Robert Venturi's "Mother's House" Model

Section Cut

Front Section

Front Elevation

Back Section

Back ElevationSide Elevation

Parti Diagrams

With my parti diagrams I tried to analytically study the building. For each diagram I tried to find a unique way of examining and understanding it graphically.

Parti - Circulation

For circulation I carried out a study of movement over time. By shading in the areas where occupents would frequent most often darker, and areas where they would visit less often lighter a pattern emerges. The diagram shows an interesting feature of the house; while there are no distinct corridors, the study shows an overwhealming use of the area close by the chimney.

Parti - Program

For program I decieded that to get a full sense of the different room dynamics one needs to see the walls in 3D, so that they have both height, width and depth. To achieve this I extruded the walls and gave the diagram a 3D look.

Parti - Geometry

For my geometrical study of the Venturi House I began by dividing up the building along the main axis's. I then connected the points with curves which extend from the exterior courtyard area, these arcs 'bounce' and connect perfectly with the points on the axis.

Parti - Enclosure

For enclosure I drew the line of sight from different locations. From this study I found that the layout of the house blocked seeing any far distances within the house due to the irregular nature of the wall structure. I tried to portray this with the location of the site lines.

Parti - Structure

For this diagrams I only drew what I thought were structural walls. After completing this I came to realise what an important role the chimney structure plays as a central grounding and mass support for the building.

Poshe Drawings

I tried to show a sense of the quality of the space by blackening the walls, and graphically rendering the building using pencil. To understand the play of light within the building I first used my model, I shone a lamp at it from different angles and distances to gather an idea of how the light would penetrate Venturi's house.