Towards a Slower Architecture of Movement and Use

Through observational analysis and photographic mapping, moments where people slowed down or stopped were identified and categorized into two main groups: architectural friction, elements that designers can intentionally use to shape experience, and contextual factors that are beyond full control but can be anticipated, such as sunlight or urban flow. Architectural friction includes material choices, spatial dimensions, rhythms, and visual or physical connections between spaces. These subtle design shifts often have more perceptible impact than large-scale interventions, which risk becoming unnoticeable patterns themselves. The project proposes a layered spatial system that combines modular, generic spaces with zones designed for specific and evolving uses. This allows for multiple levels of permanence and appropriability, fostering interaction and allowing the building to accommodate change over time. Alternative routes, varied speeds of movement, and differing levels of privacy are key to reviving the building as an inclusive, adaptable framework for public life. Ultimately, this design advocates for an architecture of slowness and polyvalence, one that reclaims overlooked structures not simply by inserting new functions, but by enabling richer, more varied patterns of use, movement, and encounter.