ACISS 3

Access Analysis
 Purpose of Access Analysis
Focus attention on routes between
social spaces, ignoring all distractions
Size
Shape
Orientation
Architectural Decoration
 Is This Approach Barking?
Excessively Processual theoretically
old fashioned.
Unrealistic discards a lot of potentially
useful information.
Calculations are hard work whole
thing is a lot of effort.

Forces you to look at the evidence in a

completely different way.
Modern House
1 Garden
2 Vestibule
3 Hall
4 Kitchen
5 living room
6 Corridor
7 Bathroom
8-10 bedrooms
Access Map 1 Garden
2 Vestibule
3 Hall
4 Kitchen
5 living room
6 Corridor
7 Bathroom
8-10 bedrooms
 Justification
and Depth

An non-
distributed
system.
Only one route
between two
points.
 Distributed
System

Same house with a

Back door to the
Kitchen
More than one route
between two points
Access map forms a
ring
 Statistical Description
Control Values (and Score)
Mean Depth
Relative Asymmetry

Can be calculated for each space within

a complex.
Potentially helps identify function of the
room and the nature of the society that
created it.
 Score

Score = 1 divided
by number of
connected spaces
 Control
Value

Control Value =
sum of Scores in
adjacent spaces
 Control Values

Controlled Space < 1

Controlling Space 1

Node 2
 Mean Depth

Mean Depth =

Sum of depth of each space in turn

Number of rooms in the complex

Calculated for each space in turn

Always the shortest route
 From Carrier

1+2+3+(4x4)+(5x3)
10
=3.7
From Room 10

1+(2x3)+(3x4)+4+5
10
=2.8
Symmetry and Asymmetry

Symmetry relative to the

carrier

Asymmetry relative to
either space 1 or 2
 Relative Asymmetry
Relative Asymmetry
= 2(MD-1)
K-2

Where K = number of spaces in the

complex including the carrier
Extreme Values
Calculations for carrier
MD = (1+1)/2 = 1
RA = 2(1-1)/1 = 0

Calculations for Space 1

MD = (1+2)/2 = 1.5
RA = 2(1.5-1)/1 = 1
 Modern House; Table
No. Name Depth RA MD
Carrier 0 0.6 3.7
1 Garden 1 0.4 2.8
2 Vestibule 2 0.47 2.1
3 Hall 3 0.13 1.6
4 Kitchen 4 0.33 2.5
5 Living R. 4 0.33 2.5
6 Corridor 4 0.2 1.9
7 Bathroom 4 0.33 2.5
8 Bedroom 5 0.4 2.8
9 Bedroom 5 0.4 2.8
10 Bedroom 5 0.4 2.8
Kapauka House

1. Veranda
2. Mens Dorm
3. Headsman
4-12. Womens
rooms
Access Map,
Unjustified
 Justified Access

Very little depth

 Kapauka House MD and RA
MD RA
Carrier 1.33 0.06
1 1.92 0.17
2 2.83 0.33
3 3.83 0.52
4 2.25 0.26
5 2.25 0.26
6 2.25 0.26
7 2.25 0.26
8 2.25 0.26
9 2.25 0.26
10 2.25 0.26
11 2.25 0.26
12 2.25 0.26
 Atrium House
Roman Town House
1. Main entrance
vestibule.
4. Atrium main family
room
9+10 Peristyle and
garden
13. Room with back door
 Unjustified
Access Map

Distributed system
 Justified Access Map

Greater Depth
Two spaces crucial to movement
through the complex
 Atrium House MD and RA
MD RA
Carrier 2.54 0.26
1 2.38 0.23
2 2.69 0.28
3 2.69 0.28
4 1.77 0.13
5 2.69 0.28
6 2.69 0.28
7 2.69 0.28
8 1.92 0.15
9 2.07 0.19
10 3 0.33
11 3 0.33
12 3 0.33
13 2.69 0.28
 An Objective Technique?
Allows a degree of objectivity, but
Have to decide what constitutes a
separate space
Have to set limits to the study

These are highly subjective decisions

 Secret Ways
Space is perceived differently by
different people
Guests would almost always access
through the front door the back door
would not be an option
Therefore will have a different
experience from that of a householder
who can pop in and out the shortest
route.