The sensorial experience in Architecture

The Sensor i alExper i ence i n Ar chi t ect ur e:

A st udy i nt he r el at i ons bet ween Senses and Ar chi t ect ur e

BY ANAS JUMAA

The Sensor i alExper i ence i n Ar chi t ect ur e:

A st udy i nt he r el at i ons bet ween Senses and Ar chi t ect ur e

Bahรงeล ehi r Uni ver si t y

ARC5401 Ar chi t ect ur alDesi gn St udi o

by ANAS JUMAA

Pr of .

Goksun Akyur ek Al t ur k

Pr of .

Dur nev At i l gan

Abst r act : Thei nhumani t yofnowaday sAr c hi t ec t ur ec anber egar dedasar es ul tofabandoni ngt hepot ent i al oft heHumanbody andt hehumans ens es ,c r eat i ngani mbal anc ei nhumans ens or i als y s t ems .Regar di ngt hef ac tt hatnowaday sar c hi t ec t s anddes i gner sar emak i ngt heey ei st hei rpr i or i t y ,i gnor i ngt he bodyandot hers ens es ;aswel l asdr eams ,pas s i onsoutf r om t hei rpr i or i t i es .Ev er yc i t yi nt hi swor l dus edt ohav et hei rown ec ho and ex per i enc e whi c hr el at ed t ot he des i gn and t he s c al esofi t ss t r eet sandt hepr ev al ents t y l eofar c hi t ec t ur eand us edmat er i al s .T odayal lc i t i eshav el os tt hei rs pec i al t yand ec ho.

Ast hewi deopens pac esofmoder nc i t i ess t r eet sdonot r et ur ns ounds ,aswel lasi ns i det hebui l di ngs ,l eadi ngt he ec hoest obeabs or bedbyt hem.

Anot hers ens et hathasbeen i gnor ed bymoder n ar c hi t ec t ur ei st he s ens e ofs mel l .As ev er yc i t yus edt ohav ei t sowns mel l sandodor s .Henc e,t hat t hemos tper s i s t entmemor yofanys pac ei sus ual l yi t ss mel l ast henos et endst omak et heey esr emember .

Aswel l ast he s ens e ofhear i ng and s mel l i ng ar ei gnor ed t he r emai ni ng s ens esar eal s oi gnor edbyar c hi t ec t s .

Thi ss t udyi nt her el at i onsbet weens ens esandAr c hi t ec t ur e hasl edt omanyr es ul t sandoneoft hemos ti mpor t antr ec ommendat i oni st os t opdes i gni ngf ort heey eands t ar tpay i ngat t ent i ont ot heot hers ens esi nor dert oac hi ev eabal anc ed s pac est hatc ans at i s f ypeopl eandpr ov i det hem agoodenv i r onmentei t heront hei rhomesorwor k pl ac esandal soon t hei rc i t i es .Soi nor dert oal er tar c hi t ec t sandpeopl easwel l , apr oj ec tc al l edt hes oundofs ens est ookpl ac ei noneoft he mos tc i t i est hatar es uf f er i ngf r om t hei mbal anc eofhuman s ens or i al s y s t ems .

Ani ns t al l at i oni spr opos edi nt hec i t y c ent erofoneoft he mos tc r owdedc i t i esi nEur ope“ I s t anbul ” .Loc at edi noneofi t s mos tc r owdeds quar es“ Bes i k t asSquar e” .Themai nai m of t hi si ns t al l at i oni st oal er tpeopl et ot hec ons equentdi s appear anc eofs ens or yands ens ual qual i t i esf r om ar tandar c hi t ec t ur e.Ther ef or e,ar emi nders houl dbees t abl i s hedi nor der t ol etpeopl enot i c et hedomi nanc eoft heey es i ghtov erot her s ens esi nt oday s ’ f or msofar t s ,whet heri tbei nourdai l yl i v es on a s mal ls c al e oron a l ar gers c al ei nc l udi ng bui l di ngs , s quar esandot herf or msofes t abl i s hment s .

Keywor ds:Sens es ,Ur bans ounds c ape,Cont empor ar yAr c hi t ec t ur e,HumanSc al e.

1

Backgr oundst udy I ti sof t enc ons i der edt hatt heenv el opeofabui l di ngi st he mai nf oc alpoi nti nar c hi t ec t ur aldes i gn,ast hear c hi t ec t ur al s pac ewi t hi nabui l di ngi sof t ens eenasonl yac ompl ementt o t hebui l di ng’ senv el ope.Howev er ,t her el at i ons hi pbet ween peopl eands pac easwel l ast her el at i ons hi pbet weens pac es t hems el v esac t sast hec or et hatc onv ey st hedi f f er entv al ues t opeopl e.Hus s el r( 1917)ar guest hatt hear c hi t ec t ur alphenomenol ogys ugges t st hes c i enc eofpur ephenomena.I nt hi s r egar d,Lef ebv r e( 1991)r emar k st hatar c hi t ec t ur alphenomenol ogydwel l sont hef ac tt hatweex per i enc ear c hi t ec t ur ewi t h al loursens esandi ti st her ef or ees s ent i alt oc onnec tt he humanbodywi t hs pac e.

Ar c hi t ec t ur alSpac eef f ec t sonphy s i c alpl aneaswel last he ment al .

Thi sar guest hatwi t ht hewi des pr eadofmoder nt ec hnol ogy ,t hes t i mul at i onoft hes ens esoft hehumanbodywas l os t .Pal l as maa( 1996)pos i t si nhi sj our nal t hatwes houl dnot asar c hi t ec t sdes i gnabui l di ngs ol el ybas edont hephy s i c al obj ec tbutasaf eel i ngandi magesofpeopl ewhoi nhabi t s t hem,aswel l ast heef f ec tofar c hi t ec t ur et hats t emsf r om t he c ommoni magesandbas i cf eel i ngsc onnec t edwi t ht hebui l di ng.

Ar c hi t ec t ur ei ni t sownac c or di spr oj ec t edi naphy s i c al s ens ualas pec t .Thel ac kofphy s i c alc har ac t er i s t i c sofac er t ai n s pac e,woul dmak et heneededawar enes sf ort hef eel i ngs emi t t edf r om t hi ss pac eunabl eofbei ngper c ei v edandv i c e v er s a.I not herwor ds ,t hef eat ur esabui l di ngdemons t r at e, pl ay sav i t al r ol ei nt her eac t i onr es ul t edf r om t heper s on’ sex per i enc ei nr egar doft hi sbui l di ng.

Hol l( 2006)pr oc l ai mst hats omeoft heat t r i but est hatc anenhanc et heex per i enc ewi t hi nac er t ai ns pac ear et heel ement s ofc ol our ,l i ghtand s hadow,s c al e,pr opor t i on and s ound.

Henc e,a c oher entr el at i ons hi p bet ween t he f undament al c ons t r uc t i onel ement s ,t hes ens esandt heper c ept i onoft he human mi nd s houl d be es t abl i s hed I n or dert oc r eat ea hei ght eneds pat i al ex per i enc ei nar c hi t ec t ur al s pac es .

2

Whatar et heexper i encesoft heuser sbasedont hedi f f er entdesi gnsofcol or s,l i ght ,shadow,mat er i al s,pr opor t i ons,scal e,mass,det ai l sandsound?

Fort hel as ts ev er aldec ades ,ar c hi t ec t ur ehadbeenaf f ec t ed i mmens el yandwasonl ydef i nedbywhati sdeemeds t r i k i ng ors t upendous i nt er ms ofdes i gni ng a bui l di ng.I n ot her wor ds ,Mak i ng a St at ementt hr ough a bui l di ng.Thi s had c aus ed f ort he i mpor t anc e oft he per s on’ s ex per i enc ei n whi c hhei soptt ogot hr oughi nac er t ai nbui l di ngt obec ome asas ec ondmat t eraf t ert hef or m ofabui l di ng.

Thenew demandsoft hemoder nagei nwhi c hpeopl ear e bei ngs ubmer gedwi t hi n,hasl ef tt hem mer el yass pec t at or s onl y ,s t andi ngont hes i del i nesandwat c hi ngt henew age’ s demandov er t ak eeac handev er yas pec tofpeopl e’ sl i v es .I n r el at i ont ot hi s ,Har v ey( 2008)s t at est hatt hewor l dwel i v ei n nowi sonl ybutawor l ddomi nat edbypr i v at epr oper t yandt he pr of i tr at ewhi c hbas i c al l yt r umpal ldi f f er entk i ndsofr i ght s , t her ef or e,he c ount er st he mat t erf r om a di f f er entpoi ntof v i ew,f oc us i ngonanew t y peofhumanr i ght ,t her i ghtt ot he c i t y .

Thephenomenaofr api dgl obal i z at i onhadl ef tt hewor l dwi t h f l atbui l di ngsasa s equent i alc ons equenc et ot he moder n day s ’bui l di ngs ’t ec hni quesandt ec hnol ogi esi nc ons t r uc t i on, el i mi nat i ngi nt hepr oc es sanyt y peofs ens es ’ex per i enc es wi t hi nt hebui l di ng,di s r egar di ngt hem f ort hesol epur poseof ac hi ev i ngac er t ai nl ev el ofbui l di ngaes t het i cs .

Ar c hi t ec t ur ei s nots uper f i c i al .I tdoesnotr al l yonaes t het i c sandmoder nar c hi t ec t ur e’ sdemandsal one,i tc andi v edeeperanddeeper s eek i ngt heenhanc ementoft hes pat i alr at hert hant hef or m, t husc r eat i ngas ens ualex per i enc ei nwhi c ht heus erwoul d ul t i mat el yenj oyr at hert hanf eel i ngbei ngoutofpl ac ei na bui l di ngt hatdes i gnf orhi m.

Thes uc c es sofdes i gni nganar c hi t ec t ur als pac es t emsf r om t hei mpor t anc eoft hehumanex per i enc e.Thatbei ngs ai d, t hatdoesnotmean t hatnegl ec t i ng t he el ement soff or m, f unc t i onandc omf or twhi l edes i gni ngabui l di ng.Thi ss t udy ai ms t o par t ak ei nt he pr oc es s ofac c ent uat i on t he ot her s ens esandc at er i ngt ot hei ri mpor t anc er at hert hanonl yf oc usi ngononeorbei ngbi as edt oonl yoneex per i enc et hat bei ngoft heofv i s ual as pec t .Soaques t i oni soptt obemade.

Howc anweex pandt hear c hi t ec t ur al s pat i al ex per i enc et oi nc l udenotonl yt heot hers ens esbutpeopl easwel l ?

3

Fort hel as ts ev er aldec ades ,ar c hi t ec t ur ehadbeenaf f ec t ed i mmens el yandwasonl ydef i nedbywhati sdeemeds t r i k i ng ors t upendous i nt er ms ofdes i gni ng a bui l di ng.I n ot her wor ds ,Mak i ng a St at ementt hr ough a bui l di ng.Thi s had c aus ed f ort he i mpor t anc e oft he per s on’ s ex per i enc ei n whi c hhei soptt ogot hr oughi nac er t ai nbui l di ngt obec ome asas ec ondmat t eraf t ert hef or m ofabui l di ng.

Thenew demandsoft hemoder nagei nwhi c hpeopl ear e bei ngs ubmer gedwi t hi n,hasl ef tt hem mer el yass pec t at or s onl y ,s t andi ngont hes i del i nesandwat c hi ngt henew age’ s demandov er t ak eeac handev er yas pec tofpeopl e’ sl i v es .I n r el at i ont ot hi s ,Har v ey( 2008)s t at est hatt hewor l dwel i v ei n nowi sonl ybutawor l ddomi nat edbypr i v at epr oper t yandt he pr of i tr at ewhi c hbas i c al l yt r umpal ldi f f er entk i ndsofr i ght s , t her ef or e,he c ount er st he mat t erf r om a di f f er entpoi ntof v i ew,f oc us i ngonanew t y peofhumanr i ght ,t her i ghtt ot he c i t y .

Thephenomenaofr api dgl obal i z at i onhadl ef tt hewor l dwi t h f l atbui l di ngsasa s equent i alc ons equenc et ot he moder n day s ’bui l di ngs ’t ec hni quesandt ec hnol ogi esi nc ons t r uc t i on, el i mi nat i ngi nt hepr oc es sanyt y peofs ens es ’ex per i enc es wi t hi nt hebui l di ng,di s r egar di ngt hem f ort hesol epur poseof ac hi ev i ngac er t ai nl ev el ofbui l di ngaes t het i cs .

Ar c hi t ec t ur ei s nots uper f i c i al .I tdoesnotr al l yonaes t het i c sandmoder nar c hi t ec t ur e’ sdemandsal one,i tc andi v edeeperanddeeper s eek i ngt heenhanc ementoft hes pat i alr at hert hant hef or m, t husc r eat i ngas ens ualex per i enc ei nwhi c ht heus erwoul d ul t i mat el yenj oyr at hert hanf eel i ngbei ngoutofpl ac ei na bui l di ngt hatdes i gnf orhi m.

Thes uc c es sofdes i gni nganar c hi t ec t ur als pac es t emsf r om t hei mpor t anc eoft hehumanex per i enc e.Thatbei ngs ai d, t hatdoesnotmean t hatnegl ec t i ng t he el ement soff or m, f unc t i onandc omf or twhi l edes i gni ngabui l di ng.Thi ss t udy ai ms t o par t ak ei nt he pr oc es s ofac c ent uat i on t he ot her s ens esandc at er i ngt ot hei ri mpor t anc er at hert hanonl yf oc usi ngononeorbei ngbi as edt oonl yoneex per i enc et hat bei ngoft heofv i s ual as pec t .Soaques t i oni soptt obemade.

Howc anweex pandt hear c hi t ec t ur al s pat i al ex per i enc et oi nc l udenotonl yt heot hers ens esbutpeopl easwel l ?

4

TheSensor i alExper i encei nAr chi t ect ur e Thi spr oj ec tr epr es ent show l i f ec hangest hr ought i me.The mai ni deaoft hi spr oj ec ts t ar t edwi t ht hemos tbas i cands y mbol i cs hapeofahous e.I tbegi nswi t has ec t i ont ak enf r om a s i mpl e hous el ayout ,t hen i ts t ar t st oc hange and def or m gr adual l y ,r epr es ent i ngt hec hangest hatoc c ur st hr oughout t hec our s eofl i f e.Att heendoft hef or mat i on,t hes ec t i on c hangest obec omenar r owerandabi tmor edi s t ur bi ngt o gi v et hepeopl eas ens eofbei ngc ont r ol l edanddi r ec t edi na s pec i f i cway ,henc edepi c t edt hec ur r ents t at eoft oday ’ ss oc i et i es and c ommuni t i es .The f or mat i on c ons i s t s of 365 woodens ec t i onsov er al landof f er st wodi f f er entex per i enc es t hr oughout ,bot hi nnerandout erones .Thei nneronepr ov i dest hef eel i ngofhomewi t hmanyopeni ngss i t uat edont he wal l sr epr es ent i ngaf or m ofwi ndowsemi t t i ngl i ghtandai r .

Theout erpar toft hei ns t al l at i onpr ov i desapl az al i k es pac e gi v i ngpeopl eanoppor t uni t yt ogat herands oc i al i z ewi t hi n t hi ss pac e.

Thec hangesi nt hes ec t i onsoft hef or mat i onhel ps i nc r eat i ngaf or m ofbui l t i ns i t t i ngar easaswel l asas hel l l i k e s pac est hatc anbeut i l i z edasas t agef ormus i c i ansandper f or mer st oper f or m di f f er entt y pesofmus i c .I naddi t i ont ot he al t er nat edor derbet weenl i ghtands hadow t hatar ec r eat ed byt hec hangesaswel l ,gi v i ngt hi sal t er nat i ont heabi l i t yt o s er v easr emi ndert opeopl eofoneoft heol des tt r adi t i onal ar t si nhi s t or ywhi c hi st heShadowTheat er s .

The bas i cmat er i alc hos en t oc ons t r uctt hi si ns t al l at i on i s wood.Woodi sanat ur almat er i alandi t sc ompos i t i onof f er s manyaddi t i onst ot hef or mat i on,f orex ampl e,t heodort hat c omesf r om t hewoodsandt heuni quet ex t ur eoft hewoodi n or dert odi f f er ent i at ei sf r om t oday ’ smanuf act ur edmat er i al s .

I naddi t i on,t hef ac tt hatI s t anbulhasawel l doc ument edhi s t or ywi t hwood.Al otofs t r uc t ur esandwoodenhous eswer e bui l ti nI s t anbul .I tal s ohasoneoft hebi gges twoodens t r uc t ur es i n Buy ukAda.Henc et he r eas ons behi nd c hoos i ng woodast hec ons t r uc t i onmat er i al .Someoft hepeopl ebel i ev et hatwoodi snotadur abl emat er i alandot hermat er i al s woul dbemor er el i ant ,buti nf ac t ,t hedes i gnwi l lmak et he mat er i aldur abl es i mpl ybec aus eofhowwedes i gni t .I ft her e wasawel l des i gneds pac eofwoodandpeopl ef el tgoodand c omf or t abl ei ns i de,t heywi l lwor konmai nt ai ni ngi taswel las pr es er v i ngi tappr opr i at el yhenc el as t i ngf oret er ni t y .

Si t e pl an Scal e 1:1000

5

Besi kt asmeydan i ti soneoft hemos tc r owdeds quar esi nI s t anbul . andt her ear eal otofi mpor t antpl ac ess ur r oundi ng i tl i k e: -s i nanpas amosque -s eamus eum -bes i k t asf er r i espor t -bar bar ost omb andi ti sl oc at edi nav er ys t r at egi cl oc at i on.

Mast er pl an

6

PEDESTERI AN FLOW

BUSES MOVEMENT

7

CARS MOVEMENT

FERRI ES MOVEMENT

8

1

2

3

4

5

6

9

Concl usi on I nor dert ogi v eanans wert ot heques t i on,as ol ut i onmus tbe i n or dert o ac hi ev eac oher entr el at i ons hi p bet ween t he s pac esc ont ai nedi nabui l di ng,t hes ens esandt heus er s .

Thi spr obl em i snotmedi oc r eandc annotbes ol v edi nas hor t per i odoft i me,i tneedsc ons t antac t i onsandef f or t si nbui l di ng as ol ut i ongr adual l yandef f i c i ent l y .I naddi t i ont ot her eal i z at i ont hatnotev er y t hi ngi saboutt hev i s ualwhendes i gni nga bui l di ng.Thi sf ac tmus tbees t abl i s hedamongal l moder nday ar c hi t ec t s ,f ort heyar ec ons i der edr es pons i bl ef orc r eat i nga har moni cbal anc ebet weenal lt heel ement st hatar es ubj ec t edi nabui l di ngands ubs equent l yaf f ec t st heus er s .

Thepr oj ec ti sonl ybutat i nys t epi nt hedi r ec t i onofabet t er under s t andi ngt owar dsar c hi t ec t ur aldes i gns .Howev er ,wi t houtt hec ons t antr ai s i ngoft heat t ent i onofpeopl ei nor dert o t ak enot i c eofanal r eadyex i s t i ngpr obl em,apr oc es swoul d deem uns uc c es s f ul ,andasar es ul t ,goi ngbac kt owher ewe s t ar t ed.

Ther ei sneedt or ear r ange t hepr i or i t i est hati mpac tt hear c hi t ec t ur aldes i gnt oc r eat eas etofc r i t er i at hatc angi v ea s ens ualat mos pher et hati sr ec ogni z ed t hr ough al lt he s ens es ,ont heoppos i t eoft hos ewhoonl ywor kf ort hev i s i on s ens e.Ther ear es omemet hodsandr ul est hatc angi v epar amet er st hatc an benef i tt he des i gner son des i gni ng t he bui l di ngenv i r onmentt hatc angi v edi f f er entex per i enc ess pa t i al l y .

Al s ot heus er soft hebui l di ngswi l l hav et heabi l i t yt oex per i enc ebui l di ngswhi c hc anmak eani mpac tt ot hei rps y c hol ogi c al wel l bei ng.

10

Ref er ences -Pa l l a s ma ,J .( 1 9 9 6 ) .Th eEy eo ft h eSk i n .Gr e a tBr i t a i n .Wi l e y Ac a d e my .

-Ra s mu s s e n ,S,E.( 1 9 5 9 ) .Ex p e r i e n c i n gAr c h i t e c t u r e .Ca mb r i d g e , Ma s s a c h u s e t t s .

MI Tp r e s s .

-Ha r v e y , D. ( 2 0 0 8 ) .

Th er i g h tt ot h ec i t y . [ s . l . ] . [ s . n . ] .

-Ho l l , S. ( 2 0 0 6 ) .

Qu e s t i o n so fp e r c e p t i o n : p h e n o me n o l o g yo fa r c h i t e c t u r e .

Sa nFr a n c i s c o :Wi l l i a mkSt o u tPu b .

-Hu s s e l r , E. ( 1 9 1 7 ) .

Ont h ep h e n o me n o l o g yo ft h ec o n s c i o u s n e s so f i n t e r n a lt i me .

Do r d r e c h t :Kl u we rAc a d e myPu b l i s h e r s .

-Le f e b v r e ,H.( 1 9 9 1 ) .Th ep r o d u c t i o no fs p a c e .Ox f o r d :Ca mb r i d g e .

-Pa l l a s ma ,J .( 1 9 9 6 ) .Th eGe o me t r yo fFe e l i n g .

Al o o ka tt h ep h e n o me n o l o g yo fa r c h i t e c t u r e . [ s . l . ] . [ s . n . ] .

11