Grey Space Research On The Modern Residential Building

Gray space refers to transitional space,connecting the interior to exterior. It provides people platform closing to the nature and communicating each other.On the development of Chinese residential buildings, gray space has always existed in the traditional folk house.In the Modern architecture period, Gray space of the residential buildings appears in some new space form but has never lost the primary nature and role.This paper reviews the historical background as well as development of gray space and analysises its role and construction methods.This article places the related theories such as genius loci,communication and space as the basic,analyses three gray space types:entrance,balconie and bottom of residential buildings in the form of pattern language,researches the human behavior needs in the gray space and uses this to illustrate gray space should possess what functions, spaces forms and internal component elements. The paper make a thorough inquiry of the relationsips among human, architecture and nature and then reach a conclusion that gray space have important values to people in harmony whith nature.Through studying from practical cases and investigations, the paper gives a general conclusion about characteristics and roles of this gray space as well as the conclude the design Principles of gray space to guide the future design.