An Assessment into the Cognitive Processes & Strategies of spatial analysis in Civic Design.

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

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An Assessment into the Cognitive Processes & Strategies of spatial analysis in Civic Design: A case study of the civic spectaculum William Mokaya Otuke 16042662 Masters in Architecture by conversion Mackintosh School of Architecture Tutors: Chris Platt Sally Stewart

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

Declaration of authenticity|

I confirm that this work is my own, undertaken for the degree of the Master of Architecture by Conversion, and that it has not been submitted for any other award or assessment.

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Signed |

Date | Friday, 18th January, 2019

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

Contents |

Abstract | page 5.

Introduction | page 6.

Research analysis | page 7-17.

Building components | page 18-24.

Civic Space | page 25-30.

Spatial Syntax Analysis | page 31-43.

Conclusion | page 44.

References | page 47-48.

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William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

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An Assessment into the Cognitive Processes & Strategies of spatial analysis in Civic Design: A case study of the civic spectaculum

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

Abstract |

The theme of the research paper is an examination on the proposed thesis programme, understood as a consolidation to the extensively transformed space of the Matadero in Madrid, as an urban intervention. The previous slaughter house turned cultural arts centre acts as a suitable site to incorporate past memories as an idea for nascent urban architectures. The main idea stems from exploring the past architectural elements, in form of the Arab Hammam Bath spaces that were used for social interactions, despite social classes, age and sex of individuals.

The continuation of this idea of preserving the identity of the cultural space as a place of both civic inclusion and production is integral to the scheme and proves the revitalising potential that architecture has for urban spaces. According to Lim C.J (2017, p 35), gatherings in cities are usually caused by, or attract, commerce, or have religious or ritual explanations. The square, marketplace or the bazaar are the kind of public spaces that make cities function and they are the reason that cities, streets and districts develop in the first place. For this reason the idea of communal bath spaces, that act as idyllic civic spaces within the design proposal was integral in the formulation of the idea that social cohesion would be greatly improved within the urban situation.

Keywords: Social cohesion, Motion-trace palimpsest, Civic Space, Spatial analysis, axial map.

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William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

Introduction |

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As expressed by Scully, V (1995), when analysing Louis Kahn’s work, each project acted like an exploration, an extension and reconsideration, rather than simplistic application of approach. This is reiterated by the statement;‘

When you have all the answers about a building before you start building it, your answers are not true.

The building gives you the answers as it grows and becomes itself.’ [1]

This suggests that the parameters of the research programme are highly analytical in the investigation of how the spaces created within the proposal would allow an unmitigated interaction for the inhabitants in this urban area of Madrid. The primary experience of the spa as expressed by Achleitner, F (1998), is of bodily immersion in the waters, with their disparate temperatures, but over and above this the building offers a complex synthesis of sensory stimuli. The visitor of the building encounters endless combinations, such as; the atmosphere, temperature, humidity, luminosity, scent and the sound that it carries.[2]

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Frampton, K, Studies in Tectonic Culture: The poetics of construction in 19th and 20th century architecture, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1995 2 Achleitner, F, ‘Questioning the Modern movement’, in Architecture and Urbanism: Peter Zumthor, Extra Edition, February 1998, A+U Publishing, Tokyo.

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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Research Analysis | 7

To begin the research study, a drawing by Sarah Wigglesworth and Jeremy Till, depicting a dinner table was established. The drawing conveyed a story of the progression of a perfectly laid out table through to the wreckage of dirty dishes and napkins that ensues after the last guest had left. [3]

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Wigglesworth & Till (1998, pp 31-33).

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Motion-Trace Palimpsest

Masters in architecture by conversion

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Fig. 01 Drawings extracted from Wigglesworth & Till (1998, pp 31-33).

Fig. 02 Enlarged drawing of the dining table during activity.

Increasing disorder in a dining table, Sarah Wigglesworth and Jeremy Till depicting Palimpsest the progression of a perfectlyMotion-Trace laid out table through to the wreckage of dirty dishes and napkins that ensues after the last guest has left.

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

The drawing allowed the author to identify various ways of analysing not only an activity within the confines of architecture but also an idea into looking at how to analyse the spaces created in any architectural situation. This was then carried out by a series of planimetric drawings that utilised the same motion-trace palimpsest technique as was depicted by the dinner table drawing, to try to picture the movement patterns of users that would visit the urban setting in Madrid.

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William Mokaya Otuke

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Masters in architecture by conversion

Motion trace palimpsest |01

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Entrance into Apodyterium/ changing room area where users will be met with guides into the building, also showing the various times on average a person is expected to stay.

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Masters in architecture by conversion

Motion trace palimpsest |02

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Motion trace palimpsest |03

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Frigidarium/ cold plunge pool zone

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Motion trace palimpsest |04

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Massage Chamber

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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Hygiene Chamber

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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Motion trace palimpsest |06

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Fig. 08 Planimentric drawing trial 06

Calidarium/ Hot plunge pool

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This methodology proved to be somewhat inconclusive, as the author realised that the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;artefactâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in study, according to the dinner table drawing, was the dinner table itself and its relative contents.

Dealing with a much larger urban scale & context would require a detailed visit back to the urban setting at the Matadero in Madrid, to document the way people do move within the area and how the local objects within the area would be affected as a result.

However, due to the short period of study for the Masters by Conversion course and the impossibility of such a detailed study being carried out, the movements and depictions of objects had to be entirely imaginative.

In addition, as pointed out by Hillier, B et. al (1984, p. 1), buildings and urban environments in essence may be comparable to other artefacts in that they assemble elements into a physical object within a certain form; but they are incomparable in that they also create and order empty voids of space resulting from the object into a sequence. It is essentially, this ordering of space that is the purpose of building, not the physical object itself. The physical object is the means to the end. This is an indication that buildings are not just objects or artefacts to be admired, but they embody the transformations of space through objects.

[4]

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Hillier, B & Hanson, J 1984. The Social logic of Space. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.

William Mokaya Otuke

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Masters in architecture by conversion

As a result, the discourse about architecture and its associated characteristics, that is a necessary coefficient within the practice of architecture is afflicted by a seemingly persistent disability. This is due to the fact that it is it is difficult to analyse a building in terms of what it does spatially within an urban context; whereas it is much easier to recognise the buildings appearance and style with a feeble attempt to fabricate a socially relevant dialogue based on these particular surface properties.

[5]

It is evident that the only representative of spatial order in architecture, within and architectural critics repository is the plan. But from the point of view of both words and images, plans can be opaque and diffuse. With this in mind, it could also be argued that hybridised axonometric drawings, showing both the plan and relative sections do give a good indication of a buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spatial order.

Consequently, the analytical drawings that the author used for the investigation went a step further by taking into account the 3 dimensional spaces found in the proposed civic spectaculum in the form of hybridised axonometric projections. These projections were an attempt to investigate the intricacies of the plan drawings, with the added trace of spatial connectivity from one zone to the next.

In the same way that Scarpa, C elected to treat the building as a continuously unfolding promenade that would mark its progress through space by the discrete articulation of different elements; the intention of the axonometric projections was to simplify the building into its relative component spaces in which the user would experience upon inhabitation.[6]

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ibid, p. 2 Frampton, K. 1995. pp 299-333

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Building components |

During the process of developing the axonometric drawings, the proposal was split into 5 separate pieces to be understood as how each space would be navigated by the user. These spaces were specifically arranged in the sequence the user of the baths would experience the whole encounter.

The user would first enter the Apodyterium, which is another name for the entrance. This space is expected to be fairly busy with visitors. The sequence is then followed in a sequential manner, where observations are being made on what particular areas may influence more interaction as opposed to other spaces.

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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Route through the Apodyterium section of the proposal with relation to the typical entrance into the reception space. (Common space)

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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fig. 12 Hybrid axonometric trial 01

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Leading the bather to first go through the changing rooms before heading into the waters of the frigidarium space. (private space to common space)

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The massage chambers that offer a much more exclusive experience after the bathers have gone through the frigidarium, due to the intimacy of the act. (private space)

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More of an arterial route through to the Calidarium section of the proposal, the hygiene area that offers a space for meditation and significant civic applications.

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fig. 19 hybrid axonometric trial 02.

Calidarium section, that is the culmination of the entire route through the proposal and offers greater civic/ social interplay for all visitors of the building.

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Nolli plan of Madrid, identifying the various urban spaces 1. Royal Palace of Madrid | 2. Plaza Mayor | 3. Puerta Del Sol | 4. Caixa Forum | 5. Prado Museum | 6. Parque del buen Retiro | 7. Vicente Calderon Stadium | 8. Matadero Madrid | 9. Jose Hierro library

fig.20 Urban map of Madrid by author.

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Civic Space |

As emphasised by Alkenade, F et al. (2018, pp 6-7), since exclusion seems to be the defining factor of present day public spaces, by contrast the notion of civic spaces can be introduced. Civic space can be imagined as a synaptic space made public by the negotiation between all spatial actors . If [7]

the public space, as is known today did not exist anymore and shared space became the mediator between oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambition and someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then the notion of civic space would depend entirely on time. To contextualise this statement, train stations could be argued to be a very painful example of separation by infrastructure, where a shared space is created for the temporary usage of visitors in the area as a specific service is anticipated.

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Human, administrative and technological infrastructures.

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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Dhobi Ghat | India

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fig. 21 A Dhobi ghat [natural pond], in India, is a place where people wash their clothes.

Images from De Maat,access S. 2018.

Is agroundwater, Pool a Luxury.places Archis, 53:called Civic Space. August. pp 30-31.

Theseextracted ponds provide natural to this likeVolume these are Kunds. The open water of the traditional kund is just as essential for civic space. A pool, therefore, should certainly not be considered a luxury. Its value in terms of gen-

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With that in mind, public space is running the same risk of becoming a comfortable manifestation of a time and culture that is no longer ours. With regards to this notion, one of the most notable civic [8]

spaces is in the form of the Dhobi Ghat , located in India, which is exclusively identified as a public [9]

space that people use to wash their clothes. These ponds provide natural access to this groundwater and places like these across the country are known as Kunds. The open water of the traditional Kund is just as essential for civic space. A pool in this case should therefore not be considered a luxury, in terms of a limitation in accessibility. Its value in terms of generous water supply, social cohesion, empowerment and open space for leisure cannot be achieved by the installation of pipes and taps.

[10]

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Alkenade, F et al. 2018. Design by Persuasion. Archis, Volume 53: Civic Space. August. pp 6-8.

Natural pond.

De Maat, S. 2018. Is a Pool a Luxury. Archis, Volume 53: Civic Space. August. pp 30-31.

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fig. 22 Site plan by author.

What factors contribute to the success of urban spaces? The Danish architect and urban planner Jan Gehl posed this question back in the 1960’s when he first investigated the behaviour of people on the streets and squares of our cities. In his book “Life Between Buildings” (1971) Gehl distinguishes three types of outdoor activities: necessary, optional and social. His thesis is that the more a public space has to offer its users for spontaneous activities and unplanned leisure, the more social life will develop there.

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

The fact that the natural ponds are still in use today is evidence of Arendt, Hâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (1958, pp 22-24) discovery that things and men form the environment for each of manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, which would be pointless without such locations; yet this environment, the world into which we are born, would not exist without the human activity which produced it, as in the case of fabricated things; which take care of it, as in the case of cultivated land; or which established it through organization, as in the case of the body politic. No human life, not even the life of the hermit in natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wilderness, is possible without a world which directly or indirectly testifies to the presence of other human beings.

The reason chosen to bring up the Dhobi Ghat, is the similarity these spaces have with relation to sequential bath spaces that were proposed for the civic spectaculum, which acts as an essential juxtaposition into public civic spaces found in urban areas. This also demonstrates the role that pool spaces also plays when incorporated into an urban situation that has undergone a series of transformations.

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Fig. a

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Representation of the way people move, mostly along a line.

Convex space where users see each other and in which interactions take place.

The visibility field (isovist), which has a different shape depending on where the observer is located.

fig. 23 Diagram extracted from Hillier & Vaughn, (2007).

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Spacial syntax analysis |

The proposal for the civic building lies in a site that is located to the south of the the central-most square in Madrid, the Placa Del Sol. The urban context is a cultural arts centre that was initially a slaughter house for cattle from the start of the 20th century.

Consequently, there is a great frequency of visitors in the area and this enables us to construct specific methods of analyses that would aid in the investigation process. As demonstrated by Hillier, B & Hanson, J (1984 pp. 1-25), the methodology of defining the spatial syntax in urban spaces is used as a tool to enable architects to stimulate the likely effects of their social projects. The theory validates the way in which elements are brought together, which affects the behaviour of its users, most importantly their movement and understanding of these spaces.

There are three ways of representing this type of analysis methodology. The first representation is mostly used in axial maps to analyze urban systems. The second is the arguably the best method to analyze rooms, and other closed structures. Isovist encompasses the area that can be seen or perceived by a particular user from a particular point in space. This is mostly used in to show different perspectives in squares and open public spaces. [11]

Due to the relatively short research period, the investigation can only look at analysing the axial map, with relation to the thesis proposal for the civic space. This means that the basic syntactic measures were used to display this investigation into the viability of the proposal as an idyllic civic space. The factors that are taken into consideration are as shown in the table.

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Dettlaf, W. 2014. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Space Syntax Analysis â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Methodology of understanding the Spaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. pp 283-291.

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Basic Syntactic measures Connectivity

Measures the number of neighbour axes directly connected to a space. It specifies the number of immediate neighbours of an axis.

Depth

Defined as the smallest number of syntactic steps (in topological meaning) that are needed to reach one space from another. Depth is counted in a graph and is determined by parameter k. Parameter connectivity considers immediate neighbours and depth considers the neighbours of the k-th degree.

Control Value

This is the sum of the inverse values of the parameter connectivity of all neighbours from the selected axial line.

Local & Global Integration

Integration, also called availability, is a variable that refers to how space is connected with other spaces in its surroundings. This is the key parameter leading to the understanding of the relationships that exist between users and the urban space and it is a global measure.

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The methodology is carried out by first drawing the possible smallest number of the longest lines of movement in space. It is important that the whole space is covered with the lines in order to show all the possibilities for movement. Second will be to obtain the graph of connectivity, which represents the accessibility between all axial spaces of a layout model. The axial lines in this case that represent spaces are presented as nodes, which are linked by lines showing intersections with subsequent axes. These nodes are numbered with relation to the numbers on the axes.

From this the local measure of connectivity can be obtained, which can then be used to form the justified graph, when spaces are considered placed bottom-down. It is also from these justified graphs that a visual picture of the overall depth of the layout model can be obtained.

The third and final step is to establish an algorithm that is deduced from the axial map calculations, to form a spatial accessibility map or spatial integration map.

[12]

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Klarqvist, B & Jiang, J. 1993. pp 11-12.

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Fig. a

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Fig d. illustrates a and b in a symmetric and nondistributed relation with respect to c.

Fig e. illustrates a and b in a nondistributed and asymmetric relationship with respect to c.

Fig f. illustrates a more complicated case, where a and b are symmetric to each other with respect to c, but d is an asymmetric relation to both with respect to c.

Fig g. inverts this relationship and places d in a nondistributed and asymmetric relation to a and b, which still remain symmetric to each other with respect to d or to c.

Diagrams extracted from Hillier, B & Hanson, J (1984).

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Masters in architecture by conversion fig. a

Four theorectical buildings with identical geometrical and adjacency graphs.

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Diagrams extracted from Jiang & Claramunt ,2002.

fig. 26 Example of study of axial maps.

c. connectivity graph

d. justified graph

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fig. 27 Nodal point analysis

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fig. 28 Axial map analysis

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fig. 30 compilation of Connectivity & Justified graphs for proposed spaces Fig. e Connectivity & justified graph for Calidarium space.

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Proposal spaces (fig.29) Apodyterium/ entrance to reception (18) Frigidarium (49) Massage (63&65) Hygiene & Meditation (79&80) Calidarium (96)

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Global Depth of whole bath space from the Apodyterium to the Calidarium = 10,136

Connectivity and depth measure can be written as a sum:

m s x Ns = connectivity iff m = 1 ∑ local depth iff m = k

global depth iff m = l s=1 Where: k - parameter. s- operator. l- the shortest distance.

Ns- the number of nodes with the shortest distance.

1 < k < l/local depth(until k = 3) (1)

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Local Depth for Apodyterium | (1×1)+(7×2)+(3×3) +(2×4) + (3×5) = 47 Local Depth for Frigidarium | (3×1)+(13×2)2+(7×3)+(8×4)+(6×5) = 762 Local Depth for Massage chambers | (6×1)+(2×2) = 10 Local Depth for Hygiene and Meditation spaces | (3×1)+(5×2)2 =103 Local Calidarium | (5×1)2+(14×2) = 53

Global Depth for the entire bath space | (1×1)+(7×2)+(4×3)+(2×4)+(3×5)+(13×6)2+(7×7)+(8×8)+(6×9)+(2×10)+(3×11)+(5×12)2+ (14×13) = 10,136.

Control Value |

Apodyterium: 1/2+1/2+1/3+1/2+1/4+1/7 = 2.226 Frigidarium: 1/2+1/6+1/8+1/7+1/13+1/3 = 1.345 Massage chambers: 1/2+1/2+1/6 = 1.167 Hygiene/ Meditation space: 1/2+1/5+1/3 = 1.033 Calidarium: 1/2+1/14+1/5 = 0.771

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Conclusion | In conclusion to the research methodology, it was noted from the initial drawings of the planimetric representations and hybrid axonometric projections that using architectural drawings as a form of communication into social behaviours was a relatively difficult exercise, due to the limitation of explicitly articulating the necessary analytical factors that would affect this relationship. This is also due to the fact that the drawings were inclined to display subjective views on what the observer understood the spaces would do in their own experiences and retrospective conditions.

On the contrary, the exercise was useful in determining the process used to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;break-upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the building into its component parts to better understand how the internal spaces actually functioned to the user. This subsequently led to the observation of the syntactic methods that could be more numerical and justified. Because of the methods fractal properties, it is possible to study the proposed building at both micro and macro levels with some conclusive evidence in the form of the numerical data collected. As pointed out in Hillier, B & Vaughn, L (2007, pp.205-230), the methodology suggests that space affects the sense of community and it can also predict how the form of space will affect the frequency of social cohesion.

It has also been argued that the spatial syntax analysis is too simplified, because it goes back to the notion that the 2 dimensional plan in architecture is opaque and diffuse; therefore, the analysis is only retreating to the second dimension which may not be a true manifestation of reality. It is hoped 13

that the results from the spatial syntax analysis can be applied to building design methodology and also in appraisal, to give an approximate progression in terms of the understanding of social spaces in buildings and beyond. At this point, it is still difficult to rightfully conclude that the method displays a definite improvement in social cohesion within the urban space.

The results obtained from the spatial syntactic analysis did however, give an indication that if connectivity and local depth of spaces are taken into consideration it is possible to detect the potential of meetings in specific spaces, which is extremely useful in presenting architects and designers with a unique approach into studying social behaviours within all kinds of spaces.

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William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

45

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

46

William Mokaya Otuke

Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

References |

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17. Landry, C. (2013), Kreatywne Miasto, Narodowe Centrum Kultury, Warszawa, p. 25.

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23. Szczepańska, J. (2011), ‘Demokracja Przez Projekt? – Wykorzystanie Teorii Space Syntax Do Zrozumienia Współobecności różnych użytkowników w przestrzeni publicznej’.

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Masters in architecture by conversion

2018/19

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Masters in architecture by conversion

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