INTERACTIVE SPACES

INTRODUCTON
 SPACE: Anything which has a defined volume is space.
 Interactive Space: Physical spaces with interactivity, mixing the virtual world with the
physical world.

 AIM: To create intersctive spaces.

 AIM: This dissertation aims to analyze the existing situation of students’ interactive spaces in
college campus and propose ways to upgrade them
 OBJECTIVE: To study in detail types of interactive spaces designed for educational buildings.
To study the essentiality of these interactive spaces with respect to institutes.
To study different elements of interactive spaces.
Scope:

Interactive space is important element in an educational building.

It will help prepare students to live and work in a world that requires collaboration and
problem solving.

Institutes requires more freeness, it cannot be bounded in one space.

Interactive spaces will help the students to know each others psychology and will help
in understanding the character.

Limitation:

Study of interactive spaces would be done for institutional buildings.

 Interactive Spaces

Need of Interactive
Historical Overview Spaces in Institutional Functionality
Building

Types of Interactive
Past and Present Spaces in institutional Factors
Scenario Building

Philosophy Case Study Analysis

Conclusion
Spaces in Historical Background

Gurukuls

Education in India started before 5000B.C.

Earlier there used to be separate gurukuls

for both boys and girls.

Gurukul is a type of school, residential in

nature.

Shishya living near the guru often within the

same house.

Gurukul System

In fair weather, classes were held under the shelter of tree.

In rainy season, under thatched roof, temple colleges.

Gurukuls and ashrams were generally situated on river banks or on the lake to attain the
knowledge.
Takshashila
Takshashila (now in Pakistan), was an early
Hindu and Buddhist center of learning.
It consisted several monasteries without large
dormitories and lecture halls.
Religious instruction was provided on individualistic
basis.
Established in fifth century A.D.
The center had-
• 8 separate compounds
• 10 temples

• Meditation halls

• Classrooms

• Lakes and parks

It was the first education institute building housing
• Dormitories 10,000 students and
2000 professors.
 II. Need of Interactive Space in Institutes

• Pedagogy+ Space:
The purpose of Interactive Space is to
support pedagogy that moves away from the
Traditional lecture based course to an
engaged learning course.

• Participation & Socialization:

It creates more participation and collaboration.

• Motivation:
A learning community has the
power to motivate its members to
exceptional performance,
especially when pedagogy, space,
and technology are brought
together and allowed to evolve.

Ill. Functionality of Interactive spaces

Functionality will depend upon the users -
One-one
One-two
One-three
One-small group
One-big group
 COLLEGE INTEREACTIVE SPACES AND RECREATION

INTERACTIVE SPACES IN COLLEGE CAMPUS

Several interactive spaces are used by students within the college campus which serve as a gathering place
for students to interact as well as share ideas by group discussions which in turn gives an impact on the
overall psychology of an individual and gives him/her opportunity to cater knowledge as well as boost him
internally for further exposures.
HOME BASE: PLACES ADJACENT TO SPECIFIC BUILDINGS

Research indicates that 92% of students believe they have a “home base.” This is true of graduate students,
employees, and faculty, as well as undergraduate students. The home base usually revolves around a student’s
major department, where the student has most classes, sees an advisor, and participates in departmental events.
Four subcategories were developed to describe various home base gathering places across campus. They are: The
Front Porch, The Front Yard, The Back Yard, and The Back Door.

THE FRONT PORCH

In the home base terminology, a building’s main entrance is analogous to a front porch. Just as the front
porch of a house offers an important physical and psychological transition from the public life of the
community to the more private life of the smaller social group, the main entrance of a campus building can
offer a similar transition from the campus as a whole to the college or department. This area can be an
important social, study, meeting, and eating place. Main entrances to buildings have the greatest
concentration of outdoor campus use and, if they are to best meet student needs, should include places to
study and eat comfortably outdoors, as well as opportunities to meet casually with faculty outside class and
office hours.
THE FRONT YARD
While the front path and front porch of a typical house are hard surfaced, the front yard of a home typically provides a soft, green transition or buffer between private and public space,
the same is true for campus buildings. Some campus buildings have front yards, significant green spaces where building residents can relax differently than on the front porch. Here
one can go with a friend to talk privately, to sunbathe or nap, to eat, to study, or to hold a class meeting close to home base. Clearly a change of environment is important to a
person’s mental health and stress level. Being in a campus building often carries with it certain expectations: study, work, lecture, file, answer the phone, or attend a meeting; while
being outdoors usually does not carry the same expectations and therefore can be a calming antidote to the stresses of work and study as well as the physiological stresses of
institutional buildings. For these reasons, the concept of front yard is important. For some people the idea of sunbathing or relaxing in public may be inhibiting; but resting, meditating, or
daydreaming in a familiar place that is a part of one’s home base, around people one knows, may be more acceptable.

THE BACK DOOR

Most houses have a very different image at the back door when compared to the front door.
Similarly, a campus building should have an unmistakable back door or service entrance
where trucks park to unload, noxious materials are stored, and waste is picked up.
Difficulties occur when the front door and back door are one and the same. It can be
irritating or impossible for people to socialize, eat lunch, or study while service vehicles
move about in close proximity. The designated back door of a building should be an
unmistakable service entry, conveniently located for delivery access without violating the
front porch or front yard spaces of the same or adjacent building, and located so the noise
of vehicles.

THE BACK YARD

Just as every home has a front yard that is generally open to the view of passersby and is therefore semi-public, most homes also have a back yard that is fully or
partially enclosed and used for both private and utilitarian functions. Campus buildings, too, should have back yards, that is, spaces attached to or partially
enclosed by buildings, where “residents” feel a greater sense of territory than in the front yard and where semi-private departmental or college events can be held. A
partially enclosed space where people can have lunch or meet in small, informal groups is important to the sense of community of a particular building. Such a back
yard space can provide a more intimate alternative to the more lively, more public front porch, yet may be overlooked in the harried pace of the university. Not all
departments have the same need for a back yard space. Departments such as art, drama, and literature have a greater opportunity to use some type of back yard
for informal class activities. For other departments such as engineering, biology, and geology, the necessity of using laboratories or equipment reduces the ability to
use outdoor space.
CAMPUS SPACES USED BY EVERYONE
If spaces close to campus buildings can be thought of as adjuncts to a house, then common areas between
these buildings might be viewed as the streets and parks of the campus community, those public spaces that
are not the territory of specific buildings or departments. Seven categories describe Common Turf campus
spaces used by everyone: Major Plazas, Favorite Outdoor Spaces/Green Spaces, Outdoor Study
Areas/Informal, Outdoor Classrooms, Overlooks, Major Bus Stops, Ergonomy and Campus Entrances.

INTER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERACTIVE SPACES AND RECREATION

The relationship of interactive spaces towards recreation is directly proportional, more the recreation
space is well designed according to the use and surroundings the more recreation is going to take place.
An individual visits an interactive space like parks for relaxation and more comfortable environment he
finds the more recreation takes place for him. Interactive spaces can be of various forms and may serve
different objectives they can either be used by involving a user within them or a user can just watch and
enjoy these spaces, these spaces directly or indirectly serve a recreational spot for the visitors or users.
An interactive space serves as a recreational spot but a recreational space cannot be always a
interactive space, which means that an interactive space can b definitely a source for recreation because
its already molded for the recreational use but a recreational space such as a flat ground can be used as
a place for recreation like playing but it doesn't sound as an interactive space.
TO UNDERSTAND HOW INTERACTIVE SPACES HELP TO DEVELOP THE OVERALL
PERSONALITY OF STUDENT.
The physical environment of a college campus provides the context for learning and social interactions. These interactions lead to
involved students which help build community, and vibrant communities on college campuses contribute to student persistence
and academic success. The student develop meaningful connection with their peers through interactions in outdoor spaces,
student organization offices, academic facilities and recreational areas. The physical spaces encourages interaction and help to
facilitate campus involvement. Natural and built environments of a college campus influence how students discover, built, and
sustained community. well-designed learning spaces have a motivational effect for learner. Learning areas provide an
environment that is simple and enjoyable to work or study in will support engagement in learning, and persuade a desire to
continue activities beyond timetabled classes. Involving learners in aspects of the design is important. This indicates that learners
can have assessed of control over the learning environment and over their own learning.
L AMITY UNIVERSITY (NOIDA SECTOR- 125)

I 1. BACKGROUND

T Amity University was formed by Ashok Chauhan, the founder of the Ritnand Balved

E Education Foundation. Amity was India's first private university slated to implement
reservations based on caste etc. for both faculty as well as students. The school started
R was started in 2003 with an enrollment of 120 students. In 2011, it had 80,000 students in
A 240 programs. It now has more than 125,000 students from all over the world. The

T campus comprises of total 60 acres with rich green and open spaces within the campus.
The university has total strength of 50,000 students with 130 programmes offered, the
U courses ranges from diploma to doctorate level of study. University also houses in campus
R hostel residence for students with capacity of 5000 students, male and female blocks are

E separate.

2. BUILDING ARRANGEMENT

S The university comprises of 12 blocks with additional sports complex which incorporates

T basketball and tennis court along with swimming pool. The connectivity between the

U
blocks is mainly through pathways adjoining
open spaces, however from the
D study of solid and void it was found that the layout of

Y blocks created featured pack arrangement and such

design provides conducive interactive space
spaces for the students.
 INTERACTIVE SPACE
Hallway And Pathway In Faculty
Route in the context of interactive space is either in hallway and
pathway that connects between the buildings and in building
itself. Routes of varying sizes in faculty not only important for the
movement, also can display the spatial aspects of interactions.
These routes provide opportunities for students to interact,
building has the elements that provide interactive space for the
students.

FOYER
AMITY UNIVERSITY, NOIDA Another important function of the faculty that can be used as an
interactive space is the foyer. The foyer breaks the uniformity of
the design of the buildings spaces. It creates variation in terms of
sizes and space arrangement. The foyer also strengthens the
character of the building on a place for academic activities.
 Cafeteria And Food Service Area
The faculty has kiosks and food service area. The facilities are
created to provide services for students. However, besides being
a place for students to have their meals, these spaces also are
areas of interaction for students.

GREEN AND OPEN AREAS

There are green spaces along the blocks which are either serving as a ground for any sports
activity or used for landscaping purposes, these open spaces also serve as recreational
spots for the students either by involving in activity or just as a spectator, moreover sitting
platforms around the trees serve as sitting places used for interactions and chit chatting.
Open areas like swimming pool and basketball courts are provided for the purpose of sports
recreation which pushes the students enthusiasm towards the team spirit and group work.
 SITTING AREA
Sitting areas are provided along the pathways and within the
building courtyard which serve as interaction place for
students while they are on the way. Landscaping around the
sitting areas like benches are blended to each other in feasible
way to give a soothing environment for the students to sit and
relax while talking.

INFERENCES
The presence of landscaping elements provide a fruitful
environment for interactive space.
Cafeteria and food service area has a central courtyard which
serves as a gathering place for students and as a interactive
space.
Sitting in form of benches is provided along the walkways
between building blocks for interactions.
Scarcity of gathering and meeting places which gives a sense of
ownership for students.
 Interactive Spaces in Present Institues
IIM BANGALORE

• Founded in 1973, third IIM to be established.

• Designed by architect B.V. Doshi.
• Covers an area of about 100 acres.
• Unique for its all stone architecture and lush woods.
oportion

Factors Affecting Interactive Spaces

• Scale and proportion

• Light
• Landscape
• Texture
• Climate
• Colour
• Size