TransitionalSpaces

InInstitutionsofHigherEducation
ArchitecturalDissertationSynopsis

By:
AparnaSingh
B.Arch.4thYearB
Roll.No.13
VastuKalaAcademy

Topic:
TransitionalSpacesinInstitutionsofHigherEducation

Introduction:
Transitionisaninbetweenstate,inArchitecturedefinedastheconnecting
spacebetweentwoconfinedspaces.

Transitionalspacesaredefinedasspaceslocatedinbetweenoutdoorand
indoorenvironmentsactingasbothbufferspaceandphysicallink.Other
thanbeingfunctionalascirculatoryroutesforthebuilding,thedesignsof
thesespacesisconsideredveryimportantbybuildingdesignersforreasons
ofaesthetics,healthandcomfort,andasemergencyexitroutesintheevent
offire.Theimportanceofoptimumenergyconsumptionintransitional
spacesisalsoimportantinnondomesticbuildings,asthesespacesdonot
generateincome,henceanywastageassociatedwithhigherenergycostis
economicallydifficulttojustify.Theinclusionoftransitionalandcirculation
spaces,intheformofcorridors,draughtlobbies,atriumsandstairwells,is
unavoidableinthedesignofmostnondomesticbuildings.Thepercentages
ofsuchareasmayvarybetween10to40percentofthetotalvolumein
differentbuildingtypes.

Architecturalspacesareincompletewithouttransitionalspaces.While
generallypeopledonttendtospendtoomuchtimeintransitionalspaces,
butdotheycountastransitionalwhentheyredeliberatelyspendingtime
inthemasplaces,ratherthanaspureinfrastructure?
1

CollegestudentshangingaboutintheInstitutescorridors,ratherthanjust
usingthemascirculationspace,canbeseenasanexampleofthis.
Whenspendingtimeinthesetransitionalspaces,isapersonleftfeelinglike
anowhereperson,alwaysbetweenplacesbutneverreallyinorout?Or
doesitmakepeopleappreciatethetemporarynatureofthingsgenerally?If
so,doesitmeanthatthesespacesshouldbegivenequalorabithigher
importancethantheotherspacesinandaroundanInstitute?Arethese
spacessupposedtobegivensomespecialtreatmentorshouldtheybe
consideredassecondaryspaces,oflesserimportancethanthestudios,labs
&classroomsandaretobeleftbareornoninteresting?

Therealpurposeofatransitionalspaceistoactasabufferbetweentwo
spacesofimportance,onefromwhereapersonbeginsandtheother
wherethepersonendshistransit.

Shouldthisinbetweenspacebedesignedtomaketheuserwalkfasterand
passtoreachhisdestination,orshoulditbedesignedinawaythatallows
thepeopletopause,seeandappreciatethespacetheyrepassingthrough?
PeopleIhavetalkedtorecently,allseemtohavevariedopinionsonthis.

Aim:
Tostudyindetail,theroleanduseoftransitionalspacesinInstitutionsof
highereducation.

Objectives:
Todoresearchandreachaconclusionon
a. TherelevanceoftransitionalspacesinInstitutionsofhigher
education;
b. Howthesespacesshouldbedesigned;
c. Theirarchitecturalcharacter,intermsoftheirrelativesize,volume,
treatmentanddetails;
d. Whateffecteachkindoftransitionalspacehasonapersonsstateof
mind;

focusingspecificallyonthefollowing:
i. Entrances
ii. Corridors
iii. Courtyards
iv. Atriums&lobbies
v. Staircases&ramps
vi. Paths&walkways

ProposedCaseStudies:
a. ThePearlAcademyofFashion,Jaipur(Live/Literature)
b. GirlsHostel(Himadri),IITDelhi(Live)
c. ForestManagementSchool,Bhopal(Live/Literature)
d. EarthInstitute,CSR,Auroville(Live)
e. CEPT,Ahmedabad(Live)

Scope&Limitations:
Thoughthescopeforresearchontransitionalspacesisendless,Iwouldlike
tolimitthisdissertationtothetransitionalspacesininstitutionsofhigher
education,andnarrowdownmyresearchontransitionalspaceskeepingin
mindthesame.

Methodology:
Researchonthesaidtopicbymeansof
a. Casestudies(live&literature)
b. DiscussionswithProfessors&Architects
c. Internetresearch
d. Books&eBooks
i. TransitionalSpacesbyColinMackenzie
ii. Buildings&LandscapesbyLake,Flato
iii. WorkingSpacesbyEvergreenpublishing
iv. Architecture,Form,Space&OrderbyD.K.Ching
v. ElementsofSpacemakingbyYatinPandya

Proposedconclusion:
Atthispoint,bywhatIhavestudiedsofar,Iwouldliketoconcludethat
transitionalspacesininstitutionsofhighereducationarenotjustbuffer
areasbetweentwopointsoffocus,butspacesthatholdquitealotof
importanceinshapingthearchitectureoftheinstituteitself.Thesespaces
areasimportantasthecafeteriaorthelecturetheatresfortheusers.Asthe
definitionofarchitectureitselfcannotbeconstrainedmerelytoconstructing
buildings,thedesignofthesetransitionalspacescannotbesaidtobelimited
toonlyareasthatallowpassageforpeople.Powerfultransitionalspacesare
integraltoinstitutionalarchitecture.Theymusthaveadistinctcharacter,a
meaningandbepartofaninspirationalexperiencefortheusers.