The aim of this exercise is to find out how altering the boundaries of a space can alter the way a space feels.
For this exercise I have drawn a plan of a rectangular room that has a floor area of 21m2.
I have added a person (in plan, and to scale) inside the rectangular room.
Maintaining the brief requirement of 21m2, I have drawn as many different plans as I can, changing the dimensions of the perimeter boundaries (the walls).
I have chosen three of the new plans and have drawn them in Section, adding a ceiling height of 2.4m, a person to scale and I have tried to draw what the occupant might see within the room, which is an armchair and a window.
I have used language in a way to try and explain how the spaces make me feel. Figure A makes me think of feeling small, snug, empty, neat, clean and tiny. Figure C makes me think of feeling narrow, long, dark, cold, empty, neat and clean. Some of the feelings are the same because the height remains the same and there are no details in the picture, making it feel empty.
Exercise 2 continued
My second choice of space is 14m long x 2.4m high, I have drawn in the space what I think my figure can see.
Not only does the length of this room give you more options to add furniture and fixtures which then creates an atmosphere, it allows you to be more expressive and creative with colour and texture. The differences in feelings between the two spaces definitely have a lot to do with the size of the wall, it is possible to create a great atmosphere in a small space but there are limits, whereas with the larger space you can be a lot more adventurous.
Exercise 3: Breaking boundaries and exploring thresholds
The aim of this exercise is to explore how making a break in your Boundary can change the space. When you remove part of a boundary you allow the occupant to move in and out of your space. Where you make that break – where you create a Threshold to another space – determines how your space will be used, and how your space will feel.
I have taken the two spaces that I created in the previous exercise, both with sections and situated them next to each other. I have drawn in Plan my two spaces next to each other. The first attempt I put them both so that the left boundaries were in line with each other. I then removed part of the boundary wall to create an opening. In doing so I realised that the opening on the side of the longer space was cutting through to the window (see fig.4) , which for obvious reasons would not work! So then I drew them again and strategically placed the longer space so that the opening would look better. By adding the tracing paper drawings of the sections over the drawings I could get a better idea of where the break in the boundary was going to be and whether it would work.
my Interior Design Journey 