Chapter Five: Circulation

Building Approach

 

The building approach is the way in which you are led up to a building’s exterior. The approach can be frontal, oblique, and spiral. With frontal approach, you are led directly to the front of a building along a straight path. With oblique approach, the path has multiple ways of getting to the entrance of the building. Spiral approach shows off the building in the round by the path circling the building. 

 

 

Resource: confessionsofadesigngeek.com

 

In the top image you can see an example of a frontal building approach. In the final images you can see the oblique approach to the building though the multiple pathways that lead into the one frontal entrance.  

Building Entrance

The entrance is the space defining the boarder of the exterior from the interior of the building.  

 

 

resources: buildingdata.energy.gov

 

In these images you can see the entrance to the building is defined by the door. This separates the exterior entrance of the building from the interior.

 

 

Configuration of the Path

A configuration of the path is the sequence of spaces a user is taken through in order to reach their destination. This path can be linear, radial, spiral, grid, network, or a composite of these configurations.

resource: thegreatamericangrid.com

 

The first example image shows a linear path. Though it is segmented, it still keeps to a straight path. The second example image shows the gridded pathways that organized the city of Pennsylvania. The intersecting horizontal and vertical lines help to create rectangular fields of space.

 

Path-Space Relationships

Spaces are linked by paths passing by spaces, passing through spaces, and paths terminating in a space.

 

resource: en.wikiarquitectura.com

 

In these floor plans of architect Ronnie Tallon's home, you can see the path passing through the different spaces of the home outlined with the arrow. The spaces are all linked together as the pathways slices through each area.

 

Form of the Circulation Space

A circulation space is the pathways of movement within a building. Its form varies depending on it boundaries, scale, entrances, and changes in level. These space can also be either enclosed, open on one side, or open on both sides.

resource: design-simply.com

resource: en.wikipedia.org

 

In the top image you can see an example of an enclosed form of circulation of space while in the bottom picture you can see a circulation of space that is open on both sides.