Living in the Fourth Dimension of Architecture: September 2011

INTENT: Uniting Temporal dimension with spatial dimension to create ‘Time based Architecture’


Definition of Time-Space

TIME: Sequential duration of events, a particular period, era or moment

SPACE: Three dimensional realm in which all materials exists and events occur

The Beginning of Time

1.       A soul is timeless and exists in vacuum (no space).
2.       It takes a form and enters the womb which has a defined space and here the time begins.
3.       The movement in the womb has a particular distance which is bounded by time.
4.       Seed takes a form of body and comes out of womb. It enters a space (home) which is bigger than womb space and thus it starts to analyze time-space.
5.       The actual journey starts when the human body comes out of home into a world which is endless. Here it interacts with new places and people and thus it reflects in his/her timeline. (Shared space – Shared Time)

The Journey of Time-Space

At each point in our life we are associated with a space which has a time based activity. We experience each layer of time-space at different point of our age.


The Configuration of Time-Space

Our daily life is divided into different activities which has a definite time-space. Our mind is tuned to this time-space relation and we know how long that particular activity will take.

The Idea of Time-Space

Our sense of time-space is based on our perception of mind which is depends on conscious and unconscious mind. The environment (controlled or uncontrolled) plays a vital role in defining that perception. Our mind cannot understand time without relating it to space.

Why we need Time Based Architecture

Work: Time is a part of our existence; we plan our activities according to time.
Planning: The way of life depends on time, either we try to do one task at a time or we even try to do multiple tasks at the same moment.
Experience: It evolves over time and our mind makes connections with the spaces.
Function: Architecture is for all seasons and our mind develops memories and reflections over time.
Temporal part: Architecture provides unconscious learning through its spaces which help us to reflect in time passed, present moment and the time to come.

The Education of Time-Space

As we grow the idea of time-space also develops. When we were young we had more time to experience and built perceptions. Childhood is the primary phase where we develop our idea of time-space and our mind get tune to these phenomena (consciously or unconsciously).

The first space which child experience; a part from home is school. He spends almost 2400 days in his 10 years life span at school and each day develops a new experience of time-space. Even his idea of time-space keeps on changing due to spaces and activities.

School -- Time-Space Relation

Each student starts his/her journey at same point. They are individuals at the beginning and after spending some time in that space they start to amalgamate with other students. They develop shared spaces and interests. They make groups according to their perceptions and thus identifies themselves in fragments which they prefer.

Pedagogy and Spaces

School is divided into 5 basic spaces (Personal, Communal, Motivating, Reflexive and Admin) according to time activity. Different spaces create different perceptions in the mind of the children.

Jury Reviews

Visually strong diagrams-weak presentation layout
Why architecture and time(give some explanation)
Establish your timeline(connect it with your thesis)
Design matrix(relevance not clear)
Relevance of your topic with architecture(elaborate properly, you have the words, you just have to connect them)
What is the rationale behind your thesis?
Relation of Karachi with thesis(not clear)
Connection of site with pace time context of Karachi
Space programs (activities are defying your concept of time based architecture)
Experience should be based on architectural design (not mechanical)
2 points to be focused
Rationale behind your thesis-what issues you are addressing?
How are you going to make that happen without any mechanical means?