Selected Bibliography Architecture - Form Space and Order | Page 279

CO NFIG URATIO N O F TH E PATH

All paths of movement, whether of people, cars, goods,
or services, are linear in nature. And all paths have
a starting point, from which we are taken through a
sequence of spaces to our destination. The contour of
a path depends on our mode of transportation. While
we as pedestrians can turn, pause, stop, and rest at
will, a bicycle has less freedom, and a car even less, in
changing its pace and direction abruptly. Interestingly
though, while a wheeled vehicle may require a path
with smooth contours that reflect its turning radius,
the width of the path can be tailored tightly to its
dimensions. Pedestrians, on the other hand, although
able to tolerate abrupt changes in direction, require a
greater volume of space than their bodily dimensions
and greater freedom of choice along a path.
The intersection or crossing of paths is always a point
of decision-making for the person approaching it. The
continuity and scale of each path at an intersection
can help us distinguish between major routes leading
to major spaces and secondary paths leading to
lesser spaces. When the paths at a crossing are
equivalent to each another, sufficient space should
be provided to allow people to pause and orient
themselves. The form and scale of entrances and
paths should also convey the functional and symbolic
distinction between public promenades, private halls,
and service corridors.
The nature of the configuration of a path both
influences and is influenced by the organizational
pattern of the spaces it links. The configuration
of a path may reinforce a spatial organization by
paralleling its pattern. Or the configuration may
contrast with the form of the spatial organization
and serve as a visual counterpoint to it. Once we are
able to map out in our minds the overall configuration
of the paths in a building, our orientation within the
building and our understanding of its spatial layout
will be made clear.

264 / A R C H I TE C TU R E : F O R M , S PA C E , & O R D E R