Architecture for the Senses

Architecture for the Senses

ARCHITECTURE FOR THE SENSES
“…Architecture is the art of reconciliation between ourselves and the world, and this mediation takes place through the senses." - (PALLASMAA, J., 1994) On the first thought, senses in architecture seem unimportant. Most frequently, buildings are created relying heavily on their visual aspects or on only one of our primary senses – the visual one. The creation of environments that are visually stimulating without taking into consideration of the user friendliness, multi-sensorial and functionality aspects, might end up creating spaces that reduces physical or mental accessibility. That is, creating ‘distorted space’. For instance, a photogenic building can be visually pleasing, but in terms of acoustical properties, can create problems to someone with hearing impairment. It is not us who needs to adapt to the environment. It is the environment that should adapt to us (PONTY, M, 1994). Built environment has much effect on our living conditions. It affects our experiences, feelings, memories and eventually our decision making (PANAGIOTIS, H., 2013). From January to April 2014, ‘Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined’ was an exhibition held at Royal Academy of Arts in London, focusing on how touch, smell, sound and memory can be brought together to investigate their importance and their effect on our daily life. Seven architects were brought together to help people to rediscover places through new perspectives and understand how it made people feel. These primary sensorial experiences and interactions helped to enhance social wellbeing by allowing the people to connect with place, time, memory and community (URBAN TIMES, 2014). Our body plays an important role for us to understand spatial formation. “Our bodies and movements are in constant interaction with the environment the world and the self-inform and redefine each other constantly” (PALLASMAA, J., 1994). Occupants can feel the rhythm of an architecture...