Kimberly Leon

This project investigates crowding as a spatial phenomenon that mediates physical density and dynamic conditions, fostering interaction through proximity, negotiation, and spatial friction. By examining how residential spaces transition into public uses, the research explores the blurring of private and communal boundaries, generating shared experiences. Social interaction is analyzed within circulation zones—corridors, staircases, and lobbies—where distinct functions converge, compelling occupants to engage in spontaneous encounters. Employing techniques such as collage and the concept of the knot, the project explores the layering and interweaving of spatial elements to create controlled congestion. It distinguishes between crowding in plan, which organizes density through layout, and three-dimensional crowding, which examines volumetric compression and occupation. Through massing strategies, the study conceptualizes crowding mass, where architectural intensity produces varied spatial conditions. 

The central hypothesis suggests that strategically designed crowding conditions can enhance social engagement by transforming spatial congestion into opportunities for interaction rather than discomfort or inefficiency. This leads to key research questions: How can spatial crowding be intentionally designed to foster positive social exchange? In what ways do circulation spaces mediate between private and communal realms? How do different massing strategies influence spatial perception and movement patterns? By integrating these frameworks, the research aims to reveal how architectural design can harness crowding as a generative force, reimagining density as a tool for interaction, engagement, and collective experience.