The paper explores the relation between the real and the
mental space of the inhabitants. The understanding of
the interaction between the inhabitants and their houses
relies upon the direct observation of the practices of the
users and the interpretation of their spatial behaviours
shown by the routes they choose in everyday activities.
The results show that this study requires the understanding
of the relationships between the spatial behaviour
of inhabitants and their socio-physical recognition. We
were also able to highlight the strategies and the forms
of adaptation raised during the fulfilment of the action
plans of the inhabitant.Peer Reviewe

Muntañola Thornberg, José

Regaya, Imen

English

UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC

29A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SSpatial Behaviour and the Socio-Spatial RecognitionIMEN REGAYAimenregaya@yahoo.frJOSEP MUNTAÑOLAJose.Muntanola@upc.eduAbstractThe paper explores the relation between the real and the mental space of the inhabitants. The understanding of the interaction between the inhabitants and their houses relies upon the direct observation of the practices of the users and the interpretation of their spatial behaviours shown by the routes they choose in everyday activities.The results show that this study requires the understand-ing of the relationships between the spatial behaviour of inhabitants and their socio-physical recognition. We were also able to highlight the strategies and the forms of adaptation raised during the fulfilment of the action plans of the inhabitant.IntroductionI start this article with a quote that attracted my atten-tion. It‘s actually said by Gustave- Nicolas FISHER and I translated it.  «The living space is invested by a sensory, emotional, tactile, visual, and social experience which produces a 30 A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SARQUITECTONICSset of meanings and charge cultural values. The archi-tectural space becomes a language that communicates a message to its occupants and its functions. Space al-ways tells a personal and social history.»1The house is not only a material object, but also a place for practices and visual and physical appropria-tions.  From this complexity arouses a real operation of reading, analysis and interpretation. The under-standing of the interaction between the inhabitants and their houses relies upon the direct observation of these practices of the user and the interpretation of the appropriations.Through this paper, we discuss the relationship be-tween the inhabitants’ behaviour and the socio-spatial recognition. We try to answer the following question: What is the relationship of the occupant with all the ele-ments that belong to the part of the building where he lives concretely and its immediate environment?Materials and methodsCorpus studyIt is not a conventional corpus, but a set of case suffi-ciently differentiated, the main reference is made, how-ever, with respect to two main criteria: first, relating to types of houses, and second, on the people who live there. 1. G-N. FISCHER, Psychosociologie des espaces, University  ofRené Descartes, DESSY of the Environment, February 1996, p.11. url: http://t.gobert.free.fr/cariboost_files/fisher_psysocio_es-paces.pdf31A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SDOSSIEROur housing corpus is structured with respect to their positions in different tissues of the city (old urban area called «Medina» / new urban fabric) and their internal spatial organization.The four types of houses which constitute our corpus study differ by the presence, the transformation or ab-sence of the house’s patio. We tried to observe the daily practices of eighteen wom-en (we refer to them by F1, F2, F3 ... F12) in their do-mestic spaces. All these women were born in El Jem, are very attached to their city and have a remarkable sociability and friendliness. They are certainly of different status but all are qualified to provide information relating to the social and cultural structure of El Jem.MethodologyTo better made our research we relied on some key concepts from famous authors like: Alain Renier on the conformation and configuration, the process of semiosis, Bill Hillier on architectural determinism, Paul Ricœur on the third space, Josep Muntañola on space-time cosmic - built, Bakhtin on the chronotope...We proceeded in a semiotic approach and ethno-meth-odology domestic living spaces. Methodological ToolsConcerning methodology, and in order to answer our questions, we used several methodological tools : tools of data collection (observation of practical activities , in-terviews, survey photos ... ) and data analysis tools ( se-miotic approach , Gestalt theory... ) .To treat these collected data, we dealt with the space of everyday life, considering the semiotic of 32 A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SARQUITECTONICS«significant practices»2 of the occupants, and taking note of the temporal and spatial behaviour of the users.To do this, we chose to analyze a program that raises the notion of movement and course: it’s about the action program «to receive a cousin or a close friend.» The semiotic approach highlights the inherent syntag-matic organization of architectural space.We asked the «method of significant segmentation of space»3  to highlight the «relevant segments» for each spatiotemporal configuration. These segments are built on the narrative of an action being fulfilled. By analogy to the segmentation of a text, the segmenta-tion of space is a division manifested in spatial sequenc-es, an operation that is performed on the syntagmatic axis. Following the development of syntagmatic chains, we tried to discern the remarkable and «noticed» ele-ments in order to identify and demonstrate the existence of significant constellations forming the support of the action. The routes and spatial behaviours of observed women lead us to make a concrete significant «differentiation» of the whole dwelling space. We used the theory of form called «Gestalt theory» and survey photographs. We also relied on interview survey, since some elements considered remarkable by the actors are of phenomenal order and cannot be iden-tified in the photographs. 2. «Significant practices» is a term borrowed from Prof. Alain RENIER.3 A. RENIER, « D’une sémiotique de l’espace architectural à une sé-miotique des lieux de l’habitat », in Architecture, Littérature et Espaces : espace du texte/espace des lieux, Société française des Architectes, Université Paris VIII et Université de Limoges, 2004.33A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SThe sequences of pictures are our medium through which the interviewees actually distinguish what is figure what makes the background.Results Fragment / segment / temporalized place Some fragments spaces studied and relevant segments acquire significant values for varying period and lim-ited time. The acquisition value occurs in a «temporalized» place defined according to spatio-temporal features for action that takes place there.Configurations assembly / recognition At each place of assembly or reception there is a tem-poral thickness and an exchange between  the woman who receives and the guest. Social encounter (between the woman who welcomes and the received) gives meaning to the architectural and surrounding space. Configurations of gathering places and of topical re-ception place are the «significant substance» 4 of archi-tectural space experience. By «Topical place» we mean the place of performance of action, is not only space of reference but also of «recognition» to a specific time of use. Then we can confirm that we are facing a situation of socio-spatial recognition. The recognition result of a correlation between physical meeting and social event.4. A. RENIER, Valeur et valence :La dynamique des configurations delieux à l’origine de la valence des espaces habités, 2004, p. 2.34 A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SARQUITECTONICSMeeting places / housing types The intersection of results retained following the work of segmentation and tracking of gathering places let us confirm that the probability of gathering is greater for houses with patios than homes without patio.Constellations of relevant elementsBased on the sequences of photos related to various action programs, we distinguish between, on the one hand, all the fragmental elements that belong to the initial orthogonal conformation of architectural space, on the other hand, the only relevant elements that are significant practical uses of the place. Some fragments of the space are sometimes classified as figures, sometimes as backgrounds.This is explained by the fact that the constellations are re-newed throughout the route taken by the actor observed.Dynamic of remarkable elements corresponds to the dynamic of the spatial behaviour of the user.The comparison between different constellations men-tally constructed also informed  us about the degree of richness of route,  that depends on the number of rel-evant elements identified by the social actor, and their phenomenological qualities. 1. The richest route: 15 segments and41 relevant elements.35A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SDOSSIERSome women have made us a distinction between pos-itive and negative relevant elements.2. The poorest route: 5 segments and9 relevant elements.PA SEG Topic places Gathering places Relevant element Positive relevant elements Negative relevant elements PA1 9 1 2 26 26 0 PA2 5 2 4 12 11 1 PA2’ 9 2 3 28 25 3 PA3 9 1 4 35 17 18 PA4 10 1 4 22 21 1 PA4’ 10 2 6 24 24 0 PA5 8 1 3 35 21 14 PA6 15 2 4 41 37 4 PA7 7 1 4 20 20 0 PA8 8 2 4 18 14 4 PA9 5 2 4 17 17 0 PA9’ 9 2 5 35 33 2 PA6’ 9 1 3 25 23 2 PA10 5 1 2 9 9 0 PA10’ 9 1 3 23 19 4 PA11 9 2 3 14 14 0 PA12 10 1 4 24 24 0 PA12’ 10 2 4 27 23 4 3. Relevant elements / Action program.36 A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SARQUITECTONICSAs shown in the summary table, we note that the richer is the syntagmatic chain related to the receiving pro-gram (in relevant segments) the greater is the number of relevant elements.This proportionality demonstrates that the interaction be-tween the real space and mental space is more impor-tant when the course is complex. The stronger is the relationship between these spaces, the more the actor needs spatial cues.  These represent the attachment points of the action space. Accordingly, we conclude that the structure of the per-formance is richer in segments and relevant elements when there is a strong fitness that is established be-tween the action and architecture.DiscussionThe results of our research show that the remarkable elements are interacting with people observed and form the real global space of their action. The results indicate that the richness of the structure of course em-anates from an agreement between the action and its spatial context.Reception places / polyphonic dimension«Reception place» and «exterior doors’ thresholds» have acquired a «polyphonic» dimension since they were spotted by two women welcoming living in the same house, as common meeting places and social interaction.We borrow the concept of «polyphony» of literature, transposing the story to the route. 37A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SDOSSIERGathering places / «synesthetic» experienceAll women in the corpus are socially recognized in plac-es of gathering. We noted architectural spaces capable of being inhab-ited by « synesthetic « experience, where the inherent perception to the inhabitant is associated with a mul-timodal sensory experience ,  that’s to say , an expe-rience that combines sight, hearing , touch, gestures, communication.For example, the reception place was spotted in full by 7 women. (F1, F2, F2 , F8 , F9 , F11 F9’et ) . Whole place is benchmark: there is a «condensation of meaning .»Condensation of the meanings results of the perfor-mance quality, the architectural space quality and the quality of social encounter.Socio -spatial chronotopeSixteen women in our corpus consider the threshold as a reference and meeting place for discussion and gathering: The thresholds are not only «temporalized» places, but also examples of socio -spatial chronotope 5characterizing the receiving program ;By transposing the definition of «creative chronotope» of Mickaël Bakhtin ( who defines it in his book: The Dialogic Imagination as link between physical time -space and space -time of a work of art) to architecture, «creative chronotope» is a tool that can detect if the encounter be-tween the woman and her welcoming guest is of cultural richness or not.5. When an item is identified by different actors, for a limited time, he acquired a symbolic value and can be described as socio-spatialchronotope (defined by Bakhtin as a link between physical andsocial space-time).38 A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SARQUITECTONICSJosep MUNTAÑOLA THORNBERG and Magda CARULLA state (in their articles «Bakhtin, architectonics and architec-ture») there is an agreement between on the one hand , the definition of a work of art as a new «creative chro-notope» capable of produce a new «context», and on the other hand, the hermeneutic analysis of Paul RICŒUR on «meaningful action»6  since it corresponds to  a his-torical and geographical context.7 According to Paul RICŒUR, if «action» wants to reach its richest and most meaningful sense, it must fit into a cul-tural and socio- physical context. Thus, it can be fixed, takes a social dimension and consequently acquires an intersubjective and dialogic power.The results of our work indicate that women detained maintained their rituals by adaption to socio-spatial-temporal context (adaptation by simplifying the course, adaptation by substitution of the course by a more suit-able one and adaptation by relocation of functions). Consequently, there is a balance between behaviour and spatial recognition of social actors. Adaptation is a dynamic process that depends on the structure of space and culture of the meeting.  Socio-physical recognition is suitable to a richer architectural productivity. The discovery of the relationship between the course and recognition has enabled us to reveal the dialogic re-lationship between real space and mental space. These two relationships having cultural structure.6. P. RICŒUR, Du texte à l’action : Essai d’herméneutique II, Paris:Seuil, p. 184-195.7. J. MUNTAÑOLA THORNBERG M. WILL CARULLA, «Bakhtin, architectonicsand architecture», XIV International Congress on Bakhtin, Bolonia, July 2011, p. 4.39A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SDOSSIERConclusion In conclusion, we confirm our assumptions. Domestic space lived is full of values and meanings. All elements indicated by the social actor in movement form his constellations, which succeed sequence by sequence, throughout the course. These significant items carry a positive or negative value, depending on the sensory ex-perience of the user.Scope of the methodologyThe methodology we used can be useful for analyzing the impact of emerging new architecture, which tends to neglect more, socio-cultural and psychological dimen-sions of users. Prospects for our researchWe can consider that the constellations and noticed re-markable elements may in turn be studied as second-order conformations. Other interesting topics for further research suggest themselves as: • tIe concept of polZpIonZ applied to arcIitecture• sZnestIetic eYperience• socio-spatial cIronotopeReferencesBAKHTINE, Mikhail Mikhaïlovitch, The Dialogic Imagination, edited by HOLQUIST, Michael, translated par EMERSON, Caryl et HOLQUIST, Mickael, Austin, USA: University of Texas Press, 1981, 443 p.40 A R Q U I T E C T O N I C SARQUITECTONICSHAMMAD, Manar, Lire l’espace, comprendre l’architecture : Essais sé-miotiques, Limoges : Pulim, 2006, 372p. HILLIER, Bill, Space is the machine, United Kingdom: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1996, 355 p.LEVY, Albert, Les machines à faire-croire, I-Formes et fonctionne-ments de la spatialité religieuse, Paris: Anthropos/Economica, 2003, 250 p.LYNCH, Kevin, L’image de la cité, Paris : Dunod, 1998 (1ère éd. 1969), 221 p. MUNTAÑOLA THORNBERG, Josep, La topogénèse, fondement d’une ar-chitecture vivante. Paris : Anthropos, 1996, 176 p.PALLASMA, Juhani. Le regard des sens, The eyes of the skin, Architecture and the sens, traduit de l’anglais par BELLAIGUE Mathilde, Paris : Linteau, 2010. RENIER, Alain (sous la dir.),  Espace: construction et signification, Paris : La Villette, 1984, 251 p.RENIER, Alain (sous la dir.), Espace et représentation, Paris : La Villette, 1981, 349 p.RICŒUR, Paul, La mémoire, l’histoire, l’oubli, Paris : Le Seuil, 2000, 676 p.

Spatial Behaviour and the Socio-Spatial Recognition

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