Sunday, July 10, 2011

On Openings

Studio 711
In contemporary architectural design there is typically much attention given to the exterior massing of a buildings and this is a fundamental aspect of a building's experience.  But if one considers the inner life of a building, one realizes that the openings in a wall are frequently the most legible physical feature of the building itself and as I have continued to practice architecture, the significance of openings has become more pronounced.  Walls may be hung with art and obscured by furniture.  Floors way have similar occlusions.  Ceilings tend to be above the natural human field of view. But the opening, be it a window or a door, is implicitly a right of way for people, light, fresh air etc.  This attribute preserves an openings' visual clarity and as such, openings are deserving of esthetic attention.  By dint of their role, they will rarely be obscured by the "life" of the building.

Studio 711 Garage Door at Office

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