Backdoor - Frontdoor

Backdoor - Frontdoor is one of fifty different building elements catalogued by Siah Armajani in his "Dictionary of Building" project. In the project, Armajani defined the primary units of building (doors, windows, staircases and closets) and their functions.

Armajani defined doors by juxtaposing various kinds: front and back, attic and basement, closed and open. Doors are passageways. They represent two possibilities in sharp contrast when open or closed. Backdoor-Frontdoor is a conceptual investigation of the closed door. Here, the front door is taller and projects forward. It is aligned with the receding back door which is approached by two ascending stairs. Lacking essential hardware (hinges or tracks), both doors remain closed.