Astonishment in Architecture - Key findings

Key Findings.

The theoretical research of this dissertation suggests that astonishment occurs in architecture at the point where the space moves beyond the measure of our human faculties, and provides the sensation of the sacred intervention of, or connection to, a higher power. It is proposed that this spiritual sensation arises in architecture through the combination of the elicited tangible parameters of the Ineffable; Light, Order, and Material, and the Sublime; Infinity and Obscurity. These tangibles have been interrogated through iteratively building and rebuilding spaces that explore their effect, both individually and in combination. The iterations were deeply rooted in theoretical discourse by continually basing their physical interpretation upon the writings and body of work of the extraordinary spatial practitioners that ground the research. Further analysis of the interrogations arrives at the following observations for the tangibles individually, and their power as a collective.

Light

Light gives presence, mood, atmosphere, depth, and volume. Light is most powerful when teamed with mass to create shadow, as darkness brings deep connection to ritual, and enhances the power of light over the senses. Fragments of sunlight, laced through a space, brings a cosmic connection to time as it connects us to the world beyond. The brightness and direction of Light changes the experience. Each space required different compositions of Light; Looking Up, has dark shadows at the ground of the space, with beaming light from its oculus halo, whilst Looking Out sees sunlight dance across the floor and pull our gaze to the apertures and horizon beyond. Light is the filter of our experience in space, it carves out what we see and do not see, and shows us where to look.

Order

Each interrogation began with Order, as it is the physical construction of an idea, and is the mass that divides the space for our experience. Order is connected to ancient ideals of harmony and simple geometry. The architecture was most powerful when simple geometries were given grand dimensions, and composed, with restraint, with other simple forms. Basic geometries - arches, domes, triangles and circles - when given mass and made from raw material, carry deep connection to ritual and sacred experience, and bring an air of reflective silence to the space.

Material

Material greatly impacts the atmosphere of the space and often exaggerates the power of other elicited tangibles. Restraint is crucial, the more limited the material palette, the more intense the experience, but there is often only one right material composition for the desired presence. Coloured material does not bear connection to the sacred; however, raw materials - stone, timber, concrete, and steel - create an earthly grounding. Stone and water, for example, bear a deep ritual presence, and create a sensual experience between human and architecture. Materials that create shadow, such as densely textured stone, or give a sense of time, like the water stained concrete, are the strongest bearers of sensation.

Infinity

Infinity is more than vastness alone. It is the sensation of great mass, deep shadowy thresholds, and weighty presence that sees the architecture move beyond our human measure. Extreme vastness contradicts this, as the architecture becomes so large that it is detached from our experience and its immensity has no bearing for us to measure against. When it is so vast that we cannot sense its vastness, then its immensity has no impact. Infinity has its greatest power when its proportions are immense under the given conditions; which can be as simple a gesture as a double height archway, or as grand as a twenty metre dome, depending on the space and how we interact with its function in the desired atmosphere.

Obscurity

Obscurity gives depth, increases the sensation of volume, and amplifies or reduces the sense of the other tangibles. Found in dark shadows, view-blocking mass, and moments of blurred boundaries, Obscurity creates intrigue and a dimension of something unclear or strange in the space that pricks the attention. The intrigue or strangeness adds complexity to the simple space, and fills us with wonder and curiousity. This opens our mind to reflection and silent thought, and may connect us to spiritual experience.

Tangibles Combined

Subtlety and restraint is most important in composing strong, sacred experience. Adding unnecessary complexity dilutes the power of the architecture as it becomes less tangible and more difficult for the eye and mind to digest. The tangible parameters are weakest alone or in conflict. The greatest strength of presence and the strongest connection to the sacred is found in the harmony of the tangibles to compose one singular and whole experience in the space. Light, Order, Material, Infinity and Obscurity must work in unison to create spaces of transcendent lighting, carving deep shadows over simple yet grand geometries of dense masses of raw material that are deeply ingrained in sacred ritual and spiritual experience. It is then that the presence of the space moves beyond the ordinary, and in that moment we may find connection to God or the cosmos, and feel truly astonished.