The Transitional role of open space in architecture

Abstract

The experience of space is a common and vital human need, similar to food, sleep, and clothing. Man as a species with inherent emotional needs experiences space with the aim of satisfying the objectives or needs for which space is supposed to be used. For achieving such aims particular spatial behaviours are needed by particular situations . • Therefore special experiences should be defined and conditioned, to generate appropriate behaviour patterns in a given place. With regard to the experience of a building, these spatial experiences usually form a sequence, in which each experience is conditioned by the successive experiences of past and probable future experiences. Sudden change of experience from one condition to another causes physical and psychological separation, often resulting in stressful and inappropriate behavioural patterns in man. In relation to building, front garden spaces created as in between spaces might avoid such behavioural changes, by conditioning the spatial experience of people. Either providing physically occupied spatial transitional spaces or allowing vision from one space to another as usual transitional space, such intermediate space might perform its role in conditioning the behaviours of people. Motivation is the basic psychological need that should be satisfied by a transitional space for such a conditioning of behaviour. Motivation accomplishes its role by sustenance of different patterns of emotions and actions. In architecture, intermediate approach space allows people to gradually achieve the ultimate objective of the building. This may be referred to as "threshold space", and in Sri Lankan culture it has special meaning. Natural spaces are man's basic desirable experience and characteristically they provide inspiration, comfort and relaxation. Due to reciprocal relationship with a building, and also due to its infinite motivational attributes, threshold spaces of buildings can be used to achieve this end. Either in a form of a natural space or a combined natural and built space, these garden spaces can be made to fulfil this task. They take two forms namely, spatial transitional spaces of "rooms" and also visual transitional spaces of "panoramas" and "vistas". These types of out door spaces thus can be formed to satisfy different transitional needs, by generating transitional behaviours. Thus in relation to architectural experience, properly designed threshold spaces condition the behaviours of people and lead them gradually, to achieve the ultimate objective of the building and to make architectural experiences more efficient and successful. Landscaped front garden threshold outdoor spaces in and around buildings always forms a reciprocal relation with each other. Therefore landscapes of out door spaces perform an important role in making architectural experiences more efficient and successful.