Form of Residential Open Space Structurized into the Space Composition Unit of the Historic Urban Area

Abstract

The composition of building units and open spaces on a residential lot represents a characteristic feature of space structure built in the historic urban area. The case study at five areas in Kinki district provides the following understandings in spatial meaning of the“niwa”(yard or garden) space.
(1) A space composition unit of the buildings and the niwa is recognized most typically in the form that a main buildig, annexes, and utiliy units are arranged with strong orientation toward the niwa space which provides adequate environmental conditions.
The increase of lot size, especially that of lot depth promotes the possibility that the secondary unit of the space composition is organized in the rear part of the lot.
(2) The functional analysis in conjunction with the building floor plan identifys spatial meanings of the niwa space summarized as ; the space which absorb spatial hiearchy from community to prvacy attached to the floor plan of the main building, the space which is a uniting medium between the main building and the annexes, and the space which separates the main building and the annex by enhancing functional unity of the front and the rear section of the site plan respectively.
(3) Number of the niwa space unit is closly related to the building density represented by building area and the building-to-lot area ratio (BLR). The marginal density in which a single unit of the niwa space will be retained is unusually high and 80 percent of the BLR or 30 spuare meter of the open space.
(4) The mass composition of the building units which guarantees acceptable environmental condition of the niwa space is demonstrated in the arrangement pattern of the building volume allocated in each spatial zone of the lot depth.