Responsive Environment

7/27/2019 Responsive Environment

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What is this book about?

Demonstrates the specific characteristics that make forcomprehensible, friendly and controllable places.

As opposed to the alienating environments often

imposed today By means of the sketches and diagrams, it shows how

they may be designed in to places or buildings

Most concerned with the areas of design which most

frequently go wrong and impresses the idea that idealsalone are not enough

Ideals must be linked through appropriate design ideasto the fabric of the built environment itself.


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CHAPTER 1 : PERMEABILITY

CHAPTER 2 : VARIETY

CHAPTER 3 : LEGIBILITY

CHAPTER 4 : ROBUSTNESSCHAPTER 5 : VISUAL APPROPRIATENESS

CHAPTER 6 : RICHNESS

CHAPTER 7 : PERSONALISATION


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The number of alternative ways through

an environment


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Purpose

Refers to the range of uses that a place provides,

for example, housing, shopping, employment and

recreation.2.1 Three Different Levels Of Variety.

A place with varied uses has varied building types of

varied forms.

Attracts varied people, at varied times for variedreasons.

Different users interpret the place in different ways: it

takes on varied meanings.


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2.2 Variety And Choice

The purpose ofpromoting variety is to increase choice.

Choice also depends on mobility people, who are highly

mobile can take advantage of a variety even if these arespread over a wide area.


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2.3 Similarity And Different Among Developer And

Planner

Both of them want efficient environment but fordevelopers they

are interested in economic performances while planners wantplaces which are easy to manage.Variety

within district

is reduced,

as they

becomespecialized

zones of

single use.

Variety

within

blocks is

reduced,

as sites areamalgamat

ed into

larger

units.


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Variety within buildings is

reduced in the interest of easy

management and corporate

image.


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2.4 How To Maximize It?

Based on demand by the people.

Affordable space to house this

activities. The design encourage positive

interactions between them.

2.4.1 Demand

Most development agencies, public aswell as private, concentrate on a

relatively small range of uses for which

an obvious demand exist.


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2.4.2 Affordable space

To encourage variety we must

keep rents and purchase prices

low.

2.4.3 Subsidies

Using some profitable element

within it to subsidies other uses

which cannot afford an economic

rent.


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2.5 Design Implication

Old buildings should not automatically be kept

Their layout should be appropriate to the uses

concerned. Their condition should be suitable for upgrading to an

appropriate standard for the uses concerned at cost

which they can afford.

2.5.1 Interaction between activities(a) Mutual support

act like a magnets, attracting people to a site.


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(b) The time element

They are obviously helped if their

associated primary uses also

draw people into the area over a

long period.

(c) Feasibility

(i) Functional feasibility

Some uses are incompatiblebecause of factors like noise or

traffic generation. These cannot

be located close together.


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(ii) Political feasibility

Whenever the pattern of uses proposed departs either

from accepted norms or from local planning policy,

agreement from the local authority will depend at leastpartly on evidence of public support for the uses put

forward.

(iii) Economic feasibility

Its economic value when completed must be greaterthan or equal to the cost of producing it.


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Legibility is defined as how the qualities of the builtenvironment make a place understandable.

Legibility is important at two levels : Physical form andActivity pattern

Physical Form - Place may be read at either levelseparately. For example, it is possible to develop a clearsense of the physical form of a place, perhaps enjoying itonly at an aesthetic level.

Activity pattern - Equally, patterns of use may begrasped without much concern with form. But to use aplaces potential to the full, awareness of physical formand patterns of use must complement one another. Thisis particularly important to the outsider, who needs to

grasp the place quickly.


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Cultivating a dynamic and exciting community center

or hierarchy of centers that most people can "read"

intuitively, is perhaps the most important of the urban

design principles. When applied to a city or town,

"legible" means that people from the same culture havean intuitive sense of what is coming next and how to

navigate; they can "read" their surroundings.


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3.1 Paths

Paths are known as channels of movement alleys,

streets, motorways, railways and the like and many

people include them as the most important features in

their images of the city.


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Urban pathways go by many names, including bikeways,

trails and greenways. Some pathways take on myriad

forms; one trail can actually be a combination of

shared-use paths, connecting sidewalks and on-road

bicycle facilities that compose one linear route.

3.2 Nodes

Nodes are focal places, such as junctions of paths:

examples extend from roundabouts to market squares.


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3.3 Landmarks

Landmarks is a prominent or conspicuous object on land

that serves as a guide, esp. to ships at sea or to

travelers on a road; a distinguishing landscape feature

marking a site or location.

In contrast to nodes, which can be entered, landmarks

are point references which most people experience from.


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3.4 DISTRICT

Districts are sections of the city, usually relatively

substantial in size, which have an identifying character

about them.


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3.5 EDGES

Edges are linear elements which are either not used as

paths, or which are usually seen from positions where

their path nature is obscured.

Wall is an example of the first type, whilst the second

includes elements like rivers, railways viaducts and

elevated motorways.


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3.6 Path Enclosure

Enclosure also can be increased by

planting.

A sense of enclosure is routinelypraised as a way to provide shelter

from the elements, to provide a semi-

private realm that feels like

an outdoor living room, and to

provide a sense of security due to the

continuous or near-continuous

building line creating defensible

space and the overlooking buildings

providing natural surveillance.
http://www.chrishaile.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/6226873924_6a46c35dd6_z.jpg


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Robustness is a place which can be used for many different purposes offer

users more choice than places whose design limits them to a single fixed

use (Ian Bentley et al.). In other words a design which have a multi purpose

use.

WHY IS ROBUSTNESS A PROBLEM?

How the design will be look alike its depends on the whoever pays for it,patron. They are not interested in promoting user a choice.

HOW TO ACHIECE ROBUSTNESS?

4.1 Robust Family House

4.2 Preferred Building Configuration

4.3 Active Building Fronts4.4 Interiors: Large-scale Robustness

4.5 Interiors: Small-scale Robustness

4.6 Housing: Private Gardens

4.7 The Edge Of The Space

4.8 Busy Vehicular Streets


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4.1 Robust Family House

Floor area of a house affect the large-scale robustness

Robustness create a opportunity to enlarge the house as

a whole

Figure: Robustness is supported by cheap straightforward construction and

providing more space for a given cost

Source: Responsive Environments (1985), Chapter 4.1, page 61

Figure: Step by step to achieve robustness



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Figure : At least 4 metres is needed to allow pedestrian access


Figure : Detached houses offer more possibilities for extension than do other

types.



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4.2 Preferred Building Configuration

The large-scale robustness of a building depends on

these three key factors:

- Access

- Depth from window to window

- Height

Figure : An example of preferred building configuration

Source : Responsive Environment (1985), Chapter 4, page 62


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4.3 Active Building Fronts

The public edge of the building should has house

activities which benefit from interaction with the public

realm, and can contribute to the life of public space itself.

Figure: View from South Molton St, London, England

Source: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/41950331.jpg

Figure : View from view from Southwest London, England

Source : http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/14/article13120550B30880B000005DC-925_634x422.jpg


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4.4 INTERIORS: LARGE-SCALE ROBUSTNESS

Most buildings contain spaces which house shared

facilities, such as staircases, lifts and major vertical

service ducts.

Mostly, this type of place are least likely to change their

functions during the buildings life. These hard zones

must be positioned where they will not restricted use of

space.

Figure : Leave the rest of the space uninterruppted, so that it can easily be subdivided in many different ways

Source : Res onsive Environments 1985 Cha ter 4.4 a e 65


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4.5 INTERIORS: SMALL-SCALE ROBUSTNESS

Small-scale robustness concerns with the ability of

particular space within the buildings. This is the most

relevant scale of robustness for ordinary user. It also has

a direct effect on the day-to-day choices most peoplecan make.

Figure : Create as many rooms and activities as possible of the space provided.

Source : Responsive Environments (1985), Chapter 4.5, page 66


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4.6 Housing: Private Gardens

Outdoor space which is private, within the perimeter

block, greatly increase the robustness of the surrounding

buildings, particularly when these contains housing area.

Gardens robustness is also affected by broader design

issue.

Figure: The suitable activities according to the space provided

Source:: Responsive Environments (1985), Chapter 4.6, Page 68


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4.7 The Edge Of The Space

To increase robustness, the edge between buildings and

public space must be designed to have a connection

between indoor private activities and outdoor public

activities.

Figure : View towards Riquewihr, FranceSource: http://mediacdn.tripadvisor.com/media/phots/01/b4/73/8c/riquewihr-

architecture.

Figure : View towards 5th Arrondissement, Paris, France. There are manybuilding activity.

Source :htt ://www. s.or / ra hics/ /street rue mouffetard lar e


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4.8 Busy Vehicular Streets

Major activity in the central parts of public spaces is

vehicle circulation.

Vehicle must not inhibit other users of the space.

Footpaths have a complex role to play in supporting

pedestrian use against the inhibiting effects of vehicular

traffic.

Figure: The width of the pedestrian movement zone must be appropriate

Source: Responsive Environments (1985), Chapter 4.8, page 71.

Figure: Pedestrian movement must be made easy access to avoid danger

Source: Responsive Environments (1985), Chapter 4.8, page 71.


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4.9 Shared Street Spaces

Streets can be made robust enough for the space to be

shared by vehicles and pedestrians.

Figure: Shared space principle should be more than 500 metres from a normal

vehicular

street.


Figure: Narrow road to reduce vehicle speed



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Richness involves some ways to increase the choice ofsense experiences which users can enjoy. It is design tostimulate our senses thus giving up great experiences forboth physical and mental.

It includes all the senses such as:-

1. Sense of sight (visual richness)

2. Sense of motion (non-visual richness)

3. Sense of hearing (non-visual richness)4. Sense of smell (non-visual richness)

5. Sense of touch (non-visual richness)


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6.1 Sense Of Sight (Visual Richness) is a visual perception which enables us to interpret

information and surroundings from the effects of visiblelight reaching the eye.

most important or dominant sense in term of informationinput.

Visual richness depends on the presence of visualcontrasts in the surfaced concerned. It depends on thesetwo factors which are:

1. Orientation of the surface concerned

2. Positions from which it will be viewed


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Designs which depend on visual contrasts usually should

be in contrasts of colour or tone on floor or ground

surfaces which have to be flat.

richness is achieved depending on the number of visual

elements present in each surface.

The number of elements present will determined the

richness level because there is a plenty choices of things

to look at rather than looking at one thing.


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Viewing distance can also affects the range of scales at

which

richness must be considered. In deciding the visual

richness, there are three factors that should be considered

as well which are:-

1. The range of distances from which the various parts

of the scheme can be seen.

2. The relative numbers of people likely to see the

building from each different viewing position.

3. The length of time during which each view will be

experienced.


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Figure : Theres a

difference between a

buildings appearance

based on the viewing time.

For example the KLCC

Tower which is different

from day and nightappearance.

Source

:http://malaysiancentral.co

m/wp-

content/uploads/2013/08/

Petronas-TwinTowers-

Malaysia.jpg and

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_

wSOdKkqI9Do/S72rBVsM

FpI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/Sna

QIm2lej4/s1600/top5bPetr

onas%2520Twin%2520Towers.jpg


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Figure : Escalators in Evropeisky Mall, Moscow.

Image 2 : Berlin Railway Station's Escalator


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6.3 Sense Of Hearing (Non-visual Richness)

We have only limited control over what we hear because

the act of hearing is involuntary. Aural richness can be

achieved in small spaces thus it is best restricted to

spaces large enough for people to escape altogether

from the sound sources involved.

Image 3 : Honks and tires screeching create a lot of noise thus

indicate people that the street is busy


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6.4 Sense Of Smell (Non-visual Richness)

This is a sense which cannot be directed and its only

can be achieved by moving from one point source

towards another. It is most effective in relatively large

spaces.

Image 4 : The smell of breads being baked always tell us there is a

bakery shop nearby. Image 5 : Coffee shops also gives out the sweet coffee smell fromthe

coffee brewing activity.


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6.5 Sense Of Touch (Non-visual Richness)

Touch is both voluntary and involuntary in character

because we can easily move our hands to touch

something.

Richness for surface texture could be packed into

smaller spaces but the variety of air movement and

temperature should be reserved for large spaces. For

example, when the cold breeze or hot sun beam

projected to our skin.


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Responsive Environment