Time, space, and material

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This book explores the principle of layering in architecture, focusing on its mechanics, applications, and meanings. While layering is a common topic in 20th and 21st-century architectural discussions, it is often underdefined. Layering connects the structure and skin of buildings, facilitating the creation of diverse architectural spaces over time without a hierarchical design approach. Three types of layering are identified: temporal layering, which reflects changes over time; spatial layering, which sequences spaces; and material layering, which stratifies individual planes. Historic cities exemplify temporal layering, revealing their evolution like a palimpsest, a concept familiar to archaeologists studying civilization remnants. In these urban landscapes, recent layers help trace the city's physical history, while contemporary architects introduce new strata. Cities embody multiple layers, offering a nuanced understanding of time where the present coexists with the past. At the building scale, layers contribute to spatial composition, integrating walls, structures, and decorative elements. Architectural layers convey information about function, origin, and cultural expression, with materials, light, and color serving as potential elements of this strategy. Material layering distinguishes spatial enclosures into floors, walls, and roofs, with individual elements often comprising multiple planes. The architectural enclosure