Presentation at Workshop 'Innovation at the Verge - Computational Models of Physical / Virtual Space Interaction'; Leiden/NL, 18 Dec 2012
This talk explores the role of architectural space as a network that structures patterns of co-presence of occupants. It is suggested that one outcome of the configuration of space (in buildings or cities) is to structure a field of potential co-presence between people – a ‘virtual community’ - which gives rise to real encounter networks as people move through and inhabit it. Through the structure of physical space and the associated field of potential co-presence social groupings are either conserved, or new groupings are generated. Examples are given to illustrate this.
It is furthermore suggested that society coheres by means of both spatial and transpatial solidarities, which means individuals will participate in multiple distinct networks at the same time. Spatial networks are generated through face-to-face encounter in architectural space, and are dependent on spatial relational structures, while transpatial ties result from shared values, ethos and identities.
As technologies become more and more ubiquitous, they increasingly structure people’s patterns of interaction and seemingly move them away from physical space and into a new realm of online communities. This raises the question of whether physical space still plays the role it used to play and how we can conceptualise multiple overlapping network affiliations in both physical and virtual spaces. Therefore the affordances of technology in offering means of communication and encounter across time and space are discussed and put into perspective of the real life face-to-face networks of people realised in physical space.
Architectural Space as a Network - Physical and Virtual Communities
1. ARCHITECTURAL SPACE AS A NETWORK
PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES
Dr Kerstin Sailer
Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London
Lorentz Workshop ‘Innovation at the Verge – Computational Models of Physical / Virtual Space Interaction’,
ArchitecturalNL, 17-21aDec 2012
Leiden / Space as Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
2. Architectural Space as a Network
Flow of space represented as a spatial network → patterns of co-presence of occupants
construct affects
SOCIAL
BEHAVIOURS
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
3. Architectural Space as a Network
Co-presence of occupants:
‘Virtual Community’
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
4. Architectural Space as a Network
“Co-present individuals may not know each other, or even acknowledge
each other, but it will be argued that this does not mean to say that co-
presence is not a social fact and a social resource. Co-present people are
not a community, but they are part of the raw material for community, which
may in due course become activated, and can be activated if it becomes
necessary. However, even without conversion into interaction, patterns of
co-presence are a psychological resource, precisely because co-presence
is the primitive form of our awareness of others. Patterns of co-presence
and co-awareness are the distinctive product of spatial design, and
constitute, it will be argued, the prime constituents of what will be called the
‘virtual community’.”
Bill Hillier (1996): Space is the Machine
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
5. Architectural Space as a Network – The Method of Space Syntax
Bill Hillier (1996): Space is the Machine
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
6. Architectural Space as a Network – The Method of Space Syntax
Bill Hillier (1996): Space is the Machine
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
7. Architectural Space as a Network – The Method of Space Syntax
Total depth: 16
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Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
8. Architectural Space as a Network – The Method of Space Syntax
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
9. Architectural Space as a Network – The Method of Space Syntax
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
10. Architectural Space as a Network – The Method of Space Syntax
Floor plan Visual graph analysis
Axial topology
Metric topology Space usage, e.g. movement flow
Integrated Segregated
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
19. Space Syntax Research: Libraries
Movement flows in the British Library
Readers
Movement flows on Upper Ground Floor – Data collection by UCL MSc AAS students in 2009 and 2010 Non-Readers
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
21. From Spatial to Transpatial Solidarities: from Virtual to Real Communities
SOCIAL
BEHAVIOURS
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
22. Spatial and Transpatial Solidarities
Concept of spatiality and transpatial solidarity as two distinct ways of creating relationships
between individuals:
“In their elementary forms, in effect, buildings (…) can define a relation to others by conceptual
analogy, rather than spatial relation. The inhabitant of a house in a village, say, is related to his
neighbours spatially, in that he occupies a location in relation to them, but also he relates to them
conceptually, in that his interior system of spatialised categories is similar or different from those
of his neighbours. He relates, it might be said, transpatially as well as spatially.”
(Hillier and Hanson 1984: 18ff)
Key features of spatial and transpatial ordering of categories:
• Affinity between individuals spatially as well as transpatially driven
• Societies may use one way of ordering more than another
• Ordering of space not of equal conspicuousness to every culture
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
23. Spatial and Transpatial Solidarities
SOCIAL SOLIDARITIES
FORM Mechanic Organic
Integration through similarity Interdependence through differentiation
Homogeneity Heterogeneity
ORGANISATIONAL Long models, i.e. strongly programmed Short models, i.e. weakly programmed
OPERATIONS Hierarchies Network Structure
Vertical communication Lateral communication
Transpatial Spatial
SPATIAL Segregated and sparse space Integrated and dense space
IMPLICATIONS Interior relations, ‘inside’ Exterior relations, ‘outside’
Well defined categorical differences Weakly defined categorical differences
between spaces between spaces
High levels of control of events and Low levels of control of events and
encounter encounter
Sources: Durkheim 1893, Burns and Stalker 1961, Hillier and Hanson 1984, Hillier and Penn 1991; summarised in Sailer 2010
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
24. Spatial and Transpatial Solidarities
Spatial Solidarities Transpatial Solidarities
WHERE WE ARE WHO WE ARE
Location, Neighbourhoods, Proximity, Gender, Age, Profession, Affiliations,
Physical Closeness Memberships, Interests
The Guildhall, City of London
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
25. Interplay between Spatial & Transpatial – Example 1
Organisational Cultures in the British Museum
High levels of local integration yet global segregation → distinct org.
cultures, segregated spaces allow transpatial identities to flourish
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
26. Interplay between Spatial & Transpatial – Example 2
Lack of local identities in a Media Company
“Brands need to own their space and feel separate to other brands. If
you walk around the office you would never know where you are
unless you already know people. This doesn't enable people to make
new friends or contacts.”
High levels of global integration and uniform workstation layout → lack of identities,
disregard of transpatial solidarities
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
27. Interplay between Spatial & Transpatial – Example 3
Time-space routines and social cohesion in Research Institute
High levels of global integration → emergence of social cohesion and contacts fostered in
transpatially organised clusters
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
28. Spatial and Transpatial Solidarities
Two mechanisms for bonding and social relationships between people:
1. Sharing same local world and coming together in physical space (spatial solidarity);
2. Shared interests or goals, which may overcome / transverse boundaries of physical
space (transpatial solidarity);
TRANS-
SPATIAL
SPATIAL
Example: The Guild
Virtual Community Real Community
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
29. Impact of Technologies – Physical and Virtual Spaces
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
30. Impact of Technologies
Emergence of ‘Online
Communities’
Source: http://xkcd.com/802/
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
31. Impact of Technologies – Networked Individualism
Networked Individualism (Rainie and Wellman 2012):
People function as connected individuals; partial membership in multiple networks instead of
permanent membership in settled groups;
Made possible by:
• Social Network Revolution: opportunities to reach beyond tightly knit groups
• Internet Revolution: communication and information-gathering power
• Mobile Revolution: accessibility, anywhere and anytime
CURRENT / FUTURE SOCIETY:
PAST SOCIETY: networked individualism
fixed groups
KINSHIP WORK
CHURCH
Village / Town Various spatial scales
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
32. Impact of Technologies: Physical and Digital Space
How do people find information? Example: Rosetta Stone at British Museum
OPTION 1:
Travel to London,
visit British Museum
(physical space)
OPTION 2:
Go to website of the
British Museum
(digital space)
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
33. Impact of Technologies: Physical and Digital Space
Finding information on Rosetta Stone at British Museum: Option 1 (physical space)
Structured search: looking
at map or asking information
desk (2-3 steps)
Exploratory: finding
interesting / relevant exhibits
on your own (2-10 steps,
possibly more)
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
34. Impact of Technologies: Physical and Digital Space
Finding information on Rosetta Stone at British Museum: Option 2 (digital space)
Structured search:
typing name of exhibit
into search box (2
steps)
[Exploratory: clicking
through the online
collections (3-10
steps, possibly more)]
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
35. Impact of Technologies: Physical and Digital Space
Finding information on Rosetta Stone at British Museum
→ different spatial experiences in physical & digital space, but also different social realities
PHYSICAL SPACE DIGITAL SPACE
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
36. Impact of Technologies: Physical and Digital Space
What is the difference between physical space and digital space in enabling the get together
of people and allowing communities to flourish?
PHYSICAL SPACE DIGITAL SPACE
Complex spatial configuration Simple or no spatial configuration at all
Deep or shallow Shallow / flat
Relative position or location matters Access matters
Distribution of users through spatial Distribution of users through access /
configuration / attractors self-selection process
Unplanned encounter Structured encounter
Co-presence Lone activity
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
37. Conclusions
Physical space in buildings and cities structures co-presence and interaction patterns of
people;
Co-presence of people in space gives rise to ‘virtual community’: raw material of society,
awareness and psychological dimension;
Communities emerge from the combination of spatial and transpatial worlds;
Technologies change the way in which people interact, yet physical space remains an
important dimension;
Digital space allows online communities to flourish → distinctly different from affordances of
physical space and implications for social relationships;
Similarly to Space Syntax which offers a language for discursive and structured analysis of
physical space, an approach to systematically investigate the structure and affordances of
digital spaces is needed
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
38. Thank you!
Email: k.sailer@ucl.ac.uk
Twitter: @kerstinsailer
Dr Kerstin Sailer
Lecturer in Complex Buildings
Bartlett School of Graduate Studies
University College London
14 Upper Woburn Place
London WC1H 0NN
Architectural Space as a Network Dr Kerstin Sailer, December 2012
United Kingdom