Phenomenology: Space and Human Experience

Phenomenology: Understanding Space Through Human Experience

• Phenomenology emphasizes the subjective experience of space, exploring how individuals perceive and interact with their surroundings.
• It focuses on lived experience rather than abstract theories.

Key Thinkers

Martin Heidegger

• Dwelling: Heidegger's concept of "dwelling" is central to his philosophy. Dwelling means being at peace in a space, finding meaning, and a sense of belonging in a place.
• Being-in-the-World: Heidegger introduces the idea of "Being-in-the-World," stating our existence is always situated within a specific context. Spatial understanding is deeply connected to our experiences and activities within that space.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty

• Embodied Perception: Merleau-Ponty emphasizes that our perception of space is embodied—our body actively shapes how we experience space through movement, touch, and light.
• Intertwining of Body and World: Our bodies and the environment constantly interact within a space, mutually influencing each other.

Applications in Architecture

Designing for Emotional Response

• Sensory Engagement: Architects can design spaces eliciting emotional responses through sensory engagement; use of light for warmth or textures for touch to create a sense of openness and invitation.
• Atmosphere: The atmosphere of a space significantly impacts how it's perceived. Elements like color, sound, and materiality are used to evoke desired feelings and moods.

Practical Examples

• Natural Light: Large windows and skylights enhance the sensory experience of a space, connecting it to the outside environment, influencing mood.
• Textures and Materials: Rough textures evoke ruggedness and natural beauty; smooth, polished surfaces create a sense of modernity and cleanliness.

Structuralism: Space as a System of Relationships

• Structuralism views space as a network of relationships and structures. It emphasizes underlying systems and patterns organizing space rather than individual elements in isolation.

Key Thinkers

Claude Lévi-Strauss

• Anthropological Structuralism: Lévi-Strauss applied structuralist ideas to anthropology, suggesting cultural phenomena can be understood through relationships and structures.
• Binary Oppositions: He introduced binary oppositions like nature/culture, raw/cooked as fundamental structures shaping human thought and cultural practices. They identify how space can relate elements to one another.

Roland Barthes

• Semiotics of Space: Barthes explored how spaces communicate meaning through signs and symbols such as architecture, layout, and objects.
• Mythologies: Barthes examined how everyday objects and spaces are imbued with cultural meanings and ideologies, arguing that spaces reflect societal values and power structures directly/indirectly.

Applications in Architecture

Designing for Social Structures

• Reflecting Social Hierarchies: Architects can design spaces reflecting social structures and hierarchies, such as office layouts highlighting power structures.
• Cultural Contexts: Designing spaces should resonate with the local community by considering traditions, values, and social practices.

Urban Planning

• Network of Relationships: Urban planning can benefit from a structuralist approach by connecting residential, commercial, and public spaces through transportation.
• Functional Zoning: Structuralism informs urban zoning to create a functional city layout, for instance separating industrial zones from residential ones.
• Practical Examples: Practical examples include City Grids (New York), public spaces that promote interaction (parks, plazas), and functional zoning strategies.

Postmodernism: Fragmentation and Multiplicity of Space

• Postmodernism challenges the idea of a unified space, embracing fragmentation, diversity, and multiple perspectives, rejecting universal truths.

Key Thinkers

• Robert Venturi: Known for his works "Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture," critiquing modernist uniformity and advocating for richness, ornamentation, and historical references in architecture.

• Charles Jencks: Emphasized eclecticism and pluralism in postmodern architecture. Explored semiotics and how architecture communicates meaning through symbols and signs.

Applications in Architecture

• Mix of Styles: Combining elements from different historical periods and contexts.
• Playful Elements: Incorporating unexpected shapes, colors, and decorative elements to challenge traditional notions of form and function.
• Historical References: Integrating historical elements within new designs.

The Social Production of Space

• Space isn't neutral. It’s actively shaped by social relations and power structures—not a backdrop, but a product.
• Shaped by economic, political, and social forces.

Abstract vs. Social Space

• Abstract Space: Homogenized, commodified spaces created by capitalist production (e.g., shopping malls, office buildings).
• Social Space: Encourages social interaction, reflecting community values (e.g., public parks, community centers).

Sensory Architecture

• A design approach engaging all senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste).
• Enhances emotional and psychological impact of spaces, creating immersive and engaging experiences.
• Incorporating sensory elements (lighting, sounds, textures, materials) significantly enhances the livability and attractiveness of urban spaces.

Use of Sensory Elements in Urban Parks

• Urban parks can utilize soundscapes (water features, birdsong), incorporating sensory elements to create a sense of tranquility and enhance the experience.

Exploring Atmospheric Qualities & Sensory Elements in Architecture

• Atmosphere refers to the feeling evoked by a space through sensory elements.
• Materiality plays a vital role in creating atmosphere; materials have tactile qualities and connections to the local context. Key elements like light, sound, and temperature are also factors.