Understanding Thresholds Spaces in Institutional Buildings in Case of Ahmedabad

Abstract

Architecture is a tool to channelize human perception and emotions by the experiences and impact it creates on a user, so it becomes important to understand such invisible factors that have the ability of formulating such spatial experiences. By studies, it is proved that the maximum amount of impact is created on a user by the circulation of the structure. An important element of circulation that can define movements and create pauses is THRESHOLD SPACES. Threshold spaces are the spatial elements that define the end and start of different functions. It gives a transition area for people while entering a space and leaving another space. Threshold spaces have the ability to set a notion of the space that one is going to enter. There are multiple scales of threshold spaces in an Institutional buildings, out of which this study only focuses on the entrance of the building to understand threshold spaces in depth. Until now almost no attention has been given to this special functional element, rather it has remained as a common blind spot for most people as stated by Till boetger in his book (THRESHOLD SPACES : Transition in architecture, Analysis and design tools). So it is very important to study and understand threshold spaces. The Aim of this research is to understand threshold space as a whole and then focuses on formation of threshold space in institutional buildings. It will only outline how different tangible elements come together and form the sense of threshold space. By using the design analysis tools by Till Boetger, this study will intend to set a comparative study between threshold spaces as an entrance porch in different buildings and will show how in different manner using different elements thresholds gets formed in a building. It would even conclude about the factor that dominated the formation of threshold spaces. For the same, some of the institutional buildings from Ahmedabad are selected which are designed by famous architects. This study can play a vital role for architects in re imagining the entrance areas while designing the buildings and to understand threshold space as a spatial element.