicit. This allows the light falling into the bedrooms pass through the openings on the right plane making it glow that acts as visual engaging and orienting guides rather than illuminating the space. (Fig. 347) 230

Fig. 347 Light as engaging points

Color / shade

The juncture has multiple openings of different scales from all the four From the mid landing, the three planes placed adjacent to each other, plays a certain role in the space. The plane on the left acts as the restricting plane. The frontal wall acting as the receiving and the wall on the right becomes the orienting plane. From the lower level space to the mid landing, the two constant movement guides are the staircase and the plane on the left, which is acknowledged only through its physical nature. And being a restricting plane, the point of engagement is null here, which, even though it physically help in the movement but consciously does not become as much noticeable. So the plane is painted in a darker shade that defines two things, one, differentiating it as a restricting plane. Whereas the other aspect defines its existence not only physically but visually as well that consciously gets registered to the user. (Fig. 348) 231

Fig. 348. Plane on the left stands out through its darker shade The other two planes being the most noticeable to the user, as one acting as the receiver and the other makes the user orient. These two planes can be identified as evident movement guides to the system. As one plane receives and the other leads, both together become orienting tools through its placement as adjacent to each other setting limits to the space, which naturally leads the user to move towards the upper level. To give visual continuity to these tools and making them read as one, the color and shade articulated on both the planes are white that is neutral to the human eye. (Fig. 349)

Fig. 349. Adjacent planes on the right defined as one through color 232

The ceiling being at a fixed height, yet providing two different volumes to two different spaces (mid landing and the lobby), defines itself as uni-planar element that flows through those two spaces. As the two planes on the mid landing act as movement and orientation guides, the ceiling, along with the plane extends itself till the end of the lobby which also becomes a contributing element for movement. (Fig. 350)

Fig. 350. Ceiling extending from one space to the other Ground/ floor being a consistent movement guide throughout the house, also defining the base, is identified through a rather contrasting shade being darker, giving dominance to its continuous planarity. (Fig. 351)

Fig. 351. Adjacent planes on the right defined as one through color 233

Standing on the mid landing, facing the lobby, the parapet besides the opening that leads the user to the upper level, is painted in blue that stands out in contrast with the whole neutral set up of space. It can be identified as the space divider and marking the threshold for the lobby. (Fig. 352)

Fig. 352. Blue color contrasting with the entire color palette The lobby has three planes as its primary elements (ceiling, frontal wall and left perforated wall), of the same color and shade defining continuity and free flow in the spaces. This suggests the human flow of movement into the spaces painted of the same color and shade. (Fig. 353)

Fig. 353 White defining the continuous flow of movement in the space 234

Whereas the wall on the right ends at the parapet which is of a different color (green). This lets the observer perceive the plane as a dividing element to the private area of the house. Where the other planes painted in white suggests a continuous flow of movement into the spaces, this plane demarcate limits from public to private, being it of a different color. (Fig. 354)

Fig. 354 The green of the wall defining the spaces beyond as rather private

235

Internal space

Fig. 355 Key plan highlighting the juncture The juncture on the upper level becomes the central point which opens up to multiple spaces like studio and bedrooms. The other smaller spaces connecting the central point, can be identified as a part of one whole space. Moving from the lobby to the bedrooms makes the user experience transition from a common space to a rather secluded space. This space details out the bedroom adjacent to the frontal plane that is the facade diving the built and the unbuilt. 236

Fig. 356 Bedroom

Fig. 357 Bedroom’s balcony 237

Fig. 358 Looking from the balcony’s opening

Fig. 359 Standing in the bedroom facing the window 238

Assembly of physical elements

Standing at the opening of the bedroom, the space is perceived as a linear space due to the assemblage of physical elements. The space is understood in a linear fashion due to the two parallel planes on both sides. Due to its planarity and linearity it gives a uni directional space that leads the user to the end of the room, visually as well as physically. (Fig. 360)

Fig. 360. The parallel planes as visual guides for linearity The openings on two opposite ends along the longer axis are aligned towards the left that gives the space an asymmetrical axis in a linear fashion. (Fig. 361)

Fig. 361. Asymmetrical axis of the space It also intangibly divides the space, through its axis, into two one being the left side and the other being the right side. The most frequent space utilization is for the end to end circulation. Not diving the space symmetrically, it emphasizes more on the right side being the deeper space and less on the left. (Fig. 362) 239

Fig. 362. Emphasize more on the deeper side As the axis defines a circulation path and divides the space into two, the two functions can also be identified through the depth of it. The circulation path, which is the asymmetrical axis of the space, occupies lesser area but longer due to the linearity in space. Where as the space on right of the circulation path can be identified as a settling area of the room, as it occupies a larger area of the space, due to its depth. This division defines the two major functions of the space. (Fig. 363).

Circulation area Settling area

Fig. 363. Space divided into two functions While entering the space, the door/ entrance of the room is left aligned adjacent to the wall that is perceived as an explicit plane, due to its openings and that provides the inside- outside relationship. According to its alignment towards the left, the side facing the outside is not perceived as a space but rather a plane 240

that divides the built from the unbuilt demarcating limits. Here, the plane on the left acts as a movement guide and a visual engagement point for the space. (Fig. 364)

Fig. 364 Plane on the left as movement guide and engagement point Whereas the plane on the right, standing at the entrance, gives depth to the space. As the entrance is aligned to the left end of the bedroom, the user enter from the left corner of the shorter axis, creating a cross orientation towards the right, utilizing the depth defined by the distance between the entrance and the solid plane on the right. (Fig. 365)

Fig. 365 Orientation towards the deeper space

The space can be further divided in three parts along the longer axis. The wall on the left (being an explicit plane) can be used as tool to divide the space. As the user enters the space, plane adjacent to the entrance i.e. the left plane, consist of an opening with vertical fins, visually diving the window. The opening plane, 241

extending till it hits the first fin defines the depth of the first part of the space along with the shorter depth as a secondary point of reference. This creates a corner and the openings on the left plane highlight the opposite plane that marks the limit for the first area of the space (Fig. 366 and 367). The next opening along the left plane, is placed in the middle of the room. This opening focuses on the bed that is placed on the opposite plane . This defines the sleeping area of the room giving importance to the function by its central location in the whole space. (Fig. 368 and 369)

Opening defining the area

Fig. 366 Area 1- Study

Fig. 367 Area 1- Study 242

Physical cues defining limits of the area

Fig. 368 Area 2- Sleeping area

Fig. 369 Area 2- Sleeping area Beyond the point after the bed sleeping area, the both the planes parallel to each other continue to extend as solid planes with no openings. Along with a wall in the front that acts as an arresting plane. These three planes, create containment and enclosure, that encloses the space defining the area as the end point of the bedroom (Fig. 370). Here, the frontal wall has an opening which allows the user to penetrate through it and the two parallel walls running by the sides and the angled plane on the right, orients the user to move beyond that point towards the outside. (Fig. 371) 243

Three solid planes encloses the space

Fig. 370 Area 3- End point

Fig. 371 Enclosure by the three planes at the end point

The ground provides a seamless base to the space through its planarity that tends to flow in a linear direction from one end to the other. Whereas the ceiling has a subtle curvature to it that is physically noticeable to the human eye. But in the visual percept, the curved plane is registered as a linear element providing a cuboid volume and the horizontal planes (floor and ceiling) set limits to it. (Fig. 372) 244

Volumetric enclosure through the distance

Fig. 372 Volumetric limits

As the user penetrate themselves through plane located at the end point of the space, separating the inside with the outside, opens up to a volumetrically contained space, yet not enclosed by the sides. The extension of the ceiling and the ground from the inside, through the end plane, creates a pocket on the outside. Due to its lack of physical enclosure by the sides, the pocket can be identified as the balcony. (Fig. 373)

Fig. 373 Balcony 245

From the end point beyond the arresting plane, the plane on the right continues to flow towards the outside while the left plane ends at the frontal wall. Along with the ceiling and the floor, the plane on the right gives physical enclosure to the right hand side of the balcony, which restricts the user by orienting towards that direction and naturally conditions them to move in the opposite direction. (Fig. 374)

Fig. 374 The plane on the right orienting the user to the opposite direction The floor and the overhead shelter outside, extends towards the left, giving the user clue for orienting towards that direction making the movement even more dominant. The floor and the low height shelter already encloses the balcony volumetrically, and due to its extension towards the left, visually, blocks the connect with the lower level and also blocks the connect with the sky and the surrounding buildings. (Fig. 375)

Fig. 375. Horizontal planes isolating the pocket/ balcony 246

Along with the horizontal planes (shelter and the floor), a parapet surrounds the pocket, framing the vegetation and greens that give predominance to the natural elements engaging the user with nature, silencing the built. (Fig. 376).

Fig. 376. The physical cues framing the natural elements Furniture as a spatial element

The space in its entirety has predominance of physical space making elements. Furniture although, is understood as a tool to define areas and functions. As the user enters the bedroom, on their left, a table is attached to the left plane and on their right, another table is attached to the entrance plane. Both of these furniture stretches its axis in two directions along the longer edge and the shorter edge. This adjacent arrangement defines the area for study that extends till the fin that divides the opening. (Fig. 377)

Fig. 377 Study area defined by the furniture layout 247

Beyond this point, as bed, placed adjacent to the right plane and a series of cabinet on its opposite planes defines another area or point of the room that can be identified as the sleeping area. The low height line of cabinet extends till the edge of the bed that also becomes a directionality guide for the human movement in the space. (Fig. 378)

Fig. 378 Bed and the line of cabinets defining the sleeping area Scale and volume

The placement/ assemblage of the parallel planes on each side creates the shorter depth to the space due to the distance between them. The same planes extends linearly till the end point of the bed room that gives a length to the space but is perceived as a narrow volume due to its shorter depth in relation to its length. A cuboid volume is derived due to its physical enclosures.

Fig. 379 Space by volume 248

Fig. 380 Space by scale Natural elements

Natural Light As the user enters the space, the major medium of light illuminating the space is the plane adjacent to the entrance. It has a large scaled window which is divided by vertical fins. The fins does not cut the light into two but is rather a significant element that defines areas of the space, as one part being the entrance/ study, whereas the other part being the sleeping area. Both of these areas are illuminated through the window on the left plane, but can also be perceived as it highlighting two separate spaces due to the vertical fins as a dividing element. (Fig. 381 and 382)

Fig. 381. The left opening highlighting the two major areas 249

Fig. 382 Window/ opening on the left plane

As the user’s eye looks further in the space, the second source of light can be identified as the frontal plane on the other end along the longer axis. More than illuminating the space, this opening becomes a visual guide for movement and signifies an end point to the room. Even though the opening adjacent to the entrance is the main medium through which the space is illuminated, the first point of focus and to perceive the long narrow space, becomes the opening on the end plane. Due to the parallel walls extending towards the end and due to its planarity and linearity, it naturally makes the end point as the primary focus for the space. (Fig. 383)

Fig. 383 Opening on the frontal plane 250

Fig. 384. Opening as a visual engaging point The plane on the right is completely solid except for an over head slit above the bed. The slit acts as a spatial connector that defines relation between two spaces (bedrooms). The slit allows the light, entering into the space behind the plane, to penetrate into this particular bedroom, giving a subtle wash of light on the low height ceiling of the space. It also defines spatial continuity as the ceiling flows through the plane to the space beyond. (Fig. 385)

Fig. 385. Light entering the space from the slit on the right plane Color / shade

The ground being the seamless physical cue throughout the space, is defined as the base through its color articulation which is of a darker shade that dominates the space giving a highlighting the horizontal spread. (Fig. 386) 251

Fig. 386 Ground dominating the space through its darker shade All the other planes are painted in white, making the user perceive the space as less contained and enclosed, even though its physical assemblage of elements suggests otherwise. Due to its lighter shade in the over all set up, it opens the space to the result of its cuboid form and narrowness. ( Fig. 387)

Fig. 387 Other planes in white The window on the left plane, that is adjacent to the entrance, frames the landscape and vegetation outside, making it as the point of engagement. The green of nature, draws attention as it 252

being an eye catchy color amongst the neutral color palette of the space from within. The lighter shade and color of the space inside, gives more emphases on the greens of the landscape and vegetation outside. Simply through colors, the natural elements calls for attention making them the predominant elements of the visual percept than the physical players. (Fig. 388)

Fig. 388 Greens being the predominant of the space

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Synopsis

Maneesha house has been defined and articulated by the architect through multiple junctures created by the change of alignment, level variations, combination of elements, from built to unbuilt, etc. From the outside to the inside, the approach has been to increase and elongate the movement path along with the achieved play of time, which contributes in connecting the user with the house and isolate them from the outside world, by being absorbed by the natural and physical elements of space making and gives the user the clues or references of the space beyond in terms of space perception. At some points/ places, the event is created by the combination of the space making elements. At some places, the natural elements dominate the user’s percept, whereas at some places the physical elements act as the predominant. At each juncture or point of the journey, the visual percept of the user is overpowered by different elements playing their role in perception, yet has its meaning in the spatial context only when in relation to the other elements. Therefore, the predominance of individual elements does not lead to perception of space, but rather as a combination playing playing its role at every point. This house unfolds its identity by juncture to juncture as we move through the spaces and does not reveal itself from the entrance. 254

Inferences

Through the study of Maneesha house, being a residence, multiple factors are identified contributing in its spatial narrative and makes one understand the spatial dynamics of space perception. These factors are a. Movement b. Space making elements c. Pause points Movement

The house is looked at from different points through movement, which is perceived differently at each point. This is where one realizes the pleasure of moving through different junctures. For example, an anamorphic sculpture getting read differently from different points, brings a change in our visual percept. At one point, the facade is seen as a backdrop in the foreground, and from another point, it appears as a thin vertical element. This gives the perceiver a change in their perception but due to the information they carry from previous events, it formulates the picture as a whole. The Maneesha house is articulated through multiple junctures and so it is the story of multiple point of views or continuously changing point of views. Therefore, the journey or movement holds the key to one’s perception towards it. 255

Combination

At each point, these elements are articulated differently giving

of space making

different clues and meanings to the functions of the spaces. At

elements

different points/ junctures, different elements from the whole assemblage, plays a predominant role in the space. At one point, out of all the assembled elements, one stands out that dominates our visual percept, for example, the columns resting on the plinth which is modulated from the ground are not highlighted as a the predominant elements of that particular space. But rather the modulated plinth dominates the space through its level variation in relation to the rest of the flooring. There is an effect created by the combination of elements which can be understood through varied conditions created by the same elements in different proportions, placements and positions.

Pause

While moving through spaces, the perception keeps on changing

points

from juncture to juncture. The junctures need not define the area/ zone per se, but also denotes the pause points of the space. Each point here, offer clues for orientation that makes the user move further in the space. It allows to turn the whole journey in multiple episodes elongating the movement path. Therefore, the pause points in this space plays an important role in terms of transitioning and conditioning in a certain manner.

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The End note

Conclusion

Spatial construct has a component and a grammer. It leaves clues to infer which are based on various multiple aspects articulated by the architect or designer of the space. It offers a set of clues through its scale, choice of elements, geometrical placement, chemistry of elements, etc. There are many ways these clues are encoded and the perceiver makes cognizance of that and creates their own interpretation which leads to perception. Perception can be controlled and objectified by the narrative of the space which is manifested by the architects and designers. They tend to articulate and make various kinds of spaces that can be identified as built or unbuilt. But a space is not limited by whether it is built or unbuilt. They can be categorized in such a fashion due to the assemblage of the space making elements. It is then when one can define, whether it is a built space or an unbuilt space. Narrative is a communication between a space and the user of space. It is created through various aspects, but one major aspect for space perception can be identified as movement. Movement entails multiple factors contributing in creating the spatial narrative. It entails 260

• Sequential unfolding • Pause points and continuity • Degree of involvement • Engagement and conditioning Through these aspects of movement, one realizes the pleasure of moving through spaces and architecture, and derive perception. Architecture is an event which is essentially perceived as a journey as we move through spaces, and movement is the key aspect/ factor that is considered as true while being in the space, physically. Sequential unfolding

Elongation through episodes Junctures play an essential and imperative role in the spatial narrate. It offers various kinds of experience like meandering. It has the power to formulate a space into a series of episodes where one understands each episode differently but realizes its value as a whole. It brings a factor of curiosity, and by curiosity it does not denote an element of surprise, but carries the potential to make a significant impact on the user, giving references of what is beyond. It can be understood as a series, where house being the series in itself, tells a certain kind of a story at each juncture/ episode to eventually absorb the entire picture in the perceiver’s percept. Maneesha house has the quality of telling its story in multiple junctures, for example, the journey from outside to the inside has been to increase the movement path which helps in conditioning and being absorbed with the natural elements of space.

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The spatial narrative manifested in the form of junctures or episodes, creates transition, both physically as well as notionally. These transitions may have glimpses of the beyond at some points which visually helps in engaging the perceiver more with spatial construct of the place. These transitions can be in many ways, in terms of volume, a sense of privacy, etc. Episodic unfolding asks for constant involvement of the user with the space which gives a sense of conscious communication that derives correlation between the spatial order and the human perception. Change in point of view When movement is involved, the physical construct maybe the same but when the point of view changes, you see/ perceive it differently. At different junctures, different elements from the whole assemblage, plays a predominant role in the space. At one point, out of all the assembled elements, one stands out that dominates our visual percept, for example, the columns while seeing from the passage, acts as directionality guides due to its repetitive assembly, whereas from the living room, the same columns play the role of a doorway to the other level. Both has their own impact on the percept due to change in point of views.

Fig. 389 Columns appearing as directionality guides from the passage 262

Fig. 390 Columns appearing as a doorway from the living room Pause points and continuity

While moving through spaces, the perception keeps on changing from juncture to juncture. But the idea is not about moving being the dominating factor, but what leads to movement, rather becomes important. The junctures need not define the area/ zone for a conscious pause, per se, but simply denotes the orienting and the transitioning points between two realms, not necessarily tangible realms. It can be a notional orientation which brings pause in the journey. It can be a pause for enjoyment or engagement with something, or it simply can be an orienting juncture. They are created by the combination of elements that announce the zone/ area as a pause point or a settling point or a movement point. It has the potential to turn the whole journey in multiple episodes which elongates the movement and allows the element of time play its role in perceiving.

Degree of involvement

The degree of involvement, while moving, can be achieved through multiple aspects of space. Spatial narrative can be heightened through the things left for the perceiver to decipher with variety. Many aspects are derived while the person is physically in the space and is offered by variety of clues and signals that involves them in the dialogue of encoding and decoding. The ways of keeping the perceiver engaged and involved with the spatial narrative can be classified as variety of spatial construct, sequential unfolding as a factor of involvement, pause points which are not apparent. The degree of involvement is considered as one of the crucial aspects for gaining perception and experience. 263

Engagement and conditioning

Combination of space making elements Spatial construct is dependent on the combination of space making elements. Architecture is a resultant of the combined chemistry of these elements, both physical and natural. At each point, these elements are articulated differently giving different clues and meanings to the functions of the spaces created. Not a single element, be it physical or natural, stands on its own to exert a sense of space, but the combined chemistry of these elements make one perceive it as one space. For example, the columns, inside the house resting on the plinth, raise a question in the perceivers mind, whether the modulated plinth dominates the visual percept or the columns? There is an effect created by the combination of elements which can be understood through varied conditions created by the same elements in different proportions, placements and positions. They can be considered as the encoders of the space as they inform and condition the human responses, accordingly. Through this the perception towards the space, even though a combined system, differs by the combination and the predominant character of the combination. Element of time Time here falls as two different aspects which are, the change in time during the day till the night and the time invested for the journey of the house/ space. Along the day, time passes by, which affects the intangible natural elements, like light. The intrusion of natural light in space is a powerful aspect for space perception. At different points of time, during the day till night, the space is perceived differently. It can be perceived in a certain way in the morning, while the same space is perceived as completely different at night. Even though the combination of elements remain the same, the play of light here, controls the user’s perception. This is one way that is brought out from the study, that time plays its role in space perception. The other aspect is the time invested by moving through spaces

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and multiple junctures. The play of time, as we understood through the case study, helped the user in conditioning and being absorbed by the elements of space making. This brings a transition into the user’s state of mind, by engaging themselves with the spaces isolating from the outside world, which clues them the kind of atmosphere of the spaces further. Investing most of your time in the journey is like unfolding yourself from the other information and connecting with the surroundings. Through this process of engagement and isolation, the space perception constantly changes with every moment passed. End note

Architecture is a story of continuously changing point of views. Movement, therefore, is considered as the key factor contributing in constructing the spatial narrative of a space. Movement in terms of sequence, pause points and continuation, enhanced and elongated journey, glimpses for engagement and involvement, transitioning, time invested in the journey and time as a perception shifter, conditioning by physically being there. It brings out the maximum possibility for communication that leads to perception. A space is hence perceived, not as a static form, but rather a constantly changing entity due to the change in the user’s percept while moving along the spaces. Spatial narrative is understood by the pleasure of moving through architecture and spaces. This makes architecture an event and experienced as a journey, which essentially is perceived while in movement.

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Bibliographic references

Arnheim, R. (1965). Art and visual perception: A psychology of the creative eye. Univ of California Press. Ching, F. D. (2014). Architecture: Form, space, and order. John Wiley & Sons. Desai, N. (2000). Natural light: its manifestation in space hence: space as perceived in light. Dhanani, C. (2005). Dynamism: the expression of movement in contemporary spaces. Freshwater, D. (2005). The poetics of space: researching the concept of spatiality through relationality. Psychodynamic Practice, 11(2), 177-187. Gardner, H., & Gardner, E. (2008). Art, mind, and brain: A cognitive approach to creativity. Basic Books. Giedion, S. (2008). Space, time and architecture: the growth of a new tradition (Vol. 27). Harvard University Press. Habib, F., & KHOSRO, S. S. M. (2012). Christian Norberg-Schulz and the existential space. Langer, S. K. (1953). Feeling and form (p. 234). London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. 266

Majithiya, H. (2016). Spatial tales: orientation as a tool to synthesize experience in architecture. Mankar, R. (1998). Architecture of Geoffrey Bawa: an intimacy of experience and expression. Mehta, P. (2020). Space defining elements in residential interiors. Pandya, Y. (2016). Elements of Spacemaking. Grantha Corporation. PICKENS, B. (1978). ARCHITECTURE AND YOU-HOW TO EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY BUILDINGS-CAUDILL, WW, PENA, WM, KENNON, P. Puri, S. (2013). Home: objects, meaning and assembled environment. Purwar, J. (2002). Spatial narratives: conception-perception dynamics. Sen, R. (2004). Space as a sign: spatial design communication as an interactive process of conception and perception. Singh, P. (2001). Perceptual, conceptual dynamics of spacemaking. Talaviya, M. (2019). Architect and memory in narrating’KAMALA HOUSE’. Venkatesh, J. (2018). Exploring spatial narratives of chettinad houses. Von Meiss, P. (2013). Elements of Architecture: From Form to Place+ Tectonics. EPFL Press.

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List of figures

Chapter 1

Fig. 1 toptal-blog-image-1522045514679-a37f648a25ccc5edc4e02365 6c4127b7.png https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/gestalt-principles-ofdesign Fig. 2 b8093a288840944505e22853a282454c.jpg https://www.moviemania.io/wallpaper/pm5g8g15be-the-lobster Fig. 3 25f4918f8657e04e80c7a73f5525313c.jpg Fig. 5 4897a5_bb2fe5864b9441eaa0e7314ebd5e521c~mv2.jpg https://www.johnlovett.com/repetition Fig. 8 Elements of architecture: From form to place Fig. 10 photo-1491302188408-9a8f463e86e2 https://unsplash.com/photos/jGwyxVSQ9uM

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Fig. 11 photo-1551644500-425967d908cf https://unsplash.com/photos/Mr3qr0u_yEY Fig. 12 photo-1607374436266-1d51e7113dbf https://unsplash.com/photos/1g8hIlk6K5Q Fig. 13 3042014-poster-p-1-behind-the-scenes-of-the-oscarnominated-production-design-of-the-grand-budapest-hotel.jpg https://thecatchallblog.com/2014/04/02/moments-ofsymmetry-the-grand-budapest-hotel/ Fig. 14 sculpture_006_a_runing_torso.jpg https://www.calatrava.com/art/runing-torso-006-a.html Fig. 15 and 16 Elements of architecture: From form to place Fig. 17 https://www.netclipart.com/isee/bJhoii_horizontal-old-oldscale-weight-weigh-out-pan/ 97-975797_horizontal-old-old-scale-weight-weigh-out-pan.png Fig. 18

1200px-Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_with_a_Pearl_Earring

Chapter 2

Fig. 21. Sangath5.jpg https://www.archdaily.com/890414/bv-doshis-drawings-revealthe-identity-of-his-work/5aa1b880f197cc90d100012f-bvdoshis-drawings-reveal-the-identity-of-his-work-image?next_ project=no 269

Fig. 22 1519310135_rashtrapati_bhavan_01_architectural_digest.jpg https://www.tripoto.com/trip/eleven-quintessential-mughalgardens-of-india-5a8edaf7525e8 Fig. 23 FarnsworthHouse_0808.jpg https://news.wttw.com/2019/08/08/revisiting-farnsworthhouse-masterpiece-modern-architecture Fig. 24 IAA110071.jpg https://archnet.org/sites/2158/media_contents/97182 Fig. 25 zen-garden-design.jpg https://www.houszed.com/zen-garden-ideas/ Fig. 29 01_-Archiplan_louis-kahn-01-01.jpg https://www.archdaily.com/791404/federico-babinas-archiplanillustrations-analyze-the-floorplans-of-master-architects/578 7eab1e58eced0cb000053-federico-babinas-archiplan-illustrations-analyze-the-floorplans-of-master-architects-photo Fig. 30 03_-Archiplan_tadao-ando-01.jpg https://www.archdaily.com/791404/federico-babinas-archiplanillustrations-analyze-the-floorplans-of-master-architects/578 7eab9e58eced0cb000054-federico-babinas-archiplan-illustrations-analyze-the-floorplans-of-master-architects-photo?next_ project=no Fig. 31

Elements of space making

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Fig. 35 2662c15d0cad580524dbaad6cf00183e.jpg https://gagosian.com/artists/richard-serra/ Fig. 36 photo-1609610006275-f26a59d76621 https://unsplash.com/photos/NedYVSFhSTg Fig. 39 440px-20190406-DSC5193_Panteon.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome Fig. 41 photo-1527148450452-1064387fba5a https://unsplash.com/photos/cr58nIXHWF0 Fig. 43 photo-1511195448930-75ffebe8e3a8 https://unsplash.com/photos/On6lAWkijIA Fig. 44 photo-1602594731950-cf7e186a62ac https://unsplash.com/photos/1A4hWCTW-6A Fig. 46

photo-1611177418094-456b9fceba61 https://unsplash.com/photos/jsHShuWUGBI Fig. 48 photo-1591706532642-71d270026ffd https://unsplash.com/photos/q3wpcYGzNf8 Fig. 49 photo-1556328416-361d15768cd6 https://unsplash.com/photos/WdoHp_Xt0NU

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Fig. 50 teen-darwaza-ahmedabad-tourism-entry-fee-timings-holidaysreviews-header.jpg https://ahmedabadtourism.in/teen-darwaza-ahmedabad Fig. 52

Elements of space making. pg. 104 Fig. 53 Buland-Darwaza-to-bandbaretha.jpg https://www.bandbaretha.com/fatehpur-sikri/ Fig. 56 Wang_Ziling_(5).jpg https://www.archdaily.com/914028/architecture-should-beable-to-connect-the-past-and-the-future-in-conversation-withxu-tiantian/5c9e21c6284dd1aa510000f5-architecture-shouldbe-able-to-connect-the-past-and-the-future-in-conversationwith-xu-tiantian-photo?next_project=no Fig. 57 c2433893ba4398b2c12fa79442b9cf14.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c2/43/38/ c2433893ba4398b2c12fa79442b9cf14.jpg Fig. 58 w480-h288-n https://earth.google.com/web/@41.39174263,2.16455187,26.9826 8689a,233.13d,35y,-153.649h,60.513t,0r/ Fig. 59 42c7e48f3afb470f0c1a6962862b535a.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/42/c7/ e4/42c7e48f3afb470f0c1a6962862b535a.jpg

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Fig. 60 032-3-assembly-in.jpg https://www.phaidon.com/agenda/architecture/articles/2019/ january/16/why-louis-kahn-would-often-talk-to-bricks/ Fig. 61 Elements of spacemaking. pg. 156 Fig. 63 100p13000000vhcim6DDD.jpg https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/mumbai/asia-society-andmuseum-23029964/ Fig. 65 Amfiteatre-Foto Txell Roig.JPG https://www.bcncatfilmcommission.com/en/location/ amphitheatre Fig. 67 photo-1516522184673-de15e930962f https://unsplash.com/photos/gDlpMyInsak Fig. 68 _100330043_a7915460-ec8d-4800-99a3-ce56837d96d3.jpg https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43326825 Fig. 73

656980f0eff8fa85b3032263b18de4e1.jpg https://www.flickr.com/photos/thom_ mckenzie/3573252640/ Fig. 74 12-1-1024x396.jpg http://hiddenarchitecture.net/hussain-doshi-gufa/

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Fig. 75 1535116286_3-amdavad-ni-gufa.jpg https://www.sangath.org/projects/amdavad-ni-gufaahmedabad/ Fig. 76 1535116286_4-amdavad-ni-gufa.jpg https://www.sangath.org/projects/amdavad-ni-gufaahmedabad/ Fig. 77 11B-Phoenix+house_04.jpg http://www.sebastianmariscal.com/phoenix-house/ p1y7u2vm9nyja80xwzb3tlv03u8j2e Fig. 78 stringio.jpg https://www.archdaily.com/101260/ad-classics-church-of-thelight-tadao-ando/5037f3bf28ba0d599b00064a-ad-classicschurch-of-the-light-tadao-ando-image?next_project=no Fig. 80 OB-VB755_mag111_P_20121023223837.jpg https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000142405297020442590457 8072622991448896 Fig. 81 6a00d8341c5df753ef019aff111d85970d-pi https://shinysquirrel.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c5df753ef019af f111d85970d-pi Fig. 82 91ad7ecd17154de683973e843d7331ef.jpg https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79312, also, elements of archi. pg. 104

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Fig. 83 1280px-sagrada_familia_nave_roof_detail.jpg https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/la-sagradafamilia-receives-building-permit-137-years-after-constructionbegan-180972390/ Fig. 84 tumblr_pl5cw2Aqdu1qgpvyjo1_1280.jpg https://archimaps.tumblr.com/post/181913468252/design-forthe-interior-of-a-proposed-national

Only the figures that are taken as a reference and not belonging to myself, are mentioned in the list. Other figures which are not, are of my own work. 275

Illustration by Maneesha Doshi

An Interior design thesis Faculty of design CEPT University

Spatial Narratives in Residential Spaces

Articles inside

Spatial Narratives in Residential Spaces