Theory of Buildings ARCH243 - 5 - Circulation

1. ABALI TB I 1
horizontal and vertical
circulation spaces
halls-corridors-stairs

2. ABALI TB I 2
• A space with a main activity is a node.
• All the paths connecting them are
circulation spaces.

3. ABALI TB I 3
• In public buildings circulation spaces are
specially important.
– Monumental entrance halls,
– Fluid corridors,
– Impressive stair cases....,

4. ABALI TB I 4
• A university building
entrance hall

5. ABALI TB I 5
In domestic scale
• for reasons of economy, we try to minimize
circulation spaces
• however as “spaces of all users” they
deserve to have a quality of its own.
• quality is achieved with ample dimensions
and natural light

6. ABALI TB I 6
• Entrance hall in
domestic scale yet
with ample
dimentions

7. ABALI TB I 7
• In aparment flats
entrance halls are
minimal in
dimentions and no
natural light at all.

8. ABALI TB I 8
Same is true for corridors
• Our traditional
homes did not have
corridors
• A gallerie
overlooking to inner
court, a hayat was
the circulation
space.

9. ABALI TB I 9
• A corridor is by
nature a boring
space,
• It is linear,
monotonous and
usually have no
natural light

10. ABALI TB I 10
• To over come its negative qualities
– We have to keep circulation spaces at
minimum
– sometimes we overlap a space for certain
activity with circulation (a corridor to bedrooms cutting
through living room)

11. ABALI TB I 11
a corridor behind the
columns and a gallery
above the columns are
connecting to other
spaces yet it is zone
within main living area

12. ABALI TB I 12
• if we have to stay in minimum dimensions
than what are the possibilities ?
• usually number of doors opening to the
circulation area determine the size.

13. ABALI TB I 13

14. ABALI TB I 14

15. ABALI TB I 15
cupboards in the rooms or in the corridors are also effective in the size of
the corridor

16. ABALI TB I 16
in some period of the life span of a dwelling unit one user may be using
wheel chair....

17. ABALI TB I 17
• it is wise to keep the corridors 110 cm wide
and doors not less than 90 cm for
handicapped use in the long run.
• however, if a staircase is included than the
corridors may have different alternatives.

18. ABALI TB I 18
Landing at the end of a stair case

19. ABALI TB I 19

20. ABALI TB I 20

21. ABALI TB I 21
stairs
are not only for ascending and
descending
from level to level

22. ABALI TB I 22
• stairs gives us chance to perceive spaces
from many different views
• stairs create a space of their own
• stairs are circulation areas where 3 rd
dimention is most important.

23. ABALI TB I 23
Dutch artist
Escher
visualized
the concept
of “Relativity”
as a stair
case

24. ABALI TB I 24
Dolmabahçe Palace

25. ABALI TB I 25
• Did you ever
climb to a
minaret ?
• This is stone
masonry
stair

26. ABALI TB I 26
Snow Palace, Japan

27. ABALI TB I 27
Louvre
Museum,
Cristal
Pyranid,
Paris

28. ABALI TB I 28
• These are all monumental scaled stairs, in
domestic scale, we usually use efficient
and minimal stairs
• Therefore, it is vital for architects to make
best use of stair cases.
• To be able to do this, we have to master
technical issues of stairs.

29. ABALI TB I 29
slope of ramps – stairs - ladders

30. ABALI TB I 30
• The steepest stair,
ladder
• Only for young and
athletic ....

31. ABALI TB I 31
• Space under the
stairs have multiple
uses

32. ABALI TB I 32
slope gives us number of steps, let's say 16 steps
than comes how we arrange them

33. ABALI TB I 33
note that area they require do not change much

34. ABALI TB I 34

35. ABALI TB I 35
stairs in an enclosed shaft (as in fire escape stairs)