The Anatomical and Physiological Analysis of Thresholds in Domestic Architecture Case Example: Chandigarh

Abstract

Thresholds impart dynamism, transitional experience, transparency, privacy, thermal control, and social engagement between the inside and the outside. The paper postulates upon this physiological (operational) identity of threshold spaces in modern domestic architecture in Chandigarh, working in tandem with their anatomical (elemental) composition, taking into consideration the limitations of climatic conditions, notions of formalism and building legislations. The survey of the specified typologies reveals that the dwellings with larger plot sizes, though weak in social engagement, have more scope for an elaborate transitional experience, in contrast to smaller units, where the progression from the inside to the outside is sudden and unceremonious. The paper concludes with a model that establishes the dependency of the physiological parameters on the anatomical elements of threshold spaces. Resultantly, the research strives to identify tools of analysis of thresholds that can be eventually applied to larger urban scale, which could be the subject of future investigations.