Quantifying spaces

Method

Identify all possible spaces, defined by boundary creating features such as walls, thresholds, fences and ditches, as well as by less definite distinctions such as slopes and differences in illumination, and produce a simplified representation of these (a template), as seen in Figure 1.
Decide upon which configurations to study. Remove huts/fences from the template; in groups A and B, I have shown whether gates are open or closed. Print the resulting images.
Use a light box to trace (on a separate piece of paper) connections between spaces in each configuration. This will result in a number of unjustified permeability maps.
Justify these permeability maps (Hillier and Hanson 1984, 149); for simplicity, do this from the exterior (Space 0), as this space is present in all configurations.
Use the justified permeability maps to work out control values and relative asymmetry (RA) values for each space in each configuration (Hillier et Hanson 1984, 108-9).
Use Hillier and Hanson's table of relative asymmetry values for diamond-shaped complexes (Hillier and Hanson 1984, 109-13) to convert relative asymmetry values into real relative asymmetry (RRA) values to allow comparison between spaces in different configurations.
Find the averages of the control and RRA values for each space in groups of configurations where the arrangement and number of spaces remains the same but permeability is changed (by gates). For groups of configurations where the arrangement and number of spaces changes, do not work out averages but use the values for each (effectively, each is a group made up of one configuration).
Enter the resulting (average) values for each space into a spreadsheet (one for each group). Work out the average for the system as a whole, then the difference (positive or negative) between the average and the values of each space. This can then be presented as a percentage to allow comparison across configuration groups.
Give codes to each space (part of the site) in the original template (see Figure 2). This will allow comparison with the plot of finds across the site.

Group A

A1: All huts and fences present, all gates open.

A2: All huts and fences present, gate 2-3 closed.

A3: All huts and fences present, gate 3-5 closed.

A4: All huts and fences present, gates 2-3 and 3-5 closed.

A5: All huts and fences present, gates 0-2 and 0-3 closed.

A6: All huts and fences present, gate 0-4 closed.

A7: All huts and fences present, gates 0-3 and 3-5 closed.

A8: All huts and fences present, gates 0-3 and 2-3 closed.

A9: All huts and fences present, gates 0-4 and 4-5 closed.

A10: All huts and fences present, gate 4-5 closed.

A11: All huts and fences present, gates 3-4 and 4-5 closed.

Group B

Group B (1-4)

B1: Huts 1-4 and fences 2-6 present, gate 2-3 closed.

B2: Huts 1-4 and fences 2-6 present, all gates open.

B3: Huts 1-4 and fences 2-6 present, gate 0-3 closed.

B4: Huts 1-4 and fences 2-6 present, gate 0-2 closed.

Group B (5-8)

B5: All huts and all fences except 2 present, gates 2-3 closed.

B6: All huts and all fences except 2 present, all gates open.

B7: All huts and all fences except 2 present, gate 0-3 closed.

B8: All huts and all fences except 2 present, gate 0-2 closed.

Group C

C1: Huts 2 and 4 and fences 2 and 4 present.

C2: Huts 1, 3 and 5 and fences 1, 3, 5 and 6 present, all gates open.

C3: Huts 1, 3 and 5 and fences 1, 3, 5 and 6 present, additional fence joining fences 1 and 3, all gates open.

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