Space articulation and territoriality On the other hand, articulation avoids ambiguity.
It simultaneously makes
In Architecture
Articulation
Articulation in speech means speaking clearly in order to be understood and
convey meaning. In architecture, articulation means to delineate spaces so different
functions are clear and architecture is meaningful.
Articulation refers to the manner in which the surfaces of a form come
together to define its shape and volume. An articulated form clearly reveals the
precise nature of its parts and their relationships to each other and to the whole. Its
surfaces appear as discrete planes with distinct shapes and their overall configuration
is legible and easily perceive. In a similar manner, an articulated group of forms
accentuates the joints between the constituent parts in order to visually express their
individuality.
When a space lacks articulation, it can be
uncomfortable or even chaotic. When one space blends
indiscriminately into another, when you don’t know
where one function ends and another begins, the plan
lacks articulation. Even the furniture can look out of
place when there are no architectural clues to guide
us in the use of space. Notice how, in the
illustration below, one area sloshes into another.
You don’t know where the living area stops and the
dining area starts. The foyer falls gracelessly into a
corner without much thought. The entire space is
unarticulated
spaces more interesting and more functional. Architectural
elements can establish articulation without making a plan
confining. Columns or piers between living and dining areas,
for example, can preserve openness while subtly defining
functions. Overhead ledges, level changes,
a jog in the plan, columns or arcades are a few of the
many features that can be used to articulate space.
The illustration below shows the same areas as
above with exactly the same square footage.
Now the space is alive with meaning while still
flowing effortlessly, one function to another. It is
articulated.
Think of architectural elements
– columns, piers, arches, ledges, level changes -- like punctuation
marks between words. Just as commas, periods, and exclamation
points help articulate the meaning of written words, architectural
features can articulate the functions of spaces and make them
more meaningful.
Even traditional-appearing spaces can be quite modern in
spatial planning. When areas flow without doors or walls that is a
modern concept. Details may be old- world, but if the plan is open it
is a modern space. How well it looks and functions is often a matter
of how skilfully areas within that space are articulated.