Selected Bibliography Architecture - Form Space and Order | Page 177

O PE NINGS IN SPACE- DEFIN IN G ELEMEN T S

No spatial or visual continuity is possible with adjacent spaces without
openings in the enclosing planes of a spatial field. Doors offer entry into a room
and influence the patterns of movement and use within it. Windows allow light
to penetrate the space and illuminate the surfaces of a room, offer views from
the room to the exterior, establish visual relationships between the room and
adjacent spaces, and provide for the natural ventilation of the space. While
these openings provide continuity with adjacent spaces, they can, depending
on their size, number, and location, also begin to weaken the enclosure of the
space.
The following section of this chapter focuses on enclosed spaces at the scale
of a room, where the nature of the openings within the room’s enclosure is a
major factor in determining the quality of its space.

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