On Atmospheres – Design for All The Senses

Given the physical nature of the built environment, it is very easy to understand how the visual qualities of a space regularly dominate and influence our perception of a building and seem to draw greater attention in architectural studies today (ie. through an obsession with renderings and “pretty” graphics). One of the areas I know I have personally struggled with as a design student is how to incorporate the so called “forgotten senses” in my work. Senses like touch, sound, and smell are far more powerful in transforming the experiential qualities of architecture which I think Peter Zumthor speaks to so well and in such an easy to understand manner in his essay Atmospheres when he outlines the nine points that can be seen throughout his works. It is these other sense modalities that he speaks of that often reinforce and strengthen our sense of sight and are far more powerful at creating lasting memories and mental images within our mind, like when Zumthor recalls memories of his mother in the kitchen. I think this is largely due to the fact that they are keener at strengthening our sense of self and reality by providing an added dimension, that of time and space, to the environments we inhabit or visit.

In a way, Zumthor’s description of atmospheres reminded me of another book I recently read by Juhani Pallasmaa called Eyes of the Skin. Pallasmaa indirectly hints to this concept of atmospheres when he discusses how “an architectural work is not experienced as a series of isolated retinal pictures, but in its fully integrated material, embodied and spiritual essence.” In his book he basically talks about how every space or environment has a soul so to speak that is activated by the elements within the space. So, upon entering a space, without even having to examine each of these elements individually, through unconscious perception, we achieve a total impression of the space. It is what he calls our “haptic senses” that connect us to this world and provide use with a sense of closeness and proximity while our eyes can merely “touch the distance”.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON CAMPUS EXPANSION

LUMINOUS CANOPY WATERCOLOR

GARDENS WATERCOLOR

One of the architects that I have always really admired for his work and attention to such detail is Steven Holl. The emotional intensity he is able to somehow cultivate in the buildings and spaces he designs, like the expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston that he recently completed, is truly remarkable and impressive. I think what is even more admirable about Holl than his works is his design process since he is very famously known to draft the initial concepts for his designs using watercolor and always draws inspiration from so many different subject matters like music and literature. In these drawings you are really able to get a sense of the feeling and emotion he tries to stimulate in occupants as they wander through the space especially with his play of light which is a medium he is known to incorporate in all his designs in order to create the atmospheric complexity he achieves in all his buildings. I think this begs the question of whether the process and technique by which we go about designing spaces, like exploring other mediums such as collage like Tatiana Bilbao or Zaha Hadid’s abstract conceptual sketches, really helps us in designing more stimulating and experiential architecture rather than eye-catching masses?