In the book The Hidden Dimension, many examples are given based on the study of many animals. It is
easier for a scientist to study an animal’s behavior because their life span is shorter than a human’s and
animals do not rationalize their behavior. An animal’s behavior s always consistent with their reactions
more than a human might be.
Territoriality is a concept that can be applied and “is usually defined as behavior by which an organism
characteristically lays claim to an area and defends it against members of its own species.” 1
Territoriality is important and creates “a frame to which things are done-places to learn, places to play,
safe places to hide.” 2 Species depend on their territory and psychological boundaries for proper living.
This could mean their own private space or public home. This applies to students in the School of
Architecture. When spending a majority of their time in their studio at their drafting table, territory can
be sensed.
It is important for each individual to have their own ‘bubble.’ Humans need to stay in touch with each
other. In a specialized room space, it is important that students feel a part of a group. In such an
enclosed space this is possible. It is important though to make sure that crowding may not occur and
the ratio of human to space is reiterated. If an animal feels they are at “distance at which it can no
longer see, hear or smell the group-it is rather a psychological distance the animal will apparently begin
to feel anxious when he exceeds his limits.” 3 Considering ‘free-will,’ It is important to keep students
studios tightly knit so that this individual will feel comfortable in their own environment in their own
space and not feel overwhelmed by the abundance of students. This can be achieved by a fixed-feature
space and focusing on the amount of students allowed in each one.
Hall defines fixed-feature space as “one of the basic ways of organizing the activities of individuals and
groups.” 4 This applied in the architectural building would mean that the rooms would be specialized.
Each office, classroom, seminar space and pin-up space would have its own compartmentalization, its
own private room. This would allow all faculty and students to be properly oriented in their own space
as well as more organized. In a studio if separated from seminar and pin-up space, this will create
systems of thought that will allow each student to have fewer activities related to one space. The
student’s mental boundaries relating to locations for specific activities will remain constant. This will
‘classify activities and artifacts according to a uniform, consistent, or predictable spatial plan.” 5
Otherwise this student could possibly ‘live in a mess’ or ‘state of confusion.’ It would create a more
stressful environment for a student to be in an open space that was directly related to where their final
1
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 7.
2
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 8.
3
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 14.
4
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 1.
5
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 103.
jury may reside. In architecture school deadlines lie very heavy and time cannot be wasted. This may
create someone to not have segregated levels of thought and they can ‘develop a kind of schizoid
detachment and isolation that can be very dangerous.” 6 If this student ignores the data contained
“about the consequences of crowding, he runs the risk of developing the equivalent of the behavioral
sink.” 7 Crowding may not just mean physical crowding but would occur when the student cannot
mentally separate certain activities from others. This is where the word sink comes into play. “The
word ‘sink’ is used to figuratively to mean a receptacle of foul or waste things.” 8 This disorganization
may create a student to feel disordered.
If the School of Architecture were to be completely utilized with no special rooms meaning a complete
open floor plan with no fixed function, this could create chaos for an individual student. It could
possible not allow the student to socially and psychologically not separate their daily tasks and keep
them organized in their own ming. It might overcrowd their own territorial proximity and “produce a
maximum stress” 9 as seen in the wild rat colony. “The term ‘density’ must be expanded beyond simple
ratio of individuals and available space.” 10 There could possible be too many students or tasks occurring
in one area. This is what would create the density. It may not be the square footage vs. the space the
student may have. It would be how the student would feel. When Calhoun completed his study on rats,
he concluded that “crowding disrupts important social functions and so leads to disorganization and
ultimately to population collapse or large scale die-off.” 11 When applied to school, having an open
space could possibly decrease studio culture as a means of dying off. It is possible though to create a
space that will prevent ‘crowding’ if mobile modules, partitions, stations and furniture are used to help
an individual differentiate their own territories and space. Of course there could not be too many tasks
in one area or two many students assigned to this task area.
This space can be referred to as informal space. It “is perhaps the distances maintained in encounters
with others. These distances are for the most part outside awareness.” 12 In this informal space, there
are four distances that Hall emphasized on. These four are intimate, personal, social and public. Each of
these have a close and far phase. These four distances will help understand an individual and their
6
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 101.
7
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 1.
8
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 26.
9
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 26.
10
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 26.
11
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 32.
12
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 111.
personality in this informal space. Intimate space would not usually be applied in the School of
Architecture due to the fact “in public it is not considered proper by adult.” 13 Personal distance-close
phase is usually 1.5 to 2.5 ft. When observing this, you will be able to tell how these people feel in
relationship to each other. Personal distance-far phase is 2.5 to 4 ft. This is ‘arms length.’ Social
distance-close phase is 4 to 7 ft. People who work together tend to use this length. “it is also a very
common distance for people who are attending a casual social gathering.” 14 Social distance-far phase is
7 to 12 ft. Public distance-close phase is 12 to 25 ft. This is usually outside the circle of involvement.
Public distance-far phase is 25 ft or more. These four distances are important. It is important to
“recognize these various zones of involvement and the activities, relationships, and emotions
associated.” 15 When analyzing and keeping these pertinent, it can help prevent crowding if these four
phases are present. These are simply space requirements for an individual’s needs. In an informal
space, it is important to have these partitions and mobile modules to allow separation of space and
tasks for each individual while not attributing to their stress levels. It is also important analyze the
specific task areas needed and who will be there. The four distances of space can then be applied to
this.
13
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 118.
14
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 121.
15
Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Random House, 1982), 129.
Fixed-Feature Space and Informal Space
Susan Featherstone
INTD 4563