Void and Mass

Courts, atria, and plazas complete a building as much as its solid parts.

At the Salk Institute, the empty central court becomes the symbolic center. The void formed between facing buildings is the protagonist.

The Seagram plaza sets the tower back and gives Midtown breathing room. A private building can contribute public open space.

The circular 21st Century Museum loosens its boundary with the park, extending void beyond the building into the city.

At the Rolex Learning Center, rising and falling floors divide zones through topography rather than rooms. Void becomes terrain.

The ratio of solids, openings, and court depth controls scale and breathing room. Design lies in balancing fullness and emptiness.