Justified access maps

After the access map has been produced, it can then be justified from the perspective of the carrier position (Foster 1989a: 41). Justified access maps provide a clear visual impression of the relational properties of each space in terms of their access to one another. In a justified access map, each horizontal layer represents different spaces found at common levels of permeation; space as it relates to increasing depth is represented vertically on consecutive levels (Hanson and Hillier 1982: 149). By justifying an access map, each space is assigned a depth value depending on its distance from the carrier position whilst preserving the links of permeability. The depth values of spatial units (nodes) are determined quantitatively by counting the number of boundaries (edges) that need to be crossed along a given route to reach the target space. This approach provides a useful way of assessing the relative accessibility to a given space from the perspective of a stranger and/or visitor entering the spatial system from the carrier position. In addition, this process allows one to determine those spaces that are found at common levels of permeation from the perspective of the carrier and those that are not. Figure 2.14 shows justified access maps of four building groups that are consistent with Andrews’s (1975) definitions of Maya building group archetypes: the Cross Group and Palace at Palenque, the Nunnery at Uxmal, and the Principal Group at Copan. As mentioned earlier in text, each layer of dots in the diagrams represent units of space found at common depths from the carrier, and each consecutive layer of dots represents spaces found at increasing depths. The numbers and letters next to each dot allow for the easy identification of depth values from the carrier position as well as the location of each space on the original unjustified access maps.