Continuity and Flow

This 500 square foot micro dwelling located on the corner of Watt Way and Bloom Walk is a
promenade of interior and exterior spaces. The project is inspired by a passage in Robert
Venturi’s Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. In brief, Venturi is interested in how
“flowing space is used to achieve the continuity of inside and outside” (70). He offers two
examples: Mie’s Barcelona Pavilion, and Wright’s Robie House. However, as a result of the
exceedingly small site footprint, this idea of spatial continuity and flow was, by necessity,
extended to the section as well.

The dwelling consists of two primary components: the building—a simple rectilinear volume, and
a ramp, that creates a seamless transition from the exterior to the upper level. The open floor
plan encourages fluid movement throughout the space. A kitchen/dining/living area on the
ground level, lowered slightly below grade, not only establishes a threshold but also, creates
various zones, almost like a Loosian raumplan. Beginning at the entryway, the ramp flows
through the living room into a cantilevered walkway that wraps around the exterior of the
structure. The cantilevered roof runs parallel to the ramp—creating a sense of enclosure, while
still being open to the outside.