Relational Thresholds in Nomadic Dwelling Interiors

This study examines how spatial thresholds are produced in nomadic dwelling interiors where permanent partitions are limited. It focuses on the role of material arrangements and portable objects in mediating spatial, functional, social, and ritual conditions, while considering how circular-design-related capacities may contribute to these relationships. Ten documented nomadic dwelling interiors are comparatively analyzed through a Data–Decode–Analysis–Recode framework that translates object–spatial relationships into interpretable design propositions. The findings identify two recurring forms of material mediation: thresholds formed through discrete dividers and those emerging from relational object assemblages. The analysis further shows that portability, adaptability, and other circular-design-related capacities should be understood as enabling conditions rather than threshold-producing mechanisms in themselves. By distinguishing material capacities, spatial operations, and relational outcomes, the study proposes an evidence-aware framework for interpreting how material culture contributes to spatial organization. The research ultimately offers a basis for translating historically situated nomadic design knowledge into explicit rule-based design propositions that can be tested for transferability in future research.