Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Abstract
This paper is focused on studying the role of physical educational space in
architectural teaching and learning behaviours and activities beyond formal
classroom schedules. It seeks to understand how the architecture school
buildings in Portugal, although typologically very distinct, answer similar
functions and how their layout and configurative space properties promote
and enhance a social and informational interface that is essential to learning
activities. Through the case studies, it is argued that space configuration
stands as a pedagogical device, which includes a set of rules for the
regulation of pedagogical interactions and communications between students
revealing hierarchies of social groups.
With this in mind, three case studies were chosen for this research, mainly
because they have a similar pedagogical curriculum based on the enduring
influence of Oporto school of architecture: the Faculty of Architecture of Porto
University (FAUPorto) designed by lvaro Siza; the Department of
Architecture at School of Arts in the Faculty of Sciences and Technologies of
Coimbra University (DAUCoimbra); and the School of Architecture in Minho
University (SAUMinho), designed by Tvora.
Initially the paper presents the case studies and analyses the relationships
between their spatial layout and patterns of space usage and appropriation.
Additionally, due to the specificity of the educational context, the study makes
reference to Basil Bernsteins pedagogical theory (1973), focused in patterns
of knowledge transmission and acquisition (Peatross, Peponis, 1984). The
1
collected data informs on how students, teachers and others use academic
spaces for socialisation and non-formal learning activities. The conclusions
are based on correlations analysis between axial and visual integration with
the collected data. The results suggest that spatial layout and distribution of
these school buildings moderate patterns of movement, use and the
potentials for encounters and subsequently interactions between them.
The study concludes that spatial configuration is a significant factor for the
occurrence of both formal and incidental interactions among students,
identifying a significant cluster of spaces with better correlation between
higher integration values and higher occupancy and interaction rate between
students: common spaces located along the major hallways. We recognize on
these clusters a hidden pedagogy that establishes a new frame of learning
spaces, reordering the hierarchy of the active learning spaces system and
therefore instituting specific Learning Space Codes in Architectural Schools
based on Sizas pedagogical influence.
Keywords:
Social
Logic
of
Space,
Co-Presence
Patterns,
1.
Introduction
of
knowledge
transition
(Bernstein,
1973),
where
as simple passages or
Faculty
of
Sciences
and
Technologies
of
Coimbra
University
2.
Architectonic Programme
Following the introduction on the three case studies, the paper examines the
interior space layout of FAUPorto, DAUCoimbra and SAUMinho, using the
following methods:
1. Distribution of functions in the building using justified-graphs (software:
yEd Graph Editor3.14);
2. Spatial analysis of the layout using VGA analysis, convex analysis and
axial analysis (software: UCL DepthmapX 0.30);
3. Data collection obtained through snapshot observation (Al-Sayed et
al., 2014, pp.41) of different types of occupation, movement flows
within a sample of spaces (10% most integrated, 10% median
integrated, 10% most segregated) from the common space system of
the buildings (atriums, corridors, galleries, gathering spaces). Each
space, was observed for 5 or 3.5 minutes on 6 different intervals,
during 5 week days, corresponding to a total of 30 observations per
space;
4. Statistical analyses of spatial variables with use.
The three schools of architecture in study (FAUPorto, DAUCoimbra and
SAUMinho) have very distinct characteristics at the morphologic level:
FAUPorto defines itself as a fragmented set of different volumes, united by
interior common areas and public outdoor spaces. DAUCoimbra building is
like a unique volume that surrounds an interior square patio, which acts as the
core of the spatial system; SAUMinho adopts a linear spatial model, defined
by a floor-plan built by two axis that make an L shape (with the spaces that
are distributed along a path that defines itself as a street, gives the systematic
distribution to all subsequent internal spaces that are intersected with it).
Equally, the three case studies constitute a ternary collection with very distinct
timelines: Coimbras building has a long and influent history that alternates
along the time as a school building and an hospital, from the sixteenth century
until today; FAUPorto was built from the necessity to transfer the architectural
studies from the Beaux Arts School in Oporto to a new building, that was
constructed within two distinct phases (1986,1996); SAUMinho is the most
recent, built in 2000.
6
Figure 1: Global perspectives and layouts plans of the three case studies: a)
DAUCoimbra; b) FAUPorto; c) SAUMinho.
DAUCoimbras history arises from 1568 to the present day. The original
building had a classic school typology, as a Jesuit high school building with a
square plan organised around a cloister. Due to its various occupations over
time (alternating between school, hospital, and museum), the building lost its
original architectural physiognomy. In our days the architecture school
occupies the first floor.
Designed by the architect Siza Vieira, FAUPorto was built in two distinct
phases. Carlos Ramos Pavilion, 1986, has a U shaped form, characterised by
a high exterior opacity contrasting with its internal glass facade turned to the
internal trapezoidal courtyard, and it is also identified by the ample and
continuous interior space, like a big artistic studio. The second phase of the
project corresponds to large facilities amplification with the construction of
new buildings. The program for these new set of buildings is distributed over
two main areas, which organise themselves around a triangular piazza. One
of the areas is more compact and is mainly occupied by supportive spaces
(administration,
cafeteria,
library,
storage,
dressing
rooms),
some
classrooms and the auditorium. The other area is established by four towers
where most of the internal productive spaces (classrooms and teachers
offices) are located, standing as a spatial model based on individual and
closed ateliers.
SAUMinho (2000) was designed by the architects F. Tvora and B. Tvora,
with the purpose to materialise an idiosyncratic way for the teaching of
architecture. The building has been planned as an L shaped linear
composition, emphasising the idea of learning streets (Hertzberger, 2008),
and giving the systematic distribution to subsequent internal spaces: living
spaces,
auditoriums,
library,
offices,
laboratories,
classrooms
and
administrative areas.
Although these three schools present different morphological layouts, the
curricula is similar in all of them, since DAUCoimbra and ESAUMinho can be
considered institutional offsprings of FAUPorto and identical users /graduate
students of architecture. Therefore, the main question is whether or not, these
spaces present analogous use of space or show different patterns on the
relationship between space and use.
3.
PRODUCTIVE
SPACES
NON PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES n
(take place in library)
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES n
PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
SUPPORTIVE
SPACES
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES
NON PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
The analysis of the three case studies begins with the study on how the space
layout is hierarchized by functions, using the above classification (Krger,
1992) and j-graphs. Plans and graphs are coloured according to the
programmatic classification (table1): spaces that host programmed activities
(teaching, investigation and administration) and non-programmed activities,
as well as internal production spaces that host primary activities and the
supportive spaces:
10
11
library),
side
by
side
with
the
supportive
12
spaces
13
It
4.
Architecture
This section focuses on the spatial analysis of the layout using VGA analysis,
convex analysis and axial analysis, related to patterns of occupation and
movement in the three schools, observing the activities and flows in the space
through snapshot observation and gate counts method, within a sample of
spaces (10% most integrated, 10% median integrated, 10% most segregated)
from common spaces of the buildings (atriums, corridors, galleries, gathering
spaces). The following static activities were identified: 1) formal learning
activities: studying and working; 2) informal learning activities: sketching,
reading, group discussion; 3) socialisation activities; 4) others: relaxing,
eating, talking on the phone, using the ATM;
15
16
Although these three examples are, apparently, very different in terms of their
building morphology, they all respond to the similar function: hosting schools
of architecture with similar academic inbreeding. Paradoxically, from this
evidence, we hypothesise that there are hidden spatial features that bring
these three buildings together converging towards the idea of schoolness.
The axial maps for these three schools of architecture were built as the least
number of the longest axial lines covering all convex spaces (fewest line
maps from Depthmap). For the analysis of axial maps we adopted the usual
colour scheme of integration (from red, orange and yellow to represent the
spaces of higher integration values and green, blue to cyan for the smaller
integration values).
17
On the DAUCoimbra convex and axial map it is possible to identify the core
as a continuous set of lines, assuming the shape of a ring around the central
courtyard, clustered in that area corresponding to a singular organisation
rising from the core to peripheral spaces through a radial structure, from the
highest integrated spaces to the moderately integrated spaces in the system.
In other words, the space configuration is structured radially from an
organisational centre (the core), which is mainly formed by cloister galleries
and contiguous spaces, to the most peripheral spaces corresponding to the
classrooms. The most segregated areas are the supportive spaces for
secondary activities like kitchens, storerooms, toilets and administrative
spaces.
Analysing the FAUPorto convex and axial map, it is possible to point out a set
of highly integrated lines on the main and first floor, which correspond to the
main corridors and atriums. However, the integration values decrease as the
spaces move away from this main system. This becomes clearer with the
increase of height in the southern towers, which shows pronounced
integration decay. In fact, the areas in the same floor but in different volumes
(north and south) have a notable distinct difference of integration values, like
the library and surrounding areas in the 3rd floor of northern volume and the
other spaces in the towers floors. The core is fragmented and is spread over
several floors. It includes atriums and galleries, located in the main floor and
north volume. The gallery and atrium in the main floor correspond to the most
integrated spaces, making the connection between the southern and northern
buildings. The gallery serves directly the majority of the teachers offices,
providing also individual lockers for students, accentuating the possibilities of
co-presence interactions in a typical circulation space.
The global integration axial map from SAUMinho reveals the further integrated
areas as equivalent to the main circulation system, with L-shaped axis from
which all the areas are organised in three floors. We can see that the core
comes down to the central corridor, adjacent to every other spaces and
covering the entire buildings length. Practically the totality of classroom
spaces are moderately integrated. The lower integration spaces correspond to
the supportive spaces for secondary programed activities. This hierarchy
suggests a strong division of the functional programme into the social, the
18
academic and the staff areas, unlike what happens in FAUPorto. This fact
doesnt mean a separation of social categories of people, since the L axis
suggests a higher probability of accidental encounters.
It should be noticed that the libraries of these schools correspond to
moderately low or low integrated spaces in the systems, enhancing the
segregation of those spaces as a sense of concentration and intimacy in
relation to the all system. However, in a level of local integration, this pattern
changes significantly, the libraries spaces appear better integrated with
respect to radius 3.
The analysis of global integration, in the three case studies, reveals a set of
highly integrated lines corresponding to the main public spaces, defining its
dominant importance as visual and movement axis. Note that, in the three
buildings, as we move away from this main system, the values of global
integration decrease, reinforcing the importance of those structuring spaces
as productive spaces for primary non programmed activities.
We can observe in DAUCoimbra that spatial structure has a strong potential
to generate new relations between inhabitants and visitors, with a central
square for synchronisation of relations between inhabitants and visitors. This
idea is weaker in SAUMinho, nevertheless it relies on an L shaped axis, which
extends across the building. In FAUPorto we realize that the spatial structure
exists to preserve the programmed social interaction, decreasing the chances
of its users meeting in only one place ground floor atrium and main gallery,
distributing users by a set of spaces pulverised through all the buildings.
At the same time, the analysis of local measures shows evidence that all the
three spatial systems are dominated by the main spaces already identified
before. The dependence of the system relatively to these spaces is evident,
but in DAUCoimbra we can identify a hegemonic space. All this means that,
due to its spatial organisation arrangement, DAUCoimbra presents a higher
potential for the meeting of users, which is not so strong in SAUMinho, and
even weaker in FAUPorto. In DAUCoimbra we can witness a synchroniser
interface for the relations between inhabitants and visitors, that lays in the
central courtyard which is a visually continuous space limited by the core of
the spatial system.
19
a)
b)
c)
Figure 8: Intelligibility scatter plots: a) DAUCoimbra; b) SAUMinho; c) FAUPorto.
The intelligibility study shows some new interesting aspects on the layout
structure of each building. A previous study on DAUCoimbra building over the
time revealed a reduction of the intelligibility values, due to the morphological
adaptation from a school to an hospital. Furthermore, it was noteworthy that
when school function was reinstated in the building with new alterations in
order to restore the identity of the morphology building, the intelligibility values
increased again.
The scatter plots of Intelligibility shows that DAUCoimbra (0.765023601) has
the highest inteligibility values, while SAUMinho (0.59252639) and FAUPorto
(0.452526396) has an inteligiblility relatively low, with weak correlation
between global and local values.
20
FAUPorto
SAUMinho
Inhabitants Teachers
Faculty staff
4,52%
5,74%
3,73%
1,51%
4,38%
0,50%
Visitors
Students
87,57%
88,16%
93,28%
Strangers
Strangers
6,40%
1,72%
2,49%
Static
35,97%
25,93%
28,11%
Movement
64,03%
74,07%
71,89%
Standing
10,73%
10,27%
15,80%
Sitting
Undefined (ex: in
case of movement)
18,36%
10,09%
12,31%
70,90%
79,63%
71,89%
4,90%
0,15%
12,44%
Portable furniture
10,26%
9,09%
1,49%
Fixed furniture
84,84%
0,83%
86,07%
Eating
8,47%
4,91%
1,87%
6,21%
1,51%
0.87%
9.32%
8,91%
6.97%
11,49%
5,95%
2,24%
20.81%
4,00%
16.17%
64,50%
74,57%
71.89%
Position
Static
Position
Sitting
Position
Use
Other
Meeting /
Socialisation
21
integration r3; 3rd line - relation to visual integration; 4th line - relation to visual
connectivity.
22
The analysis of scatter plots shows statistical correlations between usage and
syntactic measures revealing that in DAUCoimbra interaction takes place
practically in all common areas where movement follows a pattern: most of
the movement is registered in the main galleries (corresponding to the most
integrated circulation areas); static people and movement are positivity related
with integration (local, global and visual) and also to connectivity. Its stands
that visual measures are weaker linked to uses than the convex or axial
measures. This can be explained by the high intelligibility of the all system. In
fact, DAUCoimbra has a nuclear space, the cloister and the surrounding
galleries that synchronise most of static uses and movements within the
system of common spaces and this is traduced, in the scatter plots, by
maximum outliners points with higher values. We could say that encounters
23
24
5.
25
PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES n
(take place in classrooms,
auditoriums, teachers offices,
research spaces)
PRODUCTIVE
SPACES
NON PROGRAMMED
ACTIVITIES
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES n
(take place in library)
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES n
(take place in group gathering
and meeting spaces, atriums,
corridors, cafeteria)
PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES n
(take place in administration,
informatics supportive services,
operator, security, bookstore
and stationary design spaces)
NON PROGRAMMED
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES n
(take place in stairs, lifts and
ramps, toilets, storage spaces,
dressing rooms)
SUPPORTIVE
SPACES
ACTIVITIES
In that sense, we may say that space, in these architecture schools, stands as
a pedagogical device, like a distinct invisible pedagogy (Bernstein,1973)
relying also on productive spaces for non-programmed activities as active
learning spaces.
This work showed three distinct space organizations, responding to similar
educational systems, which have different performance in usage. Similar
teaching models turns out to subsist in different spatial systems, leading to the
conclusion, in these cases, that the curricula is invariant to space.
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