Organizie Your Life and Space

In design, organization of elements and features in to a unified whole is essential to creating spaces that are both functional and beautiful. Within the classification of design organization there are two basic parts, spatial relationships and spatial organization.


Spatial Relationships:

The first spatial organization deals with the connection/relationship between two spaces. This can be looked at in several fundamental ways, such as inter locking spaces, adjacent spaces, or space within a space. Space within a space is probably the most basic of these and it simply is the placement or containment of one volume of space within a larger volume of space.

Spaces within a Space

This hotel lobby, in Spain, shows how one space (the atrium) can be totally encapsulated withing the larger space (the lobby) and how a relationship is formed between the placement and connection of the two individual areas.

Spatial Organization:

The second part of spatical organization deals with the arrangement, configuration and/or circulation of elements or parts with in a given area or space. Within this there are several types of organization that can be used such as centralized organization, linear organization, grid organization, and clustered organization.

Centralized Organization

Centralized organization is defined by a central element or void about which many elements are grouped. An example of this would be Vincent Wolfe's selection of a round dinning room table as the focal point around which he has placed two different types of chairs.

Linear Organization

Linear Organization is simply the linear sequence of items in a given space. One of the easiest way to think of this is as a implied line where there is a clear path, yet each element is not strictly touching.
This Napa Valley restaurant, called the Farmstead,  with its long linear tables and the repetition of chairs shows a deliberate use of linear organization.

Clustered Organization

"Spaces grouped by proximity or the sharing of a common visual trait or relationship." Many times this is called groupings.

By clustering and positioning the direction of these furniture pieces, within this London living room, there is a clear organization that is created. It is further defined by the ceiling detail and the rug placement.

Grid Organization

Grid Organization is where spaces are organized within a grid or framework, most of the time with a clear y and x-axis. This restaurant dinning area by Spanish designer, Lazaro Rosa-Violan, has a prominent grid organization, which is created by the use of square tables that are lined up in rows and columns.