Passage : territorial reciprocity in the design of access

Abstract

This thesis investigates how forms and their territories are used to affect the quality of passage. Form, motion, and sequences relate the passages which affect our perception of the environment. The thesis is a journey through many passages in order to capture or mark the quality of the spatial experience through observation and design. Forms and their control of territories, and the observer and his associations to those territories are examined to develop a context for the study of passage as a reciprocal exchange between space and form. Motion in passage is explored as a means to relate the parts to the whole in the organization of place. Observations of built examples serve as references which reflect the variations and continuities of passage. Three typologies of passage are depicted: room-to-room, corridor, and field. Each provides the opportunity to investigate the transformation of the forms. The observations are used to stimulate the design and planning for a site in Warrenton, Virginia . The first focus will be the passages that tie the site together, incorporating a variety of public and private functions. The second focus will be at the building size where the design will be directed to passages within a library/museum.