A Syntactic Study of Control in Restrictive Settings: Innovations in Isovist Methods

Space syntax techniques, with some methodological innovations involving the use of isovists, are used to explore the spatial dimensions of control in restrictive environments as exemplified by three Alzheimer's units and three juvenile detention centers in the United States. The aim is to identify the spatial and visual properties of buildings that have implications, either directly or through their effect on patterns of space use, relevant to the aims of normalizing behaviors while still maintaining control. Spatial configuration, and more conclusively the views from spaces, are critical factors influencing the probabilistic spatial patterning of movement and, through this, of interaction. In this paper I expand on some new isovist/viewshed measures that make possible a fuller description of space, particularly significant to environments where a margin of awareness may contribute to a more normalized life.