6989 REFLECTIONS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROCESS

Genius Loci and Activity Guidance

Name: Xuan Lu

Registration Number: 120185377

Course: MAAD

Tutor: Carolyn Butterworth, Nishat Awan

09/04/2013

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Outline

i. Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------------------(3)

ii. Genius Loci: Concept and Significance------------------------------------------- (3)

iii. Influencing Factors-------------------------------------------------------------------(5)

a. Permeability ------------------------------------------------------------------(5)

b. Robustness --------------------------------------------------------------------(6)

c. Legibility----------------------------------------------------------------------(7)

iv. Conclusion : Application in Architectural Design--------------------------------(7)

a. Timeliness-------------------------------------------------------------------------(7)

b. Interface and Entrance-----------------------------------------------------------(7)

c. Spatial Experience---------------------------------------------------------------(8)

v. References ----------------------------------------------------------------------------(8)

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Genius Loci and Activity Guidance

“Environment influences human beings, and this implies that the purpose of

architecture transcends the definition given by early functionalism.”

——Christian Norberg-Schulz

i. INTRODUCTION

In the past few months, I experienced the cultural difference as well as the difference in

architectural design process between China and UK. One of the most significant differences is

that most Chinese architects usually do not pay too much attention to the future users, to the

contrary our studio in Sheffield school of architecture almost spent all the first semester in

research, the future users and their activities are always the research objects. The difference

caused by many reasons: in most cases a limited design period is allowed in China, architects are

forced to take general situation as reference in order to save the time which needed in research

process. Another cause of the situation is the relationship between supply and demand in

construction industry in China, the construction speed is not as fast as the rapid developing

market demand. However in the future, with a more mature construction market going to be

built, the future users will be placed in a much more important position.

Research Question

When focusing on the buildings’ users, architects are not only building designers but also lifestyle

makers. Architects will definitely imitate the activities which may happen in the building in their

design process. However the future users may do not follow what been designed by designers.

Then how can architects’ efforts really work in changing people’s life and leading activities

happen in the built environment? This essay is going to focus on the making of “spirit of space” in

guiding people’s activities, as making an appropriate space for a certain potential activity is the

best an architect can do.

ii. GENIUS LOCI: CONCEPT AND SIGNIFICANCE

Concept

The phrase “Genius Loci” comes from the Roman mythology as a protective spirit of a space, it

refers to the particular atmosphere a place owned in contemporary usage, which means a “spirit

of place”. In modern architecture the concept has been discussed but underestimated. (Arturo

Vittori, 2006.) In Christian Norberg-Schulz’s book Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of

Architecture, which is the sequel to his theoretical works Intentions in Architecture (1963) and

Existence, Space and Architecture (1971), he stated that “Architecture means to visualize the

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genius loci, and the task of the architect is to create

meaningful places, whereby he helps man to dwell”.

Figure 1.1

Picture from Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture

Satisfactory Place

The spirit of space should be created other than pure physical space, as it will be more likely for

the built environment to be a meaningful and satisfactory place. “A place is a space which has a

distinct character.” (Christian Norberg-Schulz, 1980) then what kind of characters should a

satisfactory or successful place has?

There are 7 qualities that successful spaces—both inside and outside—tend to have in common:

(CABE, 2003.)

1. Identity

Sense of history and place: A place that in response to and enhances locally distinctive patterns

of the landscape and development.

2. Enclosure and continuity

Clarity of form: A place with clearly distinguished public and private space.

3. Quality of the public realm

Sense of amenity and wellbeing: A place

with lively and pleasant public spaces and

routes.

4. Ease of movement

Permeability and connectivity：A place that

is convenient to reach and move through.

5. Legibility

Ease of distinction: A place with a clear

image and is easy to be distinguished.

6. Flexibility

Ease of adaption: A place that can be easily

changed.

7. Diversity

Ease of choice: A place that has variety and

mixed functions.

Figure 1.2 Picture from The Councilor’s Guide to Urban Design

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Significance

It is obviously that almost all the characters referred above a successful place should has are not

only about “space”, but also about “place”. The essential of the “Genius Loci” theory is to

understand the cultural connotation and human natural characteristics of the entity space. Space

is always created by material substances for certain purpose and limitation, only when it been

given with locally and cultural contextual significance can a space become a place.（Roger Trancik,

1986.）What architects should do is putting theory into practice, transforming site into place, for

this purpose the elements and characters of place should be figured out at first. A space is made

of following components:

a. The static physical setting: the physical entity designed by architects which can be captured

by sensory organ.

b. The activities: activity “take place” in a certain place also means the place be occupied by the

activity. What designer forecasts will happen in and around building may different from the

reality, what we can do is deeply understand the needs of users for the space, provide

appropriate space, even create better space experience than the imagination of users.

c. The meanings: Giambattista Vico, Italian political philosopher, rhetorician, historian, and

jurist thought that things captured outside the realm of sensory organ is the means of the

word “Intelligere” in Latin, which are non-sensory information obtained by people according

to individual’s environmental experience.

More attention will be paid to the static physical setting at most times, including texture, material,

colour, building form and massing. Nevertheless, Peter Buchanan presented in 1988 that urban

design is about place creation, place includes not only a clear space, but also all the activities and

events that creating the place. His statement works in architectural design as well. By this taken,

the design of activity is as important as the design of physical setting in creating of place, even

more significant in giving a building profound connotation which well worth paying attention to.

iii. INFLUENCING FACTORS

For the purpose of creating reasonable place and leading users’ activity effectively, the

influencing factors should be figured out.

a. Permeability

Only if the place is accessible can the place become a choice of the users’, for that

permeability——multiple routes can be chosen to arrive and pass through a space——is a

crucial factor of ensuring the vitality of a place. Almost all accessibilities rely on the route

between two sites, and all the available routs must be visible, or only people who are familiar

with that area may use those routes, as a result visibility is vital.

There are four elements which may affect the permeability: 1. The scale of streets; 2. Road

grade and the using of the end of road; 3. Isolation of automotive vehicle and walking; 4.

Isolation of public and private space.

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Figure 1.3

Picture from BY DESIGN | Urban

Design in the Planning System:

Towards Better Practice

b. Robustness

There are some relationships between robustness and permeability. Ian Bentley mentioned

in Responsive Environment: A manual for Designers, robustness is the character which

influences a place with multiple functions and diversification. The writer also considered that

a place which has the flexibility of adapting to a variable of functions may provide more

choices than a place with limited single function, those places provide with multiple choices

have the character called vitality. There are several approaches can be used in increasing

robustness:

1. Multiple Uses: Different functions lead to diverse physical forms both indoors and

outdoors, and give place with different meanings in various methods.

2. Economic: Multiple uses and more participation is more easier to be achieved with lower

cost.

3. Boundary: The area of a place can be defined by the boundary of a space, but the

accessibility may weaken by an excessive clear boundary. In dealing with the boundary,

activities can be designed alongside it and permeate to the neighbourhood, sight design

and facilities which can help adjusting microclimate should be elaborately arranged.

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4. Automotive vehicle and ambulatory activities: When the volume of traffic lower than

250/hour and most destinations are inside the area, the place of shared use can only be

achieved.

c. Legibility

The importance of legibility reflected in the architectural image and pattern of utilisation. In

order to maximizing the potential of a place, the exterior and usage pattern must relatively

complemented, it more important for new comers in helping them to understand the place.

Legibility of a place can be strengthened by enhancing the identifiability of the following

parts: road and node. The identifiability of a road or node depends on its section and

enclosure of its plane. Visual information and usage pattern can be provided by the facades

of the buildings around.

iv. CONCLUSION: APPLICATION IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

According to the comprehension of genius loci above, the theory can be applied in architectural

design process in many aspects. There are three parts need extra attention in leading people’s

activity:

a. Timeliness

A place will not stand still, as the physical setting —— building will change over time, the

activity happens there in the future may different from what happening now, new meanings

may be given by the future users and activities. As a result, timeliness is crucial in designing a

successful place, the past (the past experienced and familiar place), the present (a certain

place created according to users’ habit and expectation which understood by architects), the

future (architects are expected to predict the usage pattern, possible situation in the future

and make flexible design. All the above are depend on the past active mode and current

situation) should all be taken into consideration by designers. It similar with the outcome of

the theory of structural analysis of place by Team 101, the timeliness of past —— present

—— future is being emphasized.

b. Interface and Entrance1

The basic feature of urban is activity. People’s activities always happening in a pattern of

linear, the streets in a city as the most dynamic “organ” are undertaking extraordinary

important duty, just like the artery of a human, continuing delivering blood to the other parts

in order to keep energy of the city. Streets are also crucial public places. Jane Jacobs thought

that if streets in a city are full of interestingness, the city will be interesting as well, vice

versa.

Buildings as the vertical boundary of street are vital to the character of it. Even building is a

three-dimensional object, all the facades including the roof should be assembled organically

1 Team 10, just as often referred to as "Team X", was a group of architects and other invited participants who assembled

starting in July 1953 at the 9th Congress of C.I.A.M. and created a schism within CIAM by challenging its doctrinaire approach to

urbanism.

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and cannot exist alone, the façade facing street or square always draw more attention and

have much more importance in influencing the image of the street, should be carefully

treated. In the meantime the entrance of a building usually facing the open space like street

and square, is the tunnel connects outside and inside, the design of the entrance is vital to

the permeability and legibility of the whole building.

c. Spatial Experience

Character presents the peculiarity of object and order of space, gives a certain place

uniqueness.（John A. Jakle，1987）Every place is unique in presenting the features of

surrounded environment, which including physical materials like form, texture, colour and

ineffable cultural association created by past spatial experience.（Roger Trancik，1986）The

users’ past experience should be summarized and used in arousing cultural association and

sense of identity to the building, increasing the possibility of spontaneous activity by users.

v. REFERENCE

Arturo Vittori, 2006. Genius loci in the space age. Istanbul: 1st Infra-Free Life Symposium,

Retrieved March 31, 2013, from

http://findpdf.net/reader/Genius-Loci-in-the-SpaceAge-Architecture-and-Vision.html

CABE, 2003. The Councilor’s Guide to Urban Design.

Retrieved March 30, 2013, from

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118095356/http://www.cabe.org.uk/councillor

s/principles

Christopher Alexsander, 1977. Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York:

Oxford University Press.

Christian Norberg-Schulz，1980. Genius Loci: Towards a phenomenology of architecture. London:

Academy Editions.

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, 2000. BY DESIGN | Urban Design in

the Planning System: Towards Better Practice

Retrieved April 4, 2013, from

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118095356/http://www.cabe.org.uk/files/by-de

sign-urban-design-in-the-planning-system.pdf

Ian Bentley, 1992. Responsive Environment: A Manual for Designers. Oxford: Butterworth

Architecture.

John A. Jakle, 1987. The Visual Elements of Landscape. Amherst: University of Massachusetts

Press.

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Jane Jacobs, 1994. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Harmondsworth: Penguin in

association with Jonathan Cape.

Peter Buchanan，1988. Stirling in context. London: Architectural Press.

Roger Trancik, 1986. Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design. New York: Chichester.

The theory of spirit of space

Retrieved March 26, 2013, from http://wenku.baidu.com/view/8bd005160b4e767f5acfce98.html