-

4
Organization
"... Agood house Is asingle thing, as well as acollection of many, and
to make it re~ulres aconceptual leap from the Individual components
to avision of the whole. The choices ... represent ways of assembling
the parts.
. . . the 1:,asic parts of a house can be put together to make more than
just basic parts: They can also make space, pattern, and outside
domains. They dramatize the most elemental)' act which architecture
has to perform. To make one plus one equal more than two, you must in
doing any one thing you think important (making rooms, putting them
together, or fitting them to the land) do something else that you think
important as well (make spaces to live, establish ameaningful pattern
inside, or claim other realms outside)."

Charles Moore, Gerald Allen, Donlyn Lyndon

The Place ofHouses
1974

183
ORGANIZATION OF FORM AND SPAC:.:.E_ _ _ _ _ _
__ ________
__
I
field or
manipulated to define asolitary
us configurations of form could be
The last chapter laid out how vario the visual qualities of the defined space.
erns of solids and voids affected
volume of space. and how their patt composed of a number of spac es which
buildings. however. con sist of asolitary space. They are normally y and
Few nt. This chapter lays out for stud
tion, proximity. or apath of moveme
are related to one another '7ji func nized lnt;o coherent
s the spac es of a building can be related to one another and orga
discussion the basic way
patterns of form and space.

•' .•
-- ~ _Ll •
~-::= ,·,·'.rf··
,••L S '\

~ ~
~
~~

~ ---~ -::; " -

\
'~ e. ._ .._ ~\

\~
-_.::: .

I ..
J

the Moorish kings.

Alhambra, Palace and Citadel of
Granada. Spain. 1248-1354

CE, & ORDER

J84 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPA
 I

SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Two spaces may be related weach other In several fundamental ways.

♦
Space within a Space
Aspace may be contained within the volume
of a larger space.

Interlocking Spaces
The field of aspace may overlap the volume of
another space.

...,.
;j
.,..,.
_,
1!
,,
.,,
,,,
,:..
;,;

Adjacent Spaces t:
Two spaces may abut each other or share a
common border.

Spaces linked by a Common Space

Two spaces may rely on an intermediary
space for their relationship.

ORGANIZATION / 185
 ◄

SPACE WITHIN A SPACE

Alarge space can envelop and contain asmaller 5?a~

within its volume. Visual and spatial contmulty [Link]
the two spaces can !Je easily [Link]. but
the smaller. contained space depends on the larger,
enveloping space for its relationship to the exterior
environment.

In this type of spatial relationship. the larger. envelo1

~ space serves as athree-dimensional field for the sm,

~ space contained wrthm it For this concept to be per

ceived, aclear differentiation In size ls neussary bet
the two space~. If the con tamed space were to mere,
In size. the larger space would begin to lose tts impac
an enveloping form If the contained space continued
grow. the residual space around It would become too
pressed to serve as an enveloping space. It would 17ec
instead merely athm layer or skin around the contair
space. The original notion would be destroyed.

To endow itself with a higher attention-value. the

contained space may share the form of the envelopm~
shape. but be orientt<l In adifferent manner. This wou
create a secondary grid and aset of dynamic. resttlua
spaces within the larger space

.
..
I

- The umtalnea space may also differ mform from the

... .:
-- ----! □----~---· enveloping space In order to strengthen its image as,
I •

___ ,,,. ····r-·· · .. freestanding volume. This contrast In form may lndtc,
I

. •

a functional dlfference between the two spaces or tht

•
symbolic importance of the contained space

186 / lRCHITHTURE. FORM, SPACE, & ORDER

I
 Moore
Moore House, Orinda, Califomla. 1961. Ch arles
rr.r ;r :

r- --- -,

l
·-.---- -,__ __
• • iI !
1
- --
- ....... 1---

[*---: -::s::~
;,-;--_;;--;_
t /_, ., . ,,,;--
/ 1
1 ' I

. /g~ □~ I
~ ~ -~
I •
'
□

---_1
~
•
»: ~
~J,-
□ D
/ /I

t J j .~t .. L_
ss House, New Canaan. Connecticut. 1949, Philip Johnson
J~ ,~~ --- --~ ;faGlass
L_, j~~ ~g

ORGANIZATION I 18l
INTERLOCKING SPACES
---- I
An interlocking spatial relationship results from the
overlapping of two spatial fields and the emergence of
azone of shared space. When two spaces interlock
their volumes in this manner, each retains its
Identity and definition as aspace. But the resulting
I/
I\... ./
' configuration of the two interlocking spaces is subject
to anumber of Interpretations.

The interlocking portion of the two volumes can

~.• be shared equally by each space.
I•: .•.
.. '• ,·•

The interlocking portion can merge with one of the

spaces and become an in~ral part of its volume.

The interlocking portion can develop its own integrity

as aspace that serves to link the two original spaces.

188 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPACE, & ORD ER

 INTERLOCKING SPACES

•-- !
~
.
1
1, t 1

Pilgrimage Church, Vierzehnheiligen, Villa at Carthage, Tunisia, 1928. Le Corbusier

Plan for St. Peter (Second Version), Rome, 1506-1520,
Donato Bramante &Baldassare Peruzzi Germany, 1744-72, Balthasar Neumann

.,

lI

Lt-------
The one-story space flows into the larger V(llume of
JL----- --- -- which it is apart and to the outdoors.

ORGANIZATION / 189
~AD~J~AC~E!NT~S~P~A~CE!S_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ /

Adjacency is the most common type of spatial relat·IOn-

Ship. It allows each space to be clearly defined and to
respond, each in its own way, to specific functional or
symbolic requirements. The degree of visual and spatial
continuity that occurs between two adjacent spaces
depends on the nature of the plane that both separates
and binds them together.

The separating plane may:

'
• limit visual and physical access between two adjacent
spaces, reinforce the individuality of each space, and
accommodate their differences.

• appear as afreestanding plane in a single volume

of space.

)~ r·
'\ be defined with a row of columns that allows a high
0

~- ···-·-··>
'·~1~ ·, degree of visual and spatial continuity between the r.,wo
spaces.

I
0

~~ - · - · ..... _,.;►

0
I " ./
---~

• be merely implied with achange in level or acontrast in

surface material or texture between the two spaces.

1□:
This and the preceding two cases can also be read
as single volumes of space which are divided into two
related zones.

190 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPACE, & ORDER

 ADJACENT SPACES

r- ····,........... --..... -----------··········-·····

I

r
I
I

i
.............

Pavilion Design, 17th ce11tury, Fischer von Erlach

l
I /
Upper Level ~--·--···- ...... .

The spaces in these two buildings are individualistic in size,

shape, and form. The walls that enclose them adapt their forms
to accommodate the differences between adjacent spaces.
'........ ~-:::::.:=~~~

i •. .
I.

,,I
' ........... ..
'"'\~• , , ,.

---·
i;;:::::--,
,::::=-:d

Main Level r==-1

Three spaces-the living, fireplace, and dining areas-are defined by
changes in floor level, ceiling height, and quality of light and view, rather
than by wall planes.

Lower Level

Chiswick House, Chiswick, England, 1729, Lord Burlington &William Kent Lawrence House, Sea Ranch, California, 1966, Moore-Tum!?ull/MLW/

ORGANIZATION/ 191
 ---~~~-----.~ILi
~ LINKED BY A COMMON SPACE
Two spaces that are separated by distance can be linked
or related to each other by athird, intermediate, space.
/ The visual and spatial relationship between the two spaces
·'-. depends on the nature of the third space with which they
share acommon bond.

The intermediate space can differ in form and orientation

from the two spaces to express its linking function.

The two spaces, as well as the intermediate space, can

be equivalent in size and shape and form alinear sequence
of spaces.

The intermediate space can itself become linear in form to

link two spaces that are distant from each other, or join a
whole series of spaces that have no direct relationship to
one another.

The intermediate space can, if large enough, become

the dominant space in the relationship, and be capable of
organizing anumber of spaces about itself.

The form of the intermediate space can be residual

in nature and be determined solely by the forms and
orientations of the two spaces being linkea.

192 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPACE, & ORDER

 SPACES lfNKED BY A COMMON SPACE

Palazzo Piccolomini, Pienza, Italy, c. 1460,

Bernardo Rosselino

·-··· . -· .. ·-- ·-:

~--·· .....•·

j
'I
Caplin House, Venice, California, 1979, Frederick
Fisher
II

t /·
lj
_!;_J
; --- -
One-half House (Project), 1966, John Hejduk

-----

ORGANIZATION / 193
SPATIAL ORGANIZATIONS

·-· -- - - - - - - - - - , Compositions of Nine S'luares:

A Bauhaus Study

••·~
-------
■ ■■f I
·- -- ------ J

I
m. BJ
... Ii
I a II lll_j
The following section lays out the basic ways we can arrange and organize the The manner in which these spaces are arranged can clarify their relative
spaces of a building. In a typical building program, there are usually requirements importance and functional or symbolic role in the organization of abuilding.
for various kinds of spaces. There may be requirements for spaces that: The decision as to what type of organization to use in a specific situation
will depend on:
• have specific functions or require specific forms
• are flexible in use and can be freely manipulated • demands of the building program. such as functional proximities.
• are singular and unique in their function or significance to the dimensional requirements. hierarchical classification of spaces. and
building organization requirements for access. light. or view
• have similar functions and can be grouped into a functional cluster • exterior conditions of the site that might limit the organization's fonn
or repeated in a linear sequence or growth, or that might encourage the organization to address cert..1in
• require exterior exposure for light, ventilation, outlook, or access features of its site and turn away from others
to outdoor spaces
• must be segregated for privacy
• must be easily accessible

194 / ARCHITECTURE: FORM, SPACE, & ORDER