perception

as we have visited various sites and works, i have tried to analyze quite thoroughly the spaces created by each. we have visited extreme architecture and simple layouts, each with its own fan base and purpose.

i think perhaps the most profound place yet visited was the water deposit at palau fabra. this place previously served as a military compound with housing and offices. it has recently been converted into the main campus of a university. the water deposit consists of a large structure with a pool on top of it. the pool was positioned on top of the structure so that gravity would provide the water pressure needed. it is a simple and ingenious solution. the supporting structure has been converted into a very unique library while the roof top pool area is a sort of plaza.

what intriqued me was the amount of enjoyment this rooftop plaza gave to our class. this was probably the most enjoyable and accepted site we have visited, yet it was the simplest. as you arrived the plaza through a winding staircase, the light from outside filtered through windows and the door at the top. you stepped out onto the roof and could see for miles. there was maybe a 10 foot strip around the pool to walk on. at the time the pool was drained so we could jump down into it. lily-pad-like structures would have otherwise granted us access from the outside of the pool to the central landing. this space contains very few elements yet was so complex in human interaction. there was the upper level surrounding the pool and the lower level of the pool itself. we all enjoyed jumping down into the pool. there was the outer edge and then the central landing area. we all ventured from one space to the other.

this place further supported a belief of mine. the most successful spaces are not radical and extremely complex designs. they are the simple spaces that human beings relate to. they are simple spaces positioned within a complex context (ie a city). humans want to feel comfortable and they dictate a space for the most part. the roof top space was simple, yet positioned in a complex city network. we determined the use and we determined the activities. we were left alone by forced, designed purposes and allowed to wonder and experience a space as we wished. the programming was set up by us and not some artificial design.

of course there are times when complex interventions may be necessary, but for the most part the complexity lies within the users, not the design. what we really need to do is to design for the user and not for some visual elegance on a piece of paper. perception is key.