In architecture, moving from point A to point B is an chance to do something particular. A well-designed passageway can make motion meaningful and make us more conscious of ourselves and our surroundings. It is something I’ve researched earlier in a ideabook on halls, however here the more general expression passageway encompasses stairs, stairs (which I’ve also looked at) and other spaces devoted to moving from space to space. The following examples are quite diverse and reveal how the expertise of motion could be enriched through design.
D’apostrophe layout, inc..
D’apostrophe layout’s Remsenburg House is the gut renovation of a barn to some 5,300-square-foot residence. A vital part of the layout is a central backbone which includes stairs connecting the floors. Here we see stairs resulting in the upper floor. The solid guardrails, and the method by which the stairway moves from an open space through one much wider than the stairs, provides a canyon-like quality to the circulation.
D’apostrophe layout, inc..
On the exterior the middle spine is apparent, particularly in the way the narrow windows at the middle culminate from the reef opening, which is actually visible in the space in the previous photo.
D’apostrophe layout, inc..
Back inside, we’re seeing another side of the stairs at the first photograph. The solid guardrails unite with the minimalist interior.
Begrand Fast Design Inc..
Highpointe, designed by Begrand Fast Design, is a huge project on a rocky terrain. A driveway cuts throughout the home, dividing it into upper and lower regions. A bridge connects the two.
Begrand Fast Design Inc..
This bridge, found looking toward where the previous photograph was shot, also acts as an archway, marking passage from the entire world to the realm of the house.
Begrand Fast Design Inc..
Stone and wood are the primary materials, the former covering structural columns and the latter forming beams and arches. From beneath, the wood construction is particularly nice.
Begrand Fast Design Inc..
Given the dramatic change in elevation, the bridge connects the top floor of the reduced side and the base level of the top side, found here.
Charles Debbas Architecture
This modern box at Berkeley, Calif., designed by Charles Debbas Architecture, may not appear ripe for any meaningful passageways, however, the property’s steep topography provides a chance. Here we are seeing the back of the house; the intriguing passageway is at the front.
Charles Debbas Architecture
The house’s front illustrates just how steep the property is: one floor on front and three floors on the back. This split-level state means that people must descend at least one degree from the garage to the house proper. This occurs via a walkway along a wall on one side of the garage. What I like a lot is the way the house’s low roof opens up ocean views which are not apparent in the garage.
Charles Debbas Architecture
This view from front door shows the semi-enclosed outdoor space that is produced from the entry sequence. The terraced plantings are also a very nice touch.
Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Ltd.. Architects
A terracing of sorts is also apparent in this schoolhouse in Chicago renovated into a residence for a family of seven. Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Architects designed a “stair atrium,” a colorful and light-filled heart of the project.
Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Ltd.. Architects
Stairs and walls combine to create a intricate space which functions the various heights of the house. The circuitous system makes moving throughout the stairs akin to traversing the streets of an Italian mountain town.
Clayton&Little Architects
This final example shows how light and color can unite to create a exceptional passageway. This straight-run stairway is lined with lime-green walls windows over that bring outside light to the bedroom. The treatment of the passageway produces a solid space in the center of the house.