Architecture Myths #33: Flexibile Space

The theory is that being able to reconfigure or otherwise allocate a space in different ways enables that space to be used for a greater variety of activities. This seems simple and obvious enough but still needs untangling. First, it assumes that different activities require different spatial configurations and this isn’t necessarily true because most activities rely upon walls only indirectly to isolate them from other activities. These most activities take place in the middle of rooms and independently of walls – apart from access I suppose which is more the intent to do something inside a room. How we choose to distribute the space we have is largely a matter of culture and custom. Frederick Keisler’s Endless House proposed a single multi-blob space without partitions. Its occupants would just jump into one of the bathing pools and presumably sleep where they felt like it. Keisler didn’t go into details and neither do the plans. I won’t delve into his metaphysics other than to say…