A CIRCULAÇÃO EM ARQUITETURA

UMA ANÁLISE GRÁFICA E SUA CONTRIBUIÇÃO AO PROCESSO DE PROJETO

Abstract

Contemporary architecture emphasizes the importance of movement and circulation to structure the complexity of architectural functions, which in many cases is less and less a physical space and also exist in the digital space. The physical reality of this architecture happens through the flow of information and of people, in a continuous way. This study adopted a qualitative and exploratory research approach, to deal with the role of the concept of circulation of people and goods in architecture. The concept of circulation impacts important questions of a design project, such as the shape of space itself, movement and access of people as well as solutions to environmental comfort problems. Circulation spaces, however, are rarely discussed in the analysis phase of a design process and are absent the briefing phase. Thus the influence of the concept of circulation in architecture is underestimated particularly in view of the increasing complexity of architectural design today. This paper presents the analysis of various examples of contemporary architecture through circulation as an architectural design concept. A set of parameters, organizing elements and solutions of problems associated with the architectural quality of spaces and environmental comfort are investigated through a graphic analysis of four library buildings. To develop a design method based on the creative resolution of problems with knowledge on the concept of circulation was our main goal and this included transforming new parameters into graphic elements. The four sample examples were selected from projects of architects awarded the Pritzker Prize of Architecture between 2000 and 2017. The projects were analysed with the goal of understanding the solutions given to the problems of the flow, movement and circulation in architecture. The results showed that the graphic method was productive and new elements and parameters were found and translated into the graphic architectural design language. The research contributes to both the professional practice and the teaching environment with new design methods to increase the quality of architectural design in relation environmental comfort, wayfinding and accessibility as well as spatial structuring and layout configurations.