Ephemeral occupancies: Non-linear approach to adaptable architecture

Abstract When dealing with the daily demands of a sustainable approach in architecture and the rapid development of society, we must accept change and time as an integral part of a building system. An adaptable approach understands architecture as a non-linear process which enables a dynamic response to changing environmental and contextual conditions with the aim to extend the life of a building. The application of adaptability is as ambivalent as the term itself. Therefore, the paper opens a discussion on different perceptions of adaptability in architecture. Adaptability cannot be only understood as moving partitions or vast open spaces. There is a variety of different principles leading to adaptability that can prove the versatility of use - from the basic understanding of flexibility to comprehensive polyvalence. The paper discusses the relationship between capacity and tendency of an architectural space and its components. The discussed relationship is based on actual and virtual properties of an object and their finiteness of interpretation. The paper focuses on non-linear strategies such as a narrative, feed-back and interpretation that could be applied to design to achieve adaptability as part of the proposed strategy called ephemeral occupancies. The manifold of strategies is discussed, and the result of the conceptual analysis is a framework distinguishing non-linear strategy supporting the divergence of capacity and tendency in the context of adaptability.