Perception of movement within and between designed spaces starts with the uniquely human ability to relate ourselves to our surroundings, followed by a relationship to the sequential experience of our movement throughout. Architecture is simply a building without the life and movement of the people who use the design, yet individuals may experience and relate to the same design differently. Habitual routes and repetitive paths of movement dull our experience of these spaces while moving towards or within a new space can allow our perception to expand as we take in a new environment, creating excitement but also tension within us.
At our center, there is a phenomenological connection between a preceding space and personal orientation with a future space, helping us understand the new space in relation to ourselves, no matter the mode of transportation for arrival. Transportation hubs are intersections of time, connecting people in motion and guiding both habitual and unfamiliar subjects along their continuous journey. Studying the movement within the Washington metropolitan area, the New Carrollton Station in Maryland perforates the Capital Beltway as a gateway to the region. This thesis aims to understand how people interact with path-connected spaces and connect each subject's mode of arrival, goal, and choice of movement between a newly designed station. / Master of Architecture / With the uniquely human ability to relate ourselves to our surroundings, the way we experience moving through architectural and urban designs is impacted by the way we perceive the changing surrounding space. Architecture is simply a building without the life and movement of the people who use the building, yet individuals may experience and relate to the same building differently. Habitual routes, such as commutes that we do daily, may dull our experience of these spaces, while moving towards or being within a new building can open our senses and perception, taking in the new environment and creating excitement but also anxiety within us.
At a psychological and phenomenological level, we can mentally connect the space where we just were with the new space we are in; our sense of direction works with our personal orientation of front and back, left and right. This is still the case if we arrive at a new place by bus or train: our orientation is in relation to the direction we are facing and what is in front of us when we get off. Transportation hubs/stations are designed to connect people in motion, guiding both habitual and unfamiliar riders along their continuous journey to a new place or mode of transportation. Studying the urban movement within the Washington metropolitan area, the New Carrollton Station in Maryland is located along the edge of the region, the Capital Beltway, and welcomes people to the region. This thesis aims to understand how people interact with architecture as they move throughout their daily lives and connect people as they move throughout a newly designed station.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/120606 |
| Date | 12 June 2024 |
| Creators | Johnson, Graesen Elisabeth |
| Contributors | Architecture, Linn, Andrew Pincus, Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C., Kelsch, Paul J. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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