11

In the last post I illustrate a winding path that was appropriate for a semi-public space. In post 8 and 9 I indicated that the layouts of a network of space can influence an individual's velocity.

Certain things can contribute to slowing the pace of individuals. The tighter the required turn the more one will be slowed. The more turns are required, the more an individual's pace will be slowed. The more constrained a threshold from one space to the next, the more an individual's pace will be slowed. Doorways, stairs and ramps will slow an individual's pace. Of course, points of interests, options, and activities will slow an individual's pace. The last point is more applicable to individuals open to being distracted.

Conversely, the more constraints, obstacles, turning or meandering, or distractions are removed from a space, the faster an individual will tend to move.

The English word corridor is derived from the Italian word corridore, or its infinitive verb root correre, meaning to run.

10

Deconstructing Flow: Assuming there are applicable guidelines to a comfortable turn, as indicated in post 9, as well as items in other posts, these guidelines can be combined to extract resulting human flows in a myriad of different conditions. Take the situation illustrated. Two identical adjacent rooms accommodating the semi-public velocity of an individual. If the individual's movement velocity is appropriately assumed, an individual will meander through these rooms very comfortably.

9

The required space to allow for a comfortable 90 degree turn by an individual depends a large part on the velocity of the individual. Reciprocally, the velocity of an individual is influenced by the spatial arrangements of spaces adjacent, and including, the space being analyzed. It is also influenced by the speed at which the individual feels they should move through the space.

To avoid some complexity, the internal motivations of individuals as well as local spatial arrangements can often be determined by the use of a space; such as in the case of an airport, where a speedy pace is commonplace, and accommodated for with the use of large open spatial arrangements that generally flow seamlessly together.

Also, a review of every type of use, and the associated velocity of an individual, may be avoided with three generalized rules of thumb as follows:

In the diagram, I show three turning radii, each representing a natural 90 degree turn in different contexts. Turning radius #1 represents intimate spaces; #2 represents semi-public spaces; #3 represents public spaces, such as an airport. Note the dimensions, which serve to provide some guidelines for actually generating the scale of a space.

These radii, and the corresponding purposes and dimensions I provide, are only guidelines to help simplify the understanding an individual’s velocity and the required space to accommodate their 90 degree turn.

8

People can occupy space by situating themselves in or on objects within a space (such as in a chair), or by situating themselves within the void of the space. When situated within the void of the space, such an occupation may be structured or unstructured. A structured occupation generally arises out of the managed use of a space; unstructured occupation may be a result of the spacial arrangement, but is not necessarily a direct result of the managed use of space. In this diagram a counter is again shown, but it also illustrates a positive example of how structured occupation should be considered in spatial planning.

When entering the space, the user will enter towards the counter. This is functional when the counter is an important stopping point (directing a path of travel towards a meaningful vantage point can be very useful, even if the vantage point isn't also the physical goal).

The left hand side of the counter is for developing one or more lines of people. This is a structured occupation of the space, as it is a result of managing individuals within the space. The projected length and width of the lines is represented by the larger dashed rectangle. The right hand side of the counter is task space. The task space would, of course, be only one individual deep. The task space might be used by people who have already waited in line, and now are filling out paperwork, for example. The smaller dashed rectangle represents the area consumed by people using the task portion of the counter.

The flow diagram shows the path of individuals who bypass the counter and move through to the next space. This layout would be practical in a situation, say, where there is a mix of people who will either stop at the counter, or who will simply proceed through the room; especially where the use of the counter may be particularly important for some individuals.

The arrangement accounts for both the intended managed uses of the space and also for the flow of people passing through the space, and actually, the flow depicted is encouraged, or guided, as a result of the structured occupation (at the lines and the task counter).

7

In this diagram, a room with an L-shaped counter is illustrated. The entrance and exit mirror each other and their right-hand jambs align with the outermost edge of the counter. This may appear to be a logical architectural alignment, but if the goal is to allow a person to walk from the exit to the entrance in a straight line, then it is impractical. It must be considered that people will stand on the left-hand side of the counter, if the counter is to be useful.

6

Objects in space:

Although my observations of human movement through space at this point are anecdotal, I believe that the essence of the diagrams is accurate. Studies tracing the footsteps of numerous individuals over a period of time would be required to accurately map movement through space. After that, it may be possible that mathematics and computer models may be applied to provide a tool for analyzing designs.

Computer models can be very helpful; however, producing drawings and diagrams manually based on approximations of movement, as part of the design process, is proactive and may be a tool for improving the designer's sensitivity to space.

Individuals will tend to center themselves in space. In this diagram, the view to the exit is clear from the entrance, and theoretically, a person is able to walk in a direct line from the entrance to the exit; however, unless pedestrians make a conscious effort to walk in a straight line, they will tend to move in a slight 's' pattern. Objects within a larger space can have an influence on movement. Short objects will generally influence movement and tall objects will tend to influence movement and sight lines.

There is also an additional influence taking place; that is, individuals will tend to keep a certain distance from objects.

5

Second time visitor:

In the previous posts (1 - 4), I have been illustrating the natural movement of an individual through a featureless room that is square in plan, has a single exit and entry, and which is about 15' x 15' in area with entries and exits that are about 5' - 8' wide. The spaces leading to the rooms and the spaces beyond the exits are thought to be completely wide and open. In fact, the rooms can be thought of as standing alone in a flat featureless expanse of space; except that for some reason an individual must travel through the space to reach their destination.

With these diagrams I have been illustrating the basic principals of movement through a small room. I have used a small room, not necessarily because they are the most illustrative of walking patterns, but instead because a small room is familiar and thus can be useful as the seed for an understanding of indiduals' complex relationship with space.

As the concepts I have been illustrating are bear the kernel of a rational and theoretical approach to our relationship to space, all of the points in the first paragraph of this post are essential to the results presented in the previous diagrams. Those points act as variables in a mathematical equation, and in this post I introduce one of the variables that I have so far not discussed, but which underlies all of the previous diagrams and which will be relevant to the future posts for the foreseeable future: The second time visitor.

The second time visitor is, for all intensive purposes, a person who enters and/ or passes through a space for the second time. The idea behind this phrase is not intended to literally mean that it applies only to individuals who are traveling through a space for the second time. It is referring to a pedestrian who is neither completely unfamiliar with a space nor who has developed a personal familiarity with the space. It is my assumption that the second time visitor is illustrative of the most intuitive movement through, and between spaces. It is an attempt to reduce movement to an abstract notion by stripping various biases that might influence someone's path of travel. A first time visitor might find themselves distracted by novelties within a space, or with other cultural conventions, to accurately depict someone flowing naturally through a space. On the other hand, someone who is very familiar with a space or series of adjoining spaces may travel by learned routes and shortcuts.

The point of diagramming movement according to the most unbiased individual is to aid in developing spaces that consciously take advantage of our natural tendencies. Although, clever as we are (we can determine more efficient or effective ways of walking through our built environment than what may come intuitively), there are many reasons to have spaces that take into account natural and intuitive movement.