The Architecture of Phenomenology:
A comparative study of theory surrounding the architectural impact of the five human senses.

Extract:

We perceive the surrounding world by our senses, predominately sight. As babies and toddlers, we learn and experience the world in a far more haptic manner- mainly through our mouths, by touch, taste, smell, and hearing. Studies have emphasised how crucial this stage in early years development is, having shown that when young children were haptically exposed to objects, they were quicker to both identify and associate the object with its name. It can therefore be understood that the human body uses the entire sensorium to gather and process external data from the world around us, which in turn shapes our understanding of it.
Yet as we grow older, we further depend on sight as the primary tool to experience the world. From work to leisure, science to art, the screen to physical print- society can be characterized by an acceleration of visual dominance, writes mid-20th century philosopher Michel De Certeau. Such a strong dependency on vision could be considered to have suppressed and stifled the other sense’s ability to be fully incorporated and utilized to enhance the everyday embodied human experience.

Similar trends can also be seen in architecture, with contemporary buildings veering further away from an eclectic experience of the sensorium. This pull can be cited in some of the early writings of popularist Modernist architects, such as Le Corbusier. In his book Towards a New Architecture, he writes “Architecture is a plastic thing. I mean by “plastic” what is seen and measured by the eye.” Such a position indicates the importance and priority given to the eye when considering the built form. Corbusier declares the plasticity of architecture, which relates to his views on architectural expression emphasised by human observation. He speaks of this value by the experience created by means of; sculpted forms, crafted natural light, solid & void space, and material choices & weight, all on the basis of vision alone. These characteristics of his work, however, do carry a certain sensory quality – plasticity evoking a substance that is tactile, worked by the hand. It can be understood then that the design theory of architecture has indeed always recognised the importance of stimulating the senses, even if popular focus has moved towards purely visual and aesthetic appeal.

The value of sight in architecture, thus, has to be acknowledged. It is a key factor in understanding the sensorium. Architecture, like art, is generally considered as a primarily visual medium, it is almost impossible to experience without being able to see it. The key word is “experience.” Dutch Architect Steen Eiler Rassmussen explores this theme in more depth in his book, Experiencing Architecture (1959). He writes in length about ways in which we experience the built environment, placing the human at the centre of his approach, and describing architecture as a form that encompasses the observer. His work explores broad architectural expression, composition, and materials, exploring how design choices tune into and affect our senses, which impacts the overall experience of the building. The core concept of this book can be put simply by “it is not enough to see architecture; you must experience it.”

Thus, the concept of phenomenology is introduced. Fundamentally concerning itself as the human experience perceived through our senses. Rassmussen did not establish this term, yet it can be considered as a somewhat debated and fluid concept, born in the realm of philosophy during the 19th century. Derived from the Greek phainonmenon, meaning to show, and logos, to study, phenomenology can be literally considered as the study of things shown.

Later, the concept was applied to- and evolved with- an architectural understanding, which will be the focus of this research.

* Night Shift is an exhibition that aims to celebrate the vast array of processes employed by students within their works and the unique approaches they each take to bring them to fruition. The focus is looking for works of all media which has a particular focus on light. *