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Architecture
Art and science of structural design. Architectural responsibilities include both feasibility analysis and aesthetic considerations.
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What is proxemics in architecture?
Beatrice Park
Is it Important for Architects to Understand Proxemic Characteristics in Different Cultures?
May 18, 2011
SoCiology
In this age of globalization, there are many multinational architectural firms, and many
architects design for clients of foreign nations. It is always important for an architect to
understand the lifestyle and culture of the clients. And one branch of study closely related to
people's lifestyle and culture is proxemics.
PROXEMICS
In simple words, proxemics can be described as the
study of physical space between people during
interaction.1 Edward T. Hall defined proxemics as "the
study of man's transactions as he perceives and uses
intimate, personal, social and public space in various
settings while following out of awareness dictates of
cultural paradigms."2 A person permits or prohibits people from entering certain stages of space
surrounding her, depending on the relationship and situation
(See figure 13). For an example, one will allow her family
members to enter her intimate space and hug her. But her
neighbor, a mere acquaintance, will have to stay in the wider
and distant social space. If the neighbor enters her intimate
space, she will be alarmed or even offended. These ranges of
1 Abdul Muati Amad, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasa, "Proxemics and its relationship with
Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/
18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture.
2 Edward T. Hall, quoted in "Proxemics and its relationship with Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last
modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationshipwith-
Malay-Architecture.
3 Proximity, JPG, http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/03/
Figure 1
interaction spaces differ for individuals. One's social space can be another's personal space. And
according to sociologists and anthropologists, different cultures and nations have different
standards of proxemic spaces.
PROXEMICS IN DIFFERENT CULTURES
Even within the Western World, each nation has its characteristic proxemic standards.
France is a relatively crowded society, and the people experience greater physical
proximity. Compared to Americans, French people make more intense eye contact and physical
interaction.4
Compared to Americans, Germans tend to be more strict
about the range of distance that indicates intrusion. In the US,
sticking one's head or body part into another's house is usually
not considered as territory invasion, as long as one's feet are
outside the house. Yet Germans find such behaviors alarming.
Germans have a close-door pattern business, while the Americans
have a open-door pattern business. Germans generally feel that
having an open door can lead to intrusion, while Americans
generally feel that keeping a door closed leads to ostracism.5 The many websites that guide
Americans how to behave in front of a closed door seem to prove the cultural difference and the
unease when people of different proxemic habits interact.6
4 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 186-191.
5 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 173-180.
6 Simon Tribe, "Come on in, My Door Is Always Closed," Spiegel Online International, http://
www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,412990,00.html
As European nations show very distinct proxemic characteristics, it is not amazing that
Middle Eastern nations differ greatly from the US. Public spaces in Middle Eastern countries
tend to be more crowded and houses tend to be wider. Physical contact in public spaces is more
common in Middle Eastern countries, and this is not because people are rude, but because the
proxemic behavior pattern is different in Middle Eastern countries. Even when in public areas,
Americans keep a distance from other people to protect privacy. Yet in Middle Eastern nations,
public areas are purely public, and a person cannot claim private space. For an example, in an
empty plaza in the US, one will feel uncomfortable when another individual stands right next to
him. But in a Middle Eastern plaza, this is a more natural situation. Overall, Middle Eastern
people do not demand as much physical privacy as Americans do. Thus the distance between
people interacting is much closer. 7
In Malaysia, a visitor's relationship with the owner determines where he is permitted to
enter. A stranger must remain at the landing section, a friend may walk up to the verandah, and a
relative may go as far as the main room. Compared to Americans, Malaysians are more open to
letting other people in their intimate space - when people sit in a circle, they may sit as close as
their knees touch. 8
THE LINK
Then how does proxemics link to architecture? The common types of houses in a country
can reflect the proxemic characteristics of the people.
7 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 199-210.
8 Abdul Muati Amad, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasan "Proxemics and its relationship with
Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/
18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture
In the US, quickly built gigantic "McMansions" are becoming increasingly common. The
average single-family house size increased from 983 square feet in 1950 to 2434 square feet in
2005. The number of homes with four or more bedrooms reached 40% in 2004.9
Middle Eastern people tend to dislike closed space more than Americans do. To satisfy
Arabians, a closed space must be wide enough for the occupant to walk around: around a
hundred square meters. The ceiling must be high, and nothing should block the view. Although
both Americans and Middle Easterners like to have big houses, houses in Middle Eastern nations
tend to have fewer walls that divide the rooms.10 This could be linked to the proxemic
characteristics of the two nations. Americans want more physical privacy and less interference.
Thus each member of the family will demand a separate room. Yet in a Middle Eastern
household, the members demand less physical privacy, and many rooms are not needed.
The Germans demand even greater physical privacy than the Americans and are more
sensitive about intrusion. Thus, in contrast to the lighter doors in the US, doors in Germany tend
to be heavy and to have very sturdy locks. 11
A study on Malay proxemics reveals that even within one nation, the regional
characteristics can affect the housing style. The comparatively close minded easterners -
demanding more privacy - build elevated floors. In the south, where unmarried women must not
approach strangers during feasts and minimize interaction with the guests, houses often have
9 Lisa Smith, "McMansion: A Closer Look At The Big House Trend," Investopedia. http://
www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/07/mcmansion.asp
10 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 199-210.
11 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 173-180.
attics for the women to hide. 12 This is a custom uncommon in the US where women may
interact with visitors. Thus the attics in the two nations differ in purpose and feature.
CONCLUSION
An architect must always keep in mind that the goal of any building is to enhance the
inhabitants' life. An office must be suit for working and ideally raise the productivity. A house
must be suit for living, and ideally make the owner comfortable.
When a building's features force people to act against their proxemic habits, people can
be stressed. When an American enters a German office, where all the doors are closed, the
American will think that he is left out and ignored. On the other hand, a German at an American
office might think that the employees must be sloppy for leaving all doors open. An American at
a Malaysian gathering hall will feel offended that strangers are sitting so close up to him.
The features of a building will continuously influence the people's experience in the
building, and the experience must not be distressful ones. Thus, when an architect designs -
especially for a foreign culture - it is important to thoroughly observe and research the proxemic
characteristics of the nation.
ASSESSMENT
The majority of my findings come from scholarly articles. Professor Hall, the author of
The Hidden Dimension, taught communication at the Illinois Institute of Technology and
Northwestern University. He is also a member of the Building Research Advisory Board.13 He is
a reliable source, yet it is unfortunate that his research methods were not explained in the book.
12 Abdul Muati Amad, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasan "Proxemics and its relationship with
Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/
18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture
13 Hall, Karin B. "Edward T. Hall." Edward T. Hall. http://www.edwardthall.com/
The report Proxemics and its Relationship with Malay Architecture was written by
communication professors of the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Their report included diagrams to
illustrate the relationship regional proxemics and housing. The sources of information are
reliable, but one potential flaw comes from the fact that the reports, except for the article on
McMansions, are based mainly on observations rather than statistical data.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Amad, Abdul Muati, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasan. "Proxemics and its
relationship with Malay Architecture." Britannica. Last modified 2007. http://
www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-
Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture
Hall, Edward T. "The Hidden Dimension." Translated by Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park.
Seoul: Sejin, 2005.
Hall, Karin B. "Edward T. Hall." Edward T. Hall. http://www.edwardthall.com/
Tribe, Simon. "Come on in, My Door Is Always Closed." Spiegel Online International http://
www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,412990,00.html
Smith, Lisa. "McMansion: A Closer Look At The Big House Trend." Investopedia. http://
www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/07/mcmansion.asp
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Ricard Meier (eighther at the age of 49 or 50)
Mayan
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How many board-feet of lumber for a 2000 square foot house?
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So, using 4/4 lumber would mean 2000 board feet for the house assuming no waste.
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SKA is a sketch made by the architect. It is also sometimes referred to as ASK. Sketches are usually assigned a number. ASK's or SKA's become part of the contract documents. They are necessary to describe something in a drawing without having to issue or reissue large sheets. SKS's are sketches made by the structural engineer, SKM's are made by the mechanical engineer, SKE's the by electrical engineer, etc.
a golden age
List at least four different applications that are naturally suitable for P2P architectures?
* Streaming Video, where multiple users are attempting to view the video simultaneously in real time
* Broadcast Applications
* File Sharing applications (BitTorrent)
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The following is written by and according to the U.S. Department of Labor and particular to the education and training required for an architect.
There are three main steps in becoming an architect. First is the attainment of a professional degree in architecture. Second is work experience through an internship, and third is licensure through the passing of the Architect Registration Exam.
Education and training. In most States, the professional degree in architecture must be from one of the 114 schools of architecture that have degree programs accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. However, State architectural registration boards set their own standards, so graduation from a non-accredited program may meet the educational requirement for licensing in a few States.
Three types of professional degrees in architecture are available: a 5-year bachelor's degree, which is most common and is intended for students with no previous architectural training; a 2-year master's degree for students with an undergraduate degree in architecture or a related area; and a 3- or 4-year master's degree for students with a degree in another discipline.
The choice of degree depends on preference and educational background. Prospective architecture students should consider the options before committing to a program. For example, although the 5-year bachelor of architecture offers the fastest route to the professional degree, courses are specialized, and if the student does not complete the program, transferring to a program in another discipline may be difficult. A typical program includes courses in architectural history and theory, building design with an emphasis on CADD, structures, technology, construction methods, professional practice, math, physical sciences, and liberal arts. Central to most architectural programs is the design studio, where students apply the skills and concepts learned in the classroom, creating drawings and three-dimensional models of their designs.
Many schools of architecture also offer postprofessional degrees for those who already have a bachelor's or master's degree in architecture or other areas. Although graduate education beyond the professional degree is not required for practicing architects, it may be required for research, teaching, and certain specialties.
All State architectural registration boards require architecture graduates to complete a training period-usually at least 3 years-before they may sit for the licensing exam. Every State, with the exception of Arizona, has adopted the training standards established by the Intern Development Program, a branch of the American Institute of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). These standards stipulate broad training under the supervision of a licensed architect. Most new graduates complete their training period by working as interns at architectural firms. Some States allow a portion of the training to occur in the offices of related professionals, such as engineers or general contractors. Architecture students who complete internships while still in school can count some of that time toward the 3-year training period.
Interns in architectural firms may assist in the design of one part of a project, help prepare architectural documents or drawings, build models, or prepare construction drawings on CADD. Interns also may research building codes and materials or write specifications for building materials, installation criteria, the quality of finishes, and other, related details.
Licensure. All States and the District of Columbia require individuals to be licensed (registered) before they may call themselves architects and contract to provide architectural services. During the time between graduation and becoming licensed, architecture school graduates generally work in the field under the supervision of a licensed architect who takes legal responsibility for all work. Licensing requirements include a professional degree in architecture, a period of practical training or internship, and a passing score on all divisions of the Architect Registration Examination. The examination is broken into nine divisions consisting of either multiple choice or graphical questions. The eligibility period for completion of all divisions of the exam varies by State.
Most States also require some form of continuing education to maintain a license, and many others are expected to adopt mandatory continuing education. Requirements vary by State but usually involve the completion of a certain number of credits annually or biennially through workshops, formal university classes, conferences, self-study courses, or other sources.
Other qualifications. Architects must be able to communicate their ideas visually to their clients. Artistic and drawing ability is helpful, but not essential, to such communication. More important are a visual orientation and the ability to understand spatial relationships. Other important qualities for anyone interested in becoming an architect are creativity and the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Computer skills are also required for writing specifications, for 2- and 3- dimensional drafting using CADD programs, and for financial management.
Certification and advancement. A growing number of architects voluntarily seek certification by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Certification is awarded after independent verification of the candidate's educational transcripts, employment record, and professional references. Certification can make it easier to become licensed across States. In fact, it is the primary requirement for reciprocity of licensing among State Boards that are NCARB members. In 2007, approximately one-third of all licensed architects had this certification.
After becoming licensed and gaining experience, architects take on increasingly responsible duties, eventually managing entire projects. In large firms, architects may advance to supervisory or managerial positions. Some architects become partners in established firms, while others set up their own practices. Some graduates with degrees in architecture also enter related fields, such as graphic, interior, or industrial design; urban planning; real estate development; civil engineering; and construction management.
For the source and more detailed information concerning your request, click on the related links section (U.S. Department of Labor) indicated directly below this answer section.
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It is possible to change the contents of any one of tiers (layers) without having to make corresponding changes in any of the others
Enables parallel development of the different tiers of the application.
Complex application rules easy to implement in application server. Easy to implement changes
Fewer JavaScript, thus simpler to the client
Superior performance for medium to high volume environments
Some of the disadvantages are;
There is more processing on the web server,
It does not interact with the WMS server directly.
More complex structure
More difficult to setup and maintain The physical separation of application servers containing business logic functions and database servers containing databases may moderately affect performance
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1. You're outside a lot.
2. You get to do what you like doing.
3. It's fun
Some Disadvantages:
1. Season Controlled (it's pretty slow in the winter!)
