Space: East entrance Mason hall lobby.

“Lively domain”

As a hub where many hallways come together and lead to other hallways and the diag, the space serves as a connector through which people walk on their way to their destinations. The spaciousness of the domain and its lack of furniture allows multiple people to walk through the space simultaneously. Bright illumination, coming from both overhead lighting and wide windows, and tendency for the hard surfaces (floors and walls) to echo the noises of the people that crowd the space contribute to domain’s vibrant and raucous atmosphere. Doors and hallway frames help separate the lobby area from adjacent spaces. The doors on the far right of the space separate the inside of the building from the outside.

The sets of folding chairs and tables that bisect the space, along with the columns these are aligned with, create spaces for people gathering. When the tables are in use, often by many campus-based organizations for various purposes, clusters of stationary people gather around the front of the table, distinguishing themselves from walkers. On the far left of the image is a dark ledge (an extension of the staircase leading to the second floor) that raises about half-a-foot from the main floor and is composed of tiles notably darker than the floor tiles. While the ledge can be used to elevate people for attention-seeking or on-looking purposes, it is also used as seating, making the ledge area a suitable resting and gathering place.  

The east-facing windows are framed by thick concrete pillars and a wooden ledge that forms a 2-foot deep recess where users can distance themselves slightly from the hallway to lounge or enjoy window views. Overall, the volume of people the space can contain, as well as the numerous activities it allows, makes it feel like a very communal space.