Architectural Building for All the Senses: Bringing Space to Life
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Image: Kuco | Dreamstime
All too often, architectural designs rely more heavily on just one primary sense – the visual one. The other senses are unfortunately frequently neglected. This is unfortunate since it is through the senses that architecture can have profound effect. For instance, architectural building can more truly relate to the surrounding culture through all of the senses. Addressing historic, traditional or present-day cultural patterns can make a work of architecture a success when the senses are not ignored.
The architect must act as a composer that orchestrates space into a synchronization for function and beauty through the senses – and how the human body engages space is of prime importance. As the human body moves, sees, smells, touches, hears and even tastes within a space – the architecture comes to life.
The rhythm of an architecture can be felt by occupants as a result of the architect’s composition – or arrangement of all the sensorial qualities of space. By arranging spatial sensorial features, an architect can lead occupants through the functional and aesthetic rhythms of a created place. Architectural building for all the senses can serve to move occupants – elevating their experience.
Architectural space is about layering for all of the senses. Like a musical composition, spatial features come together into a symphony for occupants to experience. Bringing a space to life means that architectural function and form is not just primarily for the visual sense. By engaging all of the senses, form and function may be more fully expressed so occupants can have deeper, more meaningful moments – feeling the bouquet of their surroundings in all of its dimensions.
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I really appreciate your awareness into this subject matter, I find that so many designers neglect to take all of our methods of perception and sensation into consideration. I was wondering if you happened to have any particular buildings in mind that successfully attained this in design? I would appreciate any information that you have…I am writing a paper on relating the Gestalt Principles to our 3-dimensional realm. I’m new to the whole RSS feed, so email me (or a little advice on it would be much appreciated). Thanks so much & good thinking!
Rachel
Rachel,
I often consider what it might be like to combine the best qualities of differing architectural works together. Imagine merging what makes a religious architecture so great with what makes a healthcare facility so great.
The religious building often prioritizes design for the mind while the healthcare facility often prioritizes design for the body. By learning from each — designers can unite what works for each to ultimately create an architectural masterpiece.
I think that is what makes amazing architecture so amazing — the ability to feed the mind, body and even the soul. A wonderful work that illustrates some of these qualities is Sainte Marie de La Tourette, designed by Le Corbusier. It is located in a valley near Lyon, France.
Hello! First of all ,I would like to thank for such an inspiring website.
I am architect and started my masters on interior design.I came across this article while researching about my thesis. And you inspired me a lot.I developed my subject around ‘Can architecture Expand Human Senses’ article which is absolutely great.
In these days I am looking for some books related to senses and design.Recently I have read Pallassama’s ‘The eyes of the skin’ which was really helpful for me. I will be more than happy if you can recommend me books about senses and design.
Many many thanks for this great website with such an interesting articles. As a student I must say It is more than educational.
I am looking forward for your reply…
I am excited to see you touch a vein of values architecture, I have been chasing myself for years. Your depth of involvement in these very deep subjects is really beautiful and passionately dealt with and well written. Sound, color and value, shape, texture, scale, smell…. all definitive measures of the spaces we should be alert to. One in particular, that has drawn my attention a great deal in the recent churches I have done is indirect natural light. Since light is visual, only one sense is involved. But it is major to me, at least in it’s affect on the sensitivity to mystery and presence, a religious heart is drawn to. I have an essay in the attached website.
Also, you have thoughts on a universal beauty that we are drawn too. I too advocate Christopher Alexander’s “Patterns”; at least relating to a the arrangement of building parts and function whiuch can be founf consistently or habitually thoughout history. I have written a lengthy draft of an essay on the subject. I have used it to assist some communities develop their plans.
I would love to continue this discussion. In the meantime, I will savor the rest of your investigation of sensuality in architecture.
I’m Glad I found you.
Hi Dennis — Thanks so much for taking the time to write me with such encouraging words about my work. I too am so passionate about these issues, and I am glad to meet you, someone who also shares these passions. Yes, let’s keep the discussion going. And please let me know of any insights you might have along the way as you continue to investigate!