Nature-inspired Architectural Concepts for Challenging Spatial Boundaries

Architecture discipline is primarily concerned with spatial boundaries. Although this subject has been addressed from various scopes, the way in which these boundaries can be challenged, namely architectural concepts that are capable in this regard, has remained largely uninvestigated. Nature-inspired architectural concepts developed by Sou Fujimoto in the framework of his intellectual project, Primitive Future, aim to eliminate traditional spatial boundaries and, therefore, his architecture can be a didactic case in this context. The aim of this paper is therefore to unfold certain spatial boundaries that can be blurred by these architectural concepts and to evaluate their potential for the elimination of spatial boundaries. Ergo, this paper can be regarded as a qualitative documentary study founded on a descriptive-analytical method conducted by a literature survey and a case study. Findings have indicated that certain spatial boundaries, namely the established dualities between Architecture ─ Nature, Interior ─ Exterior, Architecture ─ Furniture, Object ─ Field, Figure ─ Ground, Public ─ Private, Architecture ─ City and Openness ─ Enclosure, may be blurred by architectural concepts developed as the Primitive Future. However, the potential of these concepts to challenge spatial boundaries is different, i.e. Tree Like Place and Garden have the greatest potential.