
VISUAL BOUNDARIES
PERCIEVING FIELD, SPACE AND MOVEMENT
We experience boundaries in our daily lives in various ways, whether it be an object or person obstructing our line of vision, or a social norm preventing us from behaving a certain way. Unlike social boundaries which are intangible, visual boundaries are very much concrete. Through the course of this exercise, you will observe visual boundaries in the form of frames containing miscellaneous abstract shapes, objects, and their shadows.
We began to recognize the various visual boundaries that exist as we navigate through the built and natural environment that surrounds us. The visual boundaries that we observed will be perceived for their nature, character, construct, materiality, and function.
Studying the various aspects of these visual boundaries and their organization has led us to begin to perceive the basic constructs of space and the relationship it possesses to the movement of various bodies in space, which we will begin to document through photographs and drawings. Finally, we will analyze the organization and construct of field and space and the resulting movement of your body in the particular field of space. We will engage with this study through the construction of diagrams, maps, and models to begin to understand the subject of cartography and its value in constructing visual narratives.
Students Work
The drawings are based on, the field, space and movement around 4 particulate spaces, 1) The staircase leading to a level one in the park 2) Skating ring 3) Corridor of the school, and 4) The lift, the maps are drawn by navigating, perceiving and understanding various aspects such as, the movement and circulation around these spaces, the interaction with light, people, animals, foliage, vegetation, the depth, levels, height and the concrete, rigid, transparent and opaque.
The style of the drawings is based on references from the works of artists such as David Lemm and Zarina Hashmi.
Bhagyashree Dargar
The society entrance has been taken as an example as there are various boundaries and demarcations that can be observed. Starting from the inside to the periphery. The road and the traffic lane marking demarcates a space for the vehicles that enter and exit the society. The boom barrier acts as a temporary boundary and helps with the security aspect. The umbrella’s shadow acts as a boundary for the watchmen seeking shade during the day.
The top view of the balcony gives a peek into the different boundaries that are present. The balcony railing acts as a boundary for security purposes. The triangular flooring creates a regional boundary for human movements. The solid white region (in the drawing) is the lawn. The brick block line separates the lawn and the soil region.
Kevin John
The aim of this exercise was to recognise the various visual and physical boundaries that exist in spaces as well their natures, aspects, and functions. These were then, to be mapped out.
In this map, the building is the field, wherein various spaces exist. The three main spaces are the stairwell, the lift lobbies and the elevator shaft. The stairwell and the elevator act as boundaries that enable vertical motion rather than obstructive boundaries. The doors on each lift lobby show the divisions between each flat that enables privacy. Also, each door is designed in a different way depicting diversity. Some amount of the lift lobby leading towards each door is occupied by shoes and doormats showing the extension of the boundaries, that is, the doors.
Kris Castelino
As you begin to navigate through this exercise you come across many kinds of spaces. One of these was a clubhouse and play area, being covid season the place was barred, and the boundaries that demarcated the various areas were stark. Though they might not all be physical barriers, the small differences in the height and materials holds one off to reconsider whether or not to move in that direction. The boundaries also divide the various activities and give a certain direction to the movement. Another space was the Kainakary Houseboat Terminal in Kerala. The space has boundaries that are specific to its nature and function. The extended port with railings ensures safety while the land, sea and the boats have their own specific boundaries. The narrow corridor also directs the movement of people in and about the space.
Miriam Thomas
The wood warehouse was chosen because it shows various boundaries and space between them. The boundary helps to recognize various aspects such as safety, material difference, level difference, obstructive, directional. It is the plan of the warehouse. There are various techniques used like stippling to show the sawdust, the wooden texture for the wooden block, different thickness lines to show the weight of the wooden block. The visual boundaries are observed for their nature, character, construct, materiality, and function.
Shruti Rathod
Different kinds of spaces and boundaries are experienced in everyday life. Without this perception, life is simply not possible. There are spaces that are intangible while others are well defined. In the drawings, it is portrayed how certain places can have multiple spaces if viewed from the right perspective.
There, the stippling and hatching give the sense of boundary formed by light and shadow. The art of cartography is used to comprehend that. The second sketch is representing radial and restricted spaces. The shading is also giving an idea about the light sources.
Without space, there is no movement, and without movement, there is no space. Thus, boundaries, spaces, and movement are interrelated concepts and none of them can exist without the other.
Simran Khaitan