INTO THE VOID
Creative architecture uses internal spaces to foster interaction and communication, says Rob Gregory of the Architectural Review.
Brunswick Arts works with leading architecture and design practices around the world
Buildings have a profound effect on our behavior and the way we interact with other people. Do we chat with our neighbors over a communal garden fence? In the foyer and balconies of the theater, do we engage in the off-stage public performance, seeing and being seen? This interaction binds us socially but it is most important in the context of the workplace, where we spend most of our waking hours. Having a nice desk, a comfortable chair, and a decent view makes a difference in many obvious and subtle ways.
When designing the new Cooper Union building (above) in New York City, Morphosis proposed a large staircase as the principal means of circulation. Understanding the significance of the spaces in between, the stair was conceived as a vertical piazza, promoting connectivity and interaction between three independent schools previously housed in separate, unconnected buildings. Photograph: Iwan Baan
