Dave Giancarli Thesis: Shared Perception by Dave Giancarli

SHARED PERCEPTION:

Utilizing the Auditory and Haptic Senses in Design for Varying Visual Abilities

Dave Giancarli

1. RESEARCH Fall 2012

2. THESIS PROJECT Spring 2013

1. RESEARCH

Introduction

Sensory Architecture: Seeking Perception Beyond the Visual David Giancarli MArch Fall 2012 - Spring 2013 Fall Advisers: Carol Burns and Terry Moor Spring Adviser: Robert Cowherd Secondary Adviser: Ingrid Strong

Abstract Using the qualities of haptic and auditory perception of spaces rather then just the visual, architects can create spatial awareness and clarity, allowing for the building to be experienced by the body as a whole, which creates sensory engagement. This study has been framed by concentrating on the visually impaired, who have an intimate connection to architectural space and the non-visual senses, as compared to the sighted. A full spatial understanding cannot be achieved using visual cues alone, but must be drawn upon the understanding of sensation and perception together. The successive method of cognitive space forming that the visually impaired undergo creates a more personal engagement with their environment because, unlike the sighted, sensory perception is pieced together to form an image rather then being immediately recognized. Hapticity and auditory information can offer enrichment to the experience of architecture. Touch breaks down individual components to cognitively recast the whole through the understanding of its physical properties. Perception of auditory information allows for the size and character of a room can be understood based on the sound, echoes, vibration, and breeze of the air. Unfortunately, these qualities are usually only consciously perceived by the visually impaired since they are not distracted by vision. The sighted subconsciously understands these cues in their perception of space, but often environments are designed primarily for visual experiences. As a frame of reference, the visually impaired provide architectural researchers and designers with a useful perspective on the process of developing experiential qualities in built form.

Acknowledgments I would like to thank my professors, and classmates and who have assisted me in forming my thesis throughout this semester, especially Robert Cowherd and Ingrid Strong. I would also like to thank my mother, my girlfriend Susan and my late great-uncle Tom who have always encouraged me to explore my ambitions.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 1 Tile - Abstract

2 3

5 6 12 14

Acknowledgments Table of Contents

4 Main Body 4 Definitions

Main Question - Relevance Research Essay Visuals Evaluation - Conclusion - Hypothesis

15 Methodology 15 17 21 26 27 28 29 30

Original Work Frames Site Design Probe Conclusion Design Method Objectives and Time Line Evaluation Criteria

31 Conclusion

Discoveries - Reflections - Next Steps

32 Bibliography

Main Body Definitions Aural Perception: The ability to understand a spaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s qualities such as size, scale, and materiality through the sense of hearing Active Touch: Exploration of an environment through the movements of the body, utilizing an understanding of tactility, density, temperature, and weight Cognitive Mapping: Navigating a space utilizing the senses and memory to develop a mental image of a space Dynamic Touch: Exploration using a tool that is not part of the body i.e. a blind cane or feeling the weight of a door through its handle Haptic perception: The process of understanding objects through touch, involving a combination of tactile, density, form based, and thermal qualities Hi-fi Soundscape: Defined and informative sound that produces clarity and understanding of an environment Inclusive Design: Designing for those with all physical and sensory abilities

Low-fi Soundscape: Auditory distinctions between spaces cannot be defined Multi-Sensorial: To involve several senses working together to create spatial experience Ocularcentrism: The idea that visual perception is the most privileged and dominant of the senses causing a disconnection between a person and his environment Passive Touch: When the environment engages with the occupant even while the body is in a static position i.e. sensing thermal changes within a room Sighted: People with the ability to perceive space through normal levels of visual detail Soundmark: Like physical landmarks, soundmarks allow a person to orient themselves within a space

Spatial Cues: Points of understanding within a space that utilize any of the senses, allowing for a cognitive image of a place to form Tactility: Perceiving the texture, pressure, and heat of an object through the skin Visually Impaired: A person with low visual below 20/200, meaning from 20 feet away objects appear at the resolution of objects 200 feet away

Question

In a culture dominated by visual perception, how can architects utilize the senses to create inclusive environments for those of varying visual capabilities? Relevance Modern designâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on visual perception of space has created a disconnect between the body and the sensory experience. This issue is emphasized by the contemporary lifestyle where physical engagement is secondary the vast amounts of information received through retinal imagery. Multi-sensorial design allows for an interpretation and an engagement with an environment rather then taking it for what it appears to be. The visually impaired were chosen as a frame to view the design opportunities that are possible with non-ocular sensory perception and discover ways to allow this experience to lead to an inclusive creation of architectural space.

Research Essay Since the nineteenth century, multisensory design has been advocated for as

Ocularcentrism The origins of the hegemony or

“One appreciates a place not by its impact on the visual cortex, but by the way in which it sounds, it feels and smells. For instance, the full understanding of wood is often achieved by a perception by its smell and its texture which can be appreciated by both looks and feelings and by the way in which it modulates the acoustics of space.” 5

a counter to ocularcentrism in the perception

dominance of ocular perception trace back

of architectural spaces. Ocularcentrism, or

to ancient Greek philosophers who

dominance of the eye, has led to the design

considered the eye to be the gods’ greatest

of spaces that do not fully utilize the other

gift to humanity. During the Renaissance,

senses. Finnish architect and professor

reverence of the eye became an obsession

Juhani Pallasmaa states, “Modernist design

for designers concentrating on visual

has housed the intellect and the eye, but it

imagery in order to form magnificent

has left the body and the other senses, as

spaces based on perspectival

well as memories and dreams,

representation.3 Reliance on solely visual

homeless.”1 By designing for haptic and

understanding in the creation of architectural

auditory perception, architects can create a

space has been reinforced with the invention

Architecture and the Senses, 3 ed. (New

spatial awareness, clarity, and engagement

of computer imaging technology, flattening

York: Wiley, 2012), 35

that allows for a building to move past its

the natural multi-sensory perception in the

purely functional program and towards an

design process into “a passive manipulation

active experiential quality. This study has

of space, a retinal journey.”4

been framed by concentrating on the

Visual perception alone cannot

If designers do not take full sensory perception into account, then the spaces being created can become unengaging rather than an 1

Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin:

Jasmien Herssens “Haptic Design Re-

search: A Blind Sense of Place,” Katholieke Università Leuven Press (2011), 1 http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/ documents/pdf/aiab087187.pdf (ac-

visually impaired, who have an intimate

develop complete spatial awareness,

connection to architectural space and the

clarity, and engagement. Professors of

Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin, 18-19

non-visual senses, as compared to the

architectural theory and art, Joy Monice

Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin, 14

sighted.2

Malnar and Frank Vodvarka have

Joy Monice Malnar and Frank Vodvar-

observed:

cessed September 10, 2012)

ka, Sensory Design (Minneapolis: Univ Of Minnesota Press, 2004), 24

active experience to the occupier.

but must draw upon the understanding of

involuntary immediate physical response, a

Although humans inherently

“sensation and perception” together. People

response conditioned through prior

experience natural and urban

should “build up the shape of the world

Knowledge of its source, and a remembered

environments in a multi-sensory way,

rather than recognizing it as the source,

sensation, which can reconstruct a past

architect Jasmien Herssens argues,

which stares into the face.”8 Ultimately,

response.11 A much deeper subconscious

“few architects consider the haptic,

people become more knowledgeable about

understanding of spatial interaction should

olfactory, gustatory and

architectural spaces through individual

be considered when designing spaces.

auditory senses while designing.”6

experience and engagement. Haptic

Blindness or visual impairment serves as a

This statement acknowledges the

perception is the result of the information our

means to critique the visual dominance that

lack of multi-sensory considerations

skin receives from the surroundings

exists in architectural design and works in

that are taken within the architectur-

environment resulting in the

the direction of a multi-sensorial experience.

al design process, and calls for the

understanding of tactile, thermal, kinetic and

utilization of the other senses.

pressure properties. For instance, Herseens

The Visually Impaired

states that haptic exploration allows

Perception

How does someone without sight or with

individuals to focus on particular points of

a visual impairment experience space?

specific information throughout a space,

Individual who are congenitally blind

relies not only on the sensation (the

whereas vision gives a simple overall

cannot perceive space through descriptions

flow of data received through the

understanding just by turning the head.9

sensory organs), but also through

Comprehension of a place

According to Pallasmaa, an individual’s

Herssens “Haptic Design Research,” 1

perception (the data after it has been

sense of reality becomes strengthened and

Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design, 21

Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design, 25

processed and interpreted). A full

articulated through the constant interaction

Herssens “Haptic Design Research” 2

spatial understanding cannot be

of the senses.10 Humans experience three

achieved using visual cues alone,

different kinds of sensory response:

Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin, 44

Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design, 21

of form, volume, and color, since they have

stress that the visually impaired endure while

physical, or sensory) prevent a

no prior experience with it. They can only

navigating unknown spaces. Without

person with impairments from

perceive volume through sound and touch.12

spatial understanding, perceptual

functioning in society in the same

About 80% of those considered to be legally

barriers can form, which prevent recognition

way as an able-bodied person.17

blind have some useful vision.13 People with

of essential way finding information and limit

If these standards are widely

a moderate visual impairment but

the abilities of the visually impaired.

adopted, and spatial cues and

considered blind use large forms and color

The senses can build a cognitive

designs define regularity, then there

to assist in navigating themselves though

connection to allow for the full

will be a control over uncertainties

their environment. Without immediate visual

understanding of a space, but in order to

which can disorient someone with a

recognition of space the visually impaired

assure that those with visual impairments

sensory impairment.

must â&#x20AC;&#x153;build up the shape of the world

can successfully navigate through a

aroundâ&#x20AC;?14 them using their remaining

building, certain regulations have been

ums Without Barriers: A New Deal for

senses. This successive method of

implemented. The Americans with

Disabled People (New York: Routledge,

cognitive space forming creates a

Disabilities Act of 1990, has fulfilled the

grounded sense of awareness in their

need for code by setting requirements such

environment through piecing together

as stair tread size and design, detectable

sensory perception. Blindness never

warning surfaces, hallway sizes, and

improves hearing or haptic ability, but

restrictions on protruding object height.16

increases the motivation to increase spatial

Using sensory design in conjunction with

perception using alternate senses.15 Using

these elements of code can create inclusive

aural and tactile qualities along with

environments for those of all visual

simplified visual layouts and geometries can

capabilities. Disability arises when

reinforce spatial awareness to ease the

environmental barriers (social, political,

and Visual Impairment, 40

Fondation de France/ICOM, Muse-

1992), 87 13

Elga Joffee, A Practical Guide to the

Ada and Visual Impairment (New York: Amer Foundation for the Blind, 1999), 11 Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design, Barry Blesser and Linda-Ruth Salt-

er, Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?: Experiencing Aural Architecture (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2009), 35 Joffee, A Practical Guide to the Ada

Engaging Touch Haptic qualities of material can create a spatial sensory construct through physical qualities such as tactility, density, elasticity (resistance to pressure applied) and weight as well as sensory qualities such as color, texture, pattern, and temperature.18 Hapticity plays a major role in non-visual perception of space, and can also enhance the spatial experience for the sighted. Unlike the other senses, haptic body movement enables people to modify and manipulate their environment, creating a more direct engagement with the building and occupier.19 The physical act of touch creates a mental map for objects in space. French writer Jacques Lusseyran describes his haptic abilities after going blind:

You can go very quickly, with your eyes. You can glide. Excuse me; I don’t want to scold or insult you, but I am obliged to say: you glide too quickly. This ends up becoming a frightening temptation for you. Fingers don’t glide. With my fingers I can know this table. I am obliged to feel my way around it. That is to say, I make my fingers explore all its parts, one after another, until at last I know it all, completely. 20

Touch breaks down individual components to cognitively recast the whole. In Image of the City, Kevin Lynch, describes an image of a place through elements such as landmarks, paths, nodes, edges and boundaries.21 These principals can be

a mental pallet for an understanding of material choice.23 Tactile sensitivity has diminished with the availability of computer-generated simulations of materiality in modern design software, which allow for materials to be placed as a skin over a building quickly and interchangeably. Touch can serve as an important teaching tool for the visually impaired as well as those who have full ocular ability. Those not fully capable of ocular perception should become comfortable with tactile exploration at a young age. Without being taught these

applied to a haptic context by taking into

consideration material characteristics and

Future.” Cognitive Mapping Without Visual Ex-

form. For example, a tower can be a visual landmark in the same way the texture of a

Ungar. “Cognitive Mapping: Past Present and

perience, (Edited by R. Kitchin and S. Fredundschuh, London: Routledge, 2000) 11 18

city square can become a haptic

Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design, 201

landmark. The Bauhaus encouraged

Herssens “Haptic Design Research,” 2

Devlieger, Patrick. Blindness and the

exploration of textural sensitivity and educated design students by having them engage with a material repetitively to create

Multi-Sensorial City. (Antwerp: Garant, 2006), 33 21

Herssens “Haptic Design Research,” 2

Herssens “Haptic Design Research,” 3

Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design, 145

techniques they can feel detached and

a great deal about the effects of sound and

belief that “the ear has the capacity

uncomfortable with the world that

worked with it in a positive way.

to carve a volume into the void of

surrounds them, causing social isolation.

Currently modern designers often know little

complete darkness.”28 This reactive

The way in which the sighted are educated

about sound and try to reduce the amount

nature of sound creates an auditory

does not include this kind of haptic

they have to contend with it.”26

dialogue between man and space.

involvement since vision and auditory

With this, a transfer from developing

By listening, an occupant can

information are able to be used. This

hi-fi soundscapes (defined and informative

perceive an environment through

process is not as personal as the one those

sound that produces clarity and

sensitivity to temporal changes in

with a visual impairment undergo. In order

understanding of an environment) to lo-fi

reflection, refraction, absorption and

to way-find and comprehend their environ-

soundscapes (auditory distinctions between

dispersion.29 This argument shows

ment, the visually-impaired have to gain

spaces that cannot be defined) has

a way in which a volume’s size and

information through haptics. In this respect

occurred. Currently, the use of

scale can be understood in a

the blind can teach the sighted to

standardized sound walls, ACT, and even

non-visual manner. Unlike the static

rediscover the volumes, outlines, and

introducing unnatural environmental sounds,

presence of a physical structure,

surface treatments of a space in a more

like Muzak, have “blinded our ears.”27

aural perception can become

direct and sensitive way.24

Interaction with sound in space engages occupants and develops a sense of spatial

Aural Perception

Fondation de France/ICOM, Museums

Without Barriers, 133

volume, scale, and physical orientation.

Pallasmaa states that “buildings do not react

Without Barriers, 87

character of a room based on the sound,

to our gaze but they do return our

echoes, vibration and breeze of the air,

movements and sounds.” He continues

however the sighted often ignore these per-

with an of example of the sound of water

ceptual clues.25 “Architects of the past knew

dripping in an ancient ruin supporting his

The blind can grasp the size and

Fondation de France/ICOM, Museums Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory Design,

140 27

Malnar and Vodvarka, Sensory

Design,143 28

Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin, 54

dynamic and adaptive through

space with sound successfully, an architect

The knowledge and experience they can

changes in sonic behaviors and

must create continuous informative auditory

provide from their alternative perception of

sound sources.30 Jacques Lusseyran

information, proper reverberation for

architectural space can influence a

describes his new-found perception

conversation, and create distinguishable

movement to design beyond what our eyes

of the ocean after going blind:

acoustic character and zones.

acknowledge. As a frame of reference,

I remember well when I first arrived at the beach two months after the accident. It was evening, and there was nothing there but the sea and its voice. It formed a mass which was so heavy and limpid that I could have leaned against it like a wall. It spoke to me in several layers all at once. The waves were arranged in steps, and together they made one music, though what they said was different in each voice. There was rasping in the bass and bubbling in the top register. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be told about the things that eyes can see.31

Lusseyran feels that he does not live in a world of darkness, but instead one of light, illuminated by the objects and people around him that are activated by his movements and his non-visual senses. To sculpt a

Conclusion Although the dominance of the eye has helped shape modern design, the

the visually impaired provide architectural researchers and designers with a useful perspective on the process of developing experiential qualities in built form.

incorporation of the other senses can increase the experiential value and connectivity of architectural spaces.

Devlieger, Patrick. Blindness and the

Multi-Sensorial City, 31

Haptic and auditory sensory perception allow for an engaging dialogue to occur between the building and the occupant. For the visually impaired, these senses provide crucial information that can be understood through an active cognitive process. Since those with low vision or blindness are more attentive to the non-visual senses, their experience can be useful in designing cognitively engaging and human-centric multi-sensorial environments.

Visuals Blog: Davegiancarli.wordpress.com This Wordpress blog has allowed me to organize and develop a time line of work that displays the development of my thesis idea from the original mind map to this book.

Basic Forms

Color

Light sensitive

Harder to Understand Envirement

Lack of Detail

Raw Visual Elements Confusion rs

the

When Broken Exploration and Analysis

Partically Visually Impaired

Rely on Rules and Standards To Navigate

Intrusive Elements

Purely for Identification

Mechanics

Cane

Distance from Ground

Procession

Know What’s 2’ Ahead

Devices

Public Transit Technological Aid

Angle From Body

Relationship to Ground

Protection

Doesn’t Help with Hanging Objects

Local

Simple

Use Reverberation and Materiality to Gain Spatial Understanding

Developed Mindmaps

Response

Main Paths/ Intersections

Independance

Spatial Understanding

Complex

Guiding Elements

Postive Spatial Elements

Negative Spatial Elements

Material Defining Space

Orientation

Changes in Floor Height Open Space

Overloading Senses Defined Path

Original Mindmap

Information

Memory Touch

Proportion Blind Cane

Scent

Traditional Landmarks

Circulaton

Guide Dog

Tactile

Completely Blind

Visually Impaired

ID Cane

Body

Kinetic Aural

Hieghted other senses

Unknown

Controlled Sound

SENSES

DESCRIPTORS Visual

Dark/Bright

Saturated/Neutral

Perspectival/Flat

Intimate/Vast

Solid/Void

Detailed/Minimal

Aural

High/Low Pitch

Quiet/Loud

Clear/Reverberant

Vocal/Non-Vocal

Natural/Artificial

Attack/Decay

Haptic

Static/Mobile

Rough/Smooth

Light/Heavy

Porous/Solid

Hard/Soft

Warm/Cold

Kinetic

Strong/Light

Free/Restricted

Indirect/Direct

Level/Shifting

Sustained/Quick

Temporal/Constant

Thermal

Hot/Cold

Dry/Humid

Natural/Artificial

Environmental/Source Radiant/Conductive

Constant/Responsive

Olfaction

Weak/Intense

Stagnate/Fresh

Appealing/Putrid

Natural/Industrial

Invigorating/Soothing

Navigation

Haptics

Aural Senses

Light/Color

Inset Wall Path

Choice of Materials reflect zone

Color and High Contrast to Define Space

Scale and Layout allow for reverberation that explain program

Contrasting material brightness to define important objects

Water feature or noise admitting device to locate important circulation elements

Never put light sources behind hanging signs

Tactile Wall (Sensory Wall) Smoothed Corners Change in ground materialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tactile properties

Acoustic Shadows created by Open doors and pushed in thresholds

Aid Physically

Wheelchair and Walker friendly surfaces

Active Spatial Awareness through use of cane or echolocation

Gripped surfaces for movement As a Learning tool to understand environment

Relaxation Spaces

Spicy/Sweet

Natural Materials (connection to nature) Water Vegetation Adapted Games to haptic play

Dave Giancarli Thesis Prep II Matrix for Visually Impaired Perception

Layout

Code

Central Vertical Circulation Core

Braille and Railings at appropriate height for blind adults and children

Central Artery Path Grouping Similar Functions Inset Wall as railing

Color contrast for signs Braille Signage located in key areas for public buildings

Illuminated Path

Translucent Glass to Reduce Glare Clearstories instead of windows: Less glare and less distraction

Simple Layout

Hallway and Room Minimums

Use of Ramps or sloped ground instead of stairs

Accessible Toilet and Sinks

Inset Wall as railing

Prevent head knockers Stair requirements prevent injury

Quiet or appropriate Acostic Environments for Reflective private space

Colors for Soothing

Musical properties to space

Appropriate Lighting levels for Low Vision reading

Glare reduction

Intimate Sized Spaces with defined thresholds

Evaluation

Conclusion

Hypothesis

• Gained understanding of the alternative perception of the visually-impaired.

Although the dominance of the eye has helped shape modern design, the incorporation of the other senses can increase the experiential value and connectivity of architectural spaces. Haptic and auditory sensory perception allow for an engaging dialogue to occur between the building and the occupant. For the visually impaired, these senses provide crucial information that can be understood through an active cognitive process. Since those with low vision or blindness are more attentive to the non-visual senses, their experience can be useful in designing cognitively engaging and human-centric multi-sensorial environments. The knowledge and experience they can provide from their alternative perception of architectural space can influence a push to design beyond what our eyes acknowledge. As a frame of reference, the visually impaired provide architectural researchers and designers with a useful perspective on the process of developing experiential qualities in built form.

If architects design with more attention to the non-visual senses, then they can create environments that stimulate full sensory response and engagement so that people of all visual capabilities can navigate and experience spaces freely, without barriers. This can be done through learning from the haptic and aural exploration strategies of the visually impaired.

• Learned about the specific code requirements that allow the visually-impaired to navigate spaces easier. • Learned about how art can be cognitively and socially stimulating for those with a visual-impairment, particular those in young developmental stages. • Explored thinking beyond visual perception and understanding space forming through the auditory and haptic characteristics and methods.

Methodology Original Work

Experiments with glass and ocular distortion

Ocular deprivation goggles Loss of detail and depth perception

Frames of vision - (From Left to Right) • Total Blindness: Maximum vision loss without ocular disconnect - Only tiny gradients of light between floor and light sources are noticeable • Information Disconnect: Simulation of what person with blurring of vision and complete lack of detail would experience. Color contrasts become emphasized • Ocular Damage: Distortion caused if foreign object scraps retina – streaking of light and increased sensitivity to glare.

Abstract Diagram

• Spotted Vision: Attempt to replicate glaucoma like vision where large portions of the visual field are missing, forcing the engager to only experience small frames where blockage is less. 15

Frames Frame 1: Law and Code (ADA) An exploration of the code that to assist the visually impaired in safety navigating a building. This study led to an understanding of the lack of assistance that currently exists to fulfill sensory exploration required by those who lack visual ability. Frame 2: Sensory Perception of the Visually Impaired A study of the senses that the visually impaired use to navigate a space, in particular the chaotic cityscape. By harnessing their sharpened abilities with auditory or haptic senses, the visually impaired can navigate the city in a way equivalent to those who are sighted.

Frame 3: How to Create Intimate Spaces in the City

Frame 4: Education, Art and the Blind

In order to create a space that utilizes multi-sensory characteristics that allow a buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupants to engage with it, the space must have a function that requires intimate connection such as an educational facility, or a place of relaxation and spiritual well-being. A focus on materiality within this type of environments, can produce a full sensory experiences.

Precedents of blind-schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developed an understanding of how a building can translate sensory experience into architectural language and built form. This combined with a new understand of the importance of art and music in the lives of the visually impaired inspired the program: Center for the Haptic and Auditory Arts.

Frame 1: Law and Code (ADA)

Frame 2: Sensory Perception of the Visually Impaired

Frame 3: How to Create Intimate Spaces in the City

Frame 4: Education, Art and the Blind

Site Options

- Junction Point for high pedestrian traffic - Easy access from Downtown Boston - Access to residental South Boston - Still in the developmental stages so prime real state space is avaliable - Newly buit buildings will follow ADA and be accessible for shared experience - Most popular new area for development, new destination point for the city

Desired Characteristics • Proximity to mass transit for easy access for the visually impaired + attract sighted • Preferably located in an area being revitalized so prime locations will be open

Huntington Ave

The Avenue of the Arts - Proximity to Art Schools and 5-10 minute walk to MFA - Creates an artistic atmosphere - High Visibility and density of pedestrian traffic - Allows for higher chance of community engagement - Location to transit- 39 Bus and Brigham Circle Green Line T-Stop - Connected to main street and transit routes

• Revitalized area and new - Fills in an area of prime real state value - Filling in urban void construction means ADA is - Close proximity to shopping, restaurants and retail more likely to be implemented - Ease of use for blind Porter allowing for a shared use - Proximity to hospital for visionSquare loss/ physical therapy Source: Google Earth - Visual Impairment due to traumatic injury or aging community - Replacing parking lot that gets little use

Fort Point Chanel Source: Google Earth

• Area known for educational and artistic cultures • Mixed-use • High population/density • Area where a large building footprint won’t be out of place/ be unaccepted

Union Square

Source: Union Square Master Plan

Huntington Ave

Source: Google Earth

Porter Square, Somerville Revitalization proposed for open lots

• • • • • • •

•

Transit -subway, bus, bike, car, commuter rail Residential and some shopping; busy area 10 minute walk to Harvard Square 5-10 minute walk to Davis Square On Massachusetts Ave Proximity to Lesley University (Art School) Plans to be revitalized: there’s two large lots that are being filled and repairing of infrastructure On Somerville/ Cambridge line

Union Square, Somerville Revitalization completed by 2017

Currently • Oldest Square in Somerville • Mixed use: Bars, Cafes, ethnic restaurants • Auto Oriented • Industrial factories nearby • Big box stores: Market Basket • Nearby parks Issues: Not close to the T and many vacant lots, buildings, and urban voids

Future: Transit Oriented Development • New Greenline stop by 2016/2017 on Prospect Street bridge • One-way streets turned into two-way, allowing for greater mixed use: retail, residential and office • Very close in proximity to Innman Square, and a short distance from Harvard Square and Kendall Square. • Located near Somerville center where there’s a library, schools and Somerville city hall • Art events and farmers market during the summer

Fort Point Chanel, South Boston Revitalization completed by 2017

• • • • • • • • •

Proximity to the ICA and numerous artist live-work spaces Artistic atmosphere South Station just across the bridge + Silver Line On main street (Congress Street) Proximity to harbor walk and nature Mixed use with retail, restaurants, and lots of office space Walkable area Junction Point for high pedestrian traffic Easy access from Downtown Boston

• • • •

Access to residential South Boston Still in the developmental stages so prime real state space is available Newly built buildings will follow ADA and be accessible for shared experience Most popular new area for development, new destination point for the city

Huntington Avenue, Boston Avenue of the Arts

• • • • • • • • •

Proximity to Art Schools and 5-10 minute walk to MFA Creates an artistic atmosphere High Visibility and density of pedestrian traffic Allows for higher chance of community engagement Location to transit- 39 Bus and Brigham Circle Green Line T-stop Connected to main street and transit routes Replacing parking lot that gets little use Fills in an area of prime real state value Filling in urban void

• • •

Close proximity to shopping, restaurants and retail Ease of use for blind Proximity to hospital for vision loss or physical therapy for those with visual impairment due to traumatic injury or aging

Design Probe This design probe conceptualized ways to draw the community into the proposed center for the haptic and auditory arts. This building would create an inclusive environment where the visually impaired and the sighted learn about and create art through their shared senses. Porter Square was chosen as a site because of its active pedestrian streets, nearby transit, and artistic as well as educational culture. A spine allows people to flow through the site, simplifying the programmatic order of the building into one path, branching off the main street. The spine splits the functions of the building into public and private areas, positioning the gallery and social spaces near the front to be put on display, and the more private spaces, such as the library and classrooms, in the back. The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary objective is to act as an experiential medium, allowing its occupants to learn how nonvisual perception contributes to spatial understanding. 26

Conclusion Program

Site

auditory arts will create an inclusive environment where the visually impaired

because of its active pedestrian streets, nearby transit, and artistic as

way those lacking visual perception can

allow for the building to develop a connection to its surrounding

The proposed center for the haptic and

Porter Square was chosen as a site

and the sighted learn about and create art through their shared senses. In this

well as educational culture. This will

inform the sighted about the under-appreciated beauty that haptics and auditory perception can contribute to the process of teaching and creating art. The inspiration for this program draws from the Italian UniversitĂ dellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Immagine which specializes in the teaching young design students to work with sensory perception as a methodology.

community and allow for the possibility of its ideas to have a cultural effect. The goal for this space is to create a place that inspires local artists and students to expand their understanding of the world and gain an alternative perception of it. The large scale size of the site allows for a long building that utilizes the proposed central spine.

Design Method I started off this semester trying to

explore an extremely broad subject in architecture: how do people experience

space? I wanted to discover what allows architecture to become more then just the tectonic structures that form it. What occurs in the area between a buildings physical form that allows people to

engage with it? From this exploration I moved into a study of the senses and ocularcentrism within the perception of architectural space. Moving forward I posed the question: Is there a way to decrease the dominance of the eye within an architectural space and create an experience that can be explored through all of the senses? By studying the visually-impaired I began to realize the aesthetics of sound and hapticity which are under-utilized in the design process. The alternative perspective of space that the visually impaired experience on an everyday basis was inspirational to me.

I discovered that by designing inclusive spaces for those off all visual

Physical modeling was not utilized as often as it should have. It might be

of the occupant from observer to

were built. The first exploration utilized

abilities, I could develop a multi-sensory architecture that would shift the position engager. I took an approach that mostly involved exploring literature and

interviews with my friends who are visually-impaired. Through reading numerous books on the subjects about the senses, ocularcentrism in design, the visually impaired, and how to develop multi-sensorial architecture, I was able to educate myself on the discussions currently and previously held with in my field of study. In thesis prep, I was able to implement my knowledge into collage format to demonstrate my understanding through a visual method. I have to develop a method that allows for the explanation of the more then visual design and experience that I intend to produce. Doing this will allow for the thesis to become successful.

beneficial as an exploration method in the Spring semester. Only two models

different techniques that caused panes of glass to distort vision. This was a

successful tool in allowing the sighted to gain a better understanding of the experience of visual impairment. The second was the design probe which allowed for a large scale idea to connect the program and the building itself to the sight. In the future physical modeling should be utilized since it allows for a haptic and visual understanding of space The program of a center for the teaching and learning of haptic and auditory arts allows for the creation of a space that is desirable to people of all sensory abilities. This space will allow me to implement my ideas and challenge those with full visual ability to explore their other senses in a way that is unfamiliar yet exciting.

Objectives and Time Line

Contact Chris Downey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; blind architect from California â&#x20AC;&#x201C; potential secondary adviser

Develop a methodology for diagramming non-visual experience in model or drawing form

WINTER BREAK

Experiment and learn about how to incorporate dynamic, active and passive touch into architectural form and experience

Develop an inclusive space where people of all visual capabilities can experience a heightened sensorial experience

Gain full understanding of ADA regulations in relation to the blind

SPRING SEMESTER

FINAL GOALS

Evaluation Criteria • Is the building able to be navigated by someone with a visual impairment? • Does the sensory design benefit those who are sighted, creating an inclusive experience for those of all visual capabilities? • Is the building a flowing series of spaces with understandable transitions based off sensory perception or do the transitions become too confusing? • How does the application of haptic and auditory spatial understanding translate into architectural form?

Conclusion Discoveries •

As a frame of reference, the experience of the visually impaired provides architectural researchers and designers with a useful perspective on the process of placemaking. This is because our unused sensory potential is exemplified when vision in not dominating the understanding of a space

• Art can be cognitively and socially stimulating for those with a visual-impairment, particularly those in young developmental stages making a center for the haptic and auditory arts a beneficial program that can become an inclusive environment • Code can only assist the visually impaired to a small degree since it does not take into consideration alternative sensory perception of space

Reflections

Next Steps

This semester has been quite

• How can this thesis be implemented in a way that bridges between the theoretical ideas of multi-sensorial architecture and its real life execution?

challenging and exciting since I am analyzing a way of exploring the field of

architecture in a multi-sensory manner. This has allowed me to gain an understanding of how spaces are

experienced rather then how they appear to be experienced in a digital

model or on paper. I have noticed that most of the successful architectural works that I have been to, especially the ones on my study abroad trip, utilize an understanding of experience beyond what is seen. Those who pay particular attention to the sensory perception of space such as Alvar Aalto and Peter Zumthor have been a great inspiration to the development of my thought process. My goal of creating an inclusive space for those who have visual impairments and those who are sighted is not to just aid the navigation abilities within the building but to build an experience on multiple levels allowing for the sighted to

• How can a building designed for the visually impaired engage someone who has the capability of sight? • How can an architectural methodology be developed to represent non-visual spatial experience?

understand what they are missing by only taking space at face value.

Bibliography Primary Sources Blesser, Barry, and Linda-Ruth Salter. Spaces Speak, Are You Listening: Experiencing Aural Architecture. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2009. Devlieger, Patrick. Blindness and the Multi-Sensorial City. Antwerp: Garant, 2006. International Council of Museums, and Fondation de France. Museums Without Barriers: A New Deal for the Disabled. London: Routledge, 1991. Joffee, Elga. A Practical Guide to the ADA and Visual Impairment. New York: AFB Press, 1999. Malnar, Joy Monice, and Frank Vodvarka. Sensory Design. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. New York : John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

Ungar. “Cognitive Mapping Without Visual Experience.” Cognitive Mapping: Past Present and Future, Edited by R. Kitchin and S. Fredundschuh, 13. London: Routledge, 2000.

Secondary Sources Bahamón, Alejandro, and Ana María Álvarez. Light Color Sound: Sensory Effects in Contemporary Architecture. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2010. Barbara, Anna, and Anthony Perliss. Invisible Architecture: Experiencing Places Through the Sense of Smell. Milano: Skira, 2006. Bloomer, Kent C., and Charles Willard Moore. Body, Memory, and Architecture. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1977. Joffee, Elga. A Practice Guide to the ADA and Visual Impairment. New York: AFB Press, 1999. Espinosa, Maria, Simon Ungar, Simon Angeles, Esperanza Ochaita, Mark Blades, and Christopher Spencer. “Comparing Methods for Introducing Blind and Visually Impaired People to Unfamiliar Urban Environments.” Journal (Paginated) (1998): 1-10. http://cogprints.org/1509/

Gibson, James J. The Senses Considered As Perceptual Systems. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1966. Heller, Morton A. Touch, Representation, and Blindness. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Herssens, Jasmien. “Haptic Design Research: A Blind Sense of Place.” AIA. http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/ documents/pdf/aiab087187.pdf (accessed September 10, 2012). Holl, Steven, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Alberto Pérez Gómez. Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture. San Francisco, CA: William Stout, 2006. Jay, Martin. 1988. “The Rise of Hermeneutics and the Crisis of Ocularcentrism”. Poetics Today. 9, no. 2: 307-326. Jones, Caroline A., and Bill Arning. Sensorium: Embodied Experience, Technology, and Contemporary Art. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2006. Kreij, Kamiel Van. Sensory Intensification in Architecture. Technical University Delft, 2008.

Annotations

Morash, Valerie, Allison E. Connell Pensky, Andrea Urqueta Alfaro & Amanda McKerracher “A Review of Haptic Spatial Abilities in the Blind”, Spatial Cognition & Computation: An Interdisciplinary Journal (2012): 83-95

Blesser explores the phenomenon of auditory spatial awareness rather then the typically researched physical and mathematical properties of sound. He does this in order to broaden the issues of the relatively unresearched topic of aural architecture. The author uses multiple lenses to filter his information, from composers to musicians to architects to the visually impaired. Through the ideas of “passive acoustic objects” (Blesser 2007, 2), “auditory dialogues” (Blesser 2007, 16) and “acoustic arenas,” we can better understand the way that sound can shape a space. Blesser believes that aural architecture is dynamic and adaptive because even though a space’s physical form may remain static, the sound sources and sonic behaviors can change (Blesser 2007, 24). Using the example of the visually impaired, who have developed a kind of echo-locational skill set out of necessity, the author explains how sighted people can develop their auditory “muscles” in

O’Neill, Máire Eithne. 2001. “Corporeal Experience: A Haptic Way of Knowing”. Journal of Architectural Education. 55, no. 1: 3-12. Révész, Géza. Psychology and Art of the Blind. London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1950. Robert Campbell “Experiencing Architecture with Seven Senses, Not One.” Architectural Record (2007): 65-66. Vermeersch, Peter-Willem, and Ann Heylighen “Blindness and Multisensoriality in Architecture: The Case of Carlos Mourão Pereira.” The Place of Research, the Research of Place (2011):

Blesser, Barry, and Linda-Ruth Salter. Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?: Experiencing Aural Architecture. Cambridge MA: The MIT Press, 2007.

a similar way. One simple example of this echolocation is the “tonal color” or reflection speed of low frequency background sounds that changes when we get close to a wall (Blesser 2007, 43). This example can be used to locate the center of a hallway by balancing the tonal color observed by the left and right ears. Through implementation of aural design techniques, architecture can become more then just a utilitarian space; it can transform into an expressive art form that communicates multi-sensorially. International Council of Museums, and Fondation de France. Museums Without Barriers: A New Deal for the Disabled. London: Routledge, 1991. 81-149 This book is collection of several papers written by experts on the blind and the senses. The authors discuss the importance of allowing those with disabilities (sensory or physical) to have access to art and culture. The section from page 81-149 discusses the visually impaired and how providing those with low vision or no vision with a chance to learn about or create art can be beneficial for their social abilities. Ever since the Renaissance museums have

http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/ aia/documents/pdf/aiab087189.pdf 33

disabled touch from the experience of the gallery, which discourages people with visual impairments from visiting museums. It is only on special occasions that these places are opened up to touch tours. One of the authors explains how when a sighted person occupies an art gallery they are draw to what appeals to us visually and turn away from what doesn’t. The visually impaired cannot do this until they have fully explored the piece and have become acquainted with it. This kind of haptic engagement is gives those utilizing it a personal relationship to the item rather then the disconnect that would occur with ocular observation. The main goal of the book is convince architectural designers and owners of museums to develop spaces that allow for an inclusive nature and exploration of art that would benefit all users. There are numerous precedents that are discussed as well as physically benefits to experiencing art spaces through multi-sensory exploration.

Leuven, K.U, and Ann Heylighen “Haptic Design Research: A Blind Sense of Place” The Place of Research, the Research of Place (2011): http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/ aia/documents/pdf/aiab087187.pdf This paper focuses on haptic design and its integration into the field of architecture. Ideas that are explored throughout include active, dynamic and passive touch. The writers encourage architects toward a multi-sensorial architecture that is not just limited to vision. Not only will this improve architecture as a whole, but it will allow for equal experience and access for all people. By applying Kevin Lynch’s classifications of landmark, paths, nodes, edges and boundaries to haptic design we can realize that landmark can become simply a defining “texture on a city square.” This idea directly correlates to interviews I have conducted with two of my peers who are visually impaired. Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. London: Academy Group Ltd, 1996. Pallasmaa feels that there is an ocularcentrism in architectural design that must be removed. He believes we

need to re-sensualize architecture by being more aware of how material choice effects space. In addition we should also include ideas of hapticity, aural perception, smell, taste, and overall engagement into the design process. Pallasmaa explains how ancient Greek philosophers originally stressed visual dominance and then implemented fully into design during the Renaissance. Visual dominance can also be attributed to our change from an oral society, to a written society, to a printed society. The use of computer imaging has flattened our senses and the design process has turned into a “passive visual manipulation, a retinal journey” (Pallasmaa 1996, 12). Pallasmaa believes the sense of reality is strengthened through the interaction of the senses, describing it as “polyphony” or a melodic accompaniment. The author’s writing is passionately critical of the ability of sight. Pallasmaa compares and contrasts sight with the other senses throughout the essay. For example, he describes the eye as an “organ of distance and separation” and touch as “the sense of nearness, intimacy and affection” (Pallasmaa 1996, 46). By addressing the strengths of the other senses and how to use them to shape space, Pallasmaa

has laid the guidelines to a dynamic and engaging architecture. Malnar, Joy Monice, and Frank Vodvarka. Sensory Design. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. Malnar and Vodvarka explore the history and implementation of architecture and design that utilizes all senses. As with most books in this discourse, the authors are opponents of ocularcentrism, or dominance of the eye in the perception and creation of art and architecture. Taking from J.J. Gibson’s idea of perceptual systems rather in independent senses, the authors discuss how to experience a building with the body as a whole rather then just with a “wandering eye.” Malnar and Vodvarka claim that utilizing an understanding of sensory perception can be beneficial to the design process. For instance, the choice of textures within a building are thought of mostly for their appearance when their haptic qualities such as texture, weight, thermal properties, and density can create an expansive pallet for the designer to work with.

Morash, Valerie, Allison E. Connell Pensky, Andrea Urqueta Alfaro & Amanda McKerracher “A Review of Haptic Spatial Abilities in the Blind.” Spatial Cognition & Computation: An Interdisciplinary Journal (2012): 83-95 This article explores how haptic senses can allow for an exploration of space not thought to be possible by the blind. The authors argue that touch is more of a focused and analytical way of experiencing space, rather than sight which is more global and contains a wide field of information simultaneously. Although the visually impaired may lack the ability to be able to see detailed spatial forms, they are still able to process their environment equivalently by using their haptic abilities. The haptic method of spatial analysis works through egocentric (using the body) and locomotive (movement of objects around the area) to help detect the full image of a space. In the article they speak about how independence in movement should be encouraged at an early age. Learning to use haptic and aural abilities while young will increase the chances of this independence.

Van Kreij, Kamiel. Sensory Intensification in Architecture. Technical University Delft, 2008. Van Kreij wishes to intensify the sensory experience in architecture by bringing attention to the value it adds to different spaces. The author is an architect from the Netherlands, and a current member of studioDAT. From the concept to execution of drawings, designers at studioDAT focus in on spatial experience. The aim is to create an exciting architecture that is both spatially interesting and interactive. (http://studiodat.nl/studio/). Van Kreij wishes to inform us on how to design for more then just the visual. He explains how the “deprivation of sensory involvement, in modern life (Van Kreij, 9) flattens our engagement with our environment. Van Kreij speaks of the sensory experience as an “ongoing dialogue between human beings and the entities that surround us” (Van Kreij, 49). He thinks of this experience as something that can teach us to interact with our environment, causing it to become more dynamic.

2. THESIS PROJECT

Early Sketches

Exploration Through Hand Sketching This thesis was primarily explored through hand sketching and the utilization of the parallel rule. I chose this path as an alternative to the typical raw sketch to digital model approach due to the nature of the thesis, where physical connection is emphasized. I felt it would be a poor choice to rely on a computer or digital tools too early in the process. The end result of this exploration was not a series of refined and rendered presentation drawings, but the development of a sense of process and an understanding that this idea does not end with this semester. Simple ideas turned into complex ones through an intensive iterative process using this method. Looking at these sketches now, which started the process, I see how far the idea has come. This began the challenge of allowing the nonvisual idea of designing for sensory perception to be understood visually. It seems that the representation method was the most challenging part of developing this haptic and auditory based thesis.

Preliminary Testing of Thesis Possibilities

House for a Blind Man Experiment 40

Sensory Pavilions: Isolated Sensory Potential

Thermal and Sound Pavilion

Tactile Pavilion 42

Precedents

Hazelwood School for the Blind: GM+AD Architects 43

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater: Bing Thom Architects 44

Copenhagen Concert Hall: Jean Nouvel 45

Touch Models and Experiments “Touch, Don’t Look” Model The desire of this test was to question the possibilities of haptics as a means to inform the engager. The box is a simple collage of materials with varying haptic attributes. I put this model on my desk, which was located near the studio entrance and invited my peers to interact with it. I tracked to see if there were any patterns. The results varied, but there was quite a bit of repetition. It seemed that most people were reacting to the materials in similar ways, confirming the possibility of an informative haptic aesthetic, which can be transfered into an architectural scale. One observation noted during the experiment was the uneasiness of not having visual confirmation of what was being touched. This confirmed my previous theory that as a visual society, we have become estranged to the power of touch. Only through using the visually impaired as a frame of reference can we truly appreciate the information that can be received through haptic perception.

Ergonomics Study This experiment was about how human touch can shape a form overtime and how that form can then become a source of comfort once engaged. I took a ball of clay and squeezed it in my hand imprinting my grip. Understanding that this would only allow me to engage with the object, I began to smooth and stretch the clay until it became a form. This forms to an abstraction of the human hand, allowing for it to become engageable by people of varying grips. The point of this exercise was to understand how to shape points of engagement within a building such as a door handle or a railing to suit the human hand.

Early Photo Manipulation of the Tactile Qualities of a Materials This was an early exercise, experimenting with Photoshop and texture manipulation. The goal was to distort a single material (in this case tree bark) into having varying haptic attributes, some of which contradict the very nature of the material. This allowed me to explore the possibilities of the manipulation of materials within the digital realm and explore how the eye understands tactility.

Comparing Visual Impairment to Near Blindness Testing For Perception When designing for multiple levels of visual ability, it is important to note the rarity of total blindness. The majority of those classified as totally blind actually see a gradient of light at the bare minimum. This is shown in the image on the bottom left. Most of those classified as blind are actually be able to make out large shapes that can act as landmarks within their environment.

Interpretation of Retinal Damage

Interpretation of Near Blindness 48

It is also important to note that those with visual impairments are not always from a congenital disorder or through the aging process. Some people who have damaged vision may have scratched retinas from accidents. Taking these different varieties of visual impairment into consideration, creates a point of motivation to design for those of all visual abilities rather than just those with full visual ability.

Door Handle as the “Handshake” of a Building Human Engagement Early studies in the thesis process produced ideas of how to connect to a occupant’s sensory awareness, not only at the larger navigational scale, but also at the physical haptic scale. Chris Downey, an architect discussed earlier in this book who has gone blind, has deemed that the moment a building greets its occupant is where a person touches its entrance door handle. I began to explore how the haptic qualities of the door handle can speak to the nature of the space being entered. For instance, I felt that the sculpture studio should have a handcrafted and natural feel to it to represent the activities held within the space. These experiments made me realize the range of scales that the thesis works on and how it is not limited to large scale spatial design. It can allow for the detailing of even the smallest moments.

Door Handle Experiment

Site: Porter Square

Areas Surrounding Site: Analysis Diagram 50

Finalized Program The final program of the thesis was a school of material and performance arts. This allowed the thesis to be tested by those that I considered to be the sensory middle ground between the visually impaired and the majority of sighted people, the artist. I felt that the artist, being most attentive to the auditory and haptic senses, allowed for an opportunity to test the methods of sensory design learned from the visually impaired. I wished to use this lens to create an environment that betters the experiential and comprehensive nature of space for everyone.

Environmental Noise Analysis

Site Conditions Porter Square was chosen for its rich environment and location. The large urban voids within the site, currently being utilized as parking lots, allowed the opportunity for a building the size of a school to be created and actually benefit the Square. Later during the semester, it was discovered that the school across the street, Lesley University, had bought the Art Institute of Boston. Using this as part of the justification of the program and the site made this project more plausible, removing the restrictions of requiring all the functions of a full-sized school.

Site Plan: Porter Square 51

Method of Testing and Representation Haptic Scale Testing and Representation Method

POINT SOURCE WAVE PRINCIPALS

HAPTIC SCALE TEXTURES

I chose not to use the traditional method of drawing materials at an architectural scale (example drawing bricks at 1/8 scale), but at what I call the â&#x20AC;&#x153;haptic scale.â&#x20AC;? The haptic scale is when a material appears as it would if we were up close to it. The goal of this was to try and capture the tactile nature of the material rather then its visual attributes. Three methods were developed in trying to design this haptic scale representation method: The first was to put materials behind the vellum drawing and create rubbings manually. The second method was to scan rubbings and use Photoshop to manipulate them. The third, and final chosen method, was to photo manipulate images I had taken of various materials.

Material Study: Rubbings 52

The choice of materials within the building not only affects the haptic qualities of the space, but also the auditory qualities. Displaying these materials would allow for a reinforced understanding of the auditory zones being formed.

Digital Texture Manipulation vs Material Rubbings

Rubbings Directly Onto Vellum Drawings

Scanned Rubbings and Turned Them Into Manipulable Photoshop Textures

Photo-manipulation of Texture at Haptic Scale in Photoshop 53

Method of Testing Auditory Relationships and Conditions

Ray Bounce Method

Radiating Waves Method 54

Auditory Testing and Representation Method

Auditory Intensity versus Absorption Surfaces

Experimenting with how to represent and test for auditory conditions was the most challenging process out of the whole thesis. How can the eyes understand what the ears hear? I searched through a variety of methods, some shown here, and the end result was the point source wave method. This method is drawn from the understanding that sound bounces similar to the way a disturbance in a still body of water creates waves. A still wave pool has a history of being used to explain how auditory conditions work. I took this method and explored it in a variety of ways until I came up with rules for it. 1. It should only be used to show key moments and moments of transmission through a surface (i.e. glass)

Point Source Waves at Key Auditory Connection and Transmission Spaces

2. It should weaken as it travels and/or bounces off a surface, and/or is transmitted through a surface. 3. When it meets an absorptive material it disappears (which is unrealistic, but allows for the method to be understood clearer)

Section Iterations

Transformation of an Idea Throughout the semester, sketch after sketch produced a variety of sectional conditions that were created and experimented with. Everything from a simple box form to highly complex geometries, as shown above, were tested. They were all generated following the same idea: auditory conditions should be represented in the geometry of the form. The resulting sectional quality after all this experimentation was much calmer than expected. It emphasized key moments within the building rather than becoming a collage of auditory zones, unrecognizable from each other.

Late Concept Sketches

3 Sensory Zones: Neutral Glass Box Imperfect Sculpture Flowing Performance

Glass Cube Sketch: Neutral Point of Sensory Reference 58

Late Concept Sketches These sketches were formed halfway through the semester and represent ideas that would carry throughout the rest of the project. The idea of creating a neutral point of reference in the building was an important one: something that could be sensed from different areas of the building and immediately noticeable once engaged. This was how the modernist glass box was implemented. This typology has an auditory and haptic nature to it that is immediately recognizable. From this point, the rest of the building can be formed. Since the school has a very distinct program, it was easy to divide the program into three zones: the neutral glass box, the imperfect sculpture studio, and the flowing performance center. These names represent how the space would be treated within the building allowing them to become recognizable areas that are identifiable on a multi-sensory level. The sketch model and the extremely raw hand sketches are attempts to capture this idea. The detailed axon sketch is a diagram of the composition of the hallway that leads to the theater. I wished to create a zone that prepares the occupant to enter the theater, while also creating an acoustic corridor that wraps the building to protect it from exterior environmental noise. The walls are composed of a three tiered system of absorption. The undulating fabric attached to wooden members creates an uneven surface to absorb high frequencies, the air gap between the fabric and the wall helps to absorb low frequencies, and the insulation located against the wall would absorb the rest of the frequencies within the mid range. This space would only receive light from below creating a low light condition noticeable by the majority of visual abilities (as stated before, even the near blind can understand gradients of light). This creates a space of sensory deprivation before entering the sensory exhilaration of the theater.

Detail Sectional Axon of Acoustic System in Theater Hallway

Building Texture Studies

Collage Perspectives

Theater Perspective

Theater Hallway Perspective

Old Perspective of Sculpture Section Hallway 63

Dance Classroom Perspective 64

Music Classroom Perspective 65

Final Drawings 17

20 15 15

15 15

21 19

15 15 15 15 15

9 6

11 10

9 7

3 5 5

1 4

Program 1 Entry 2 Cafe 3 Library 4 Group Workspaces 5 Independent Workspaces 6 Sculpture Studio 7 Machine Room (Metal Shop) 8 Kiln Room 9 Lounge 10 Open Gallery Space 11 Crit Rooms 12 Classrooms 13 Theater Backstage 14 Theater 15 Practice Room 16 Dance Studios 17 Theater Classrooms 18 Recording Studio 19 Music Classroom 20 Theater Lounge 21 Outdoor Area/ Performance Area

Site Plan

First Floor Plan Final Design The School of the Performance and Material Arts at Porter Square utilizes zones of reference and a spine that flows between 3 large volumes: The social core is expressed as a glass box exposed to the environmental conditions of the Porter Square intersection such as sound influx from traffic, people and train, and temperature differences of the northeast climate. The sculpture studio is a large, triple height space with a second level. Its heavy walls absorb sound and prevent thermal transfer, isolating it from the exterior and focusing the experience on the interior environment.

To move towards the theater, the occupant must travel up the stairs, up along the social core, moving towards either the sound of conversation in the intermission space or sound of a performance within the wooden enclosed theater. To access the theater, an acoustic corridor is implemented to not only keep out the excess noise of the urban neighborhood, but is seen as an opportunity to play with darkness (light levels can be sensed by a majority of blind and visually impaired) as well as sound absorption. This acts as a sensory deprivation space to prepare concert goers for the auditory expression of the theater, creating a clearly defined auditory and haptic zones within the building.

Second Floor Plan Juxtaposition of materiality is used throughout the building to define space on a haptic level. For example, the tactile traits of bush hammered concrete, like Paul Rudolph’s concrete buildings, versus the smooth concrete of Peter Zumthor’s Kunsthaus Bregenz is used in the sculpture studio’s flooring system. Utilizing this method of material treatment defines areas of transition for high textured surface due to heightened awareness at these points. This is due to not only texture, but the kinesthetic shift that occurs. When used a lot it can cause questioning and possible deterrence leading it to a connection to more individualized spaces, such as on the first floor where the individual study spaces have strips of highly textured concrete flooring near their entrance points.

For the sculpture areas, concrete treatment is the main defining method, whereas in the performance areas wood and carpet treatment are used.

The exploration of material prosperities and how they give off or respond to haptic and auditory information rather then purely the aesthetic benefits starts to tap into a multi-sensory mode of design and experience.

Using the point source technique, spatial relationships are depicted such as the gallery space’s exposure to exterior noise, and the areas that bridge over the entry way’s connection to the large auditory volume.

Utilizing auditory zones composed of spatial geometry, height, and reflective/ absorptive panel systems define programmatic zones within the building as well as areas of reference. For instance, the entry area uses a technique borrowed from blind architect Chris Downey who uses reflective directional panels that reverberate sound in a direction of main travel into spine of the building. (See Section B.)

Third Floor Plan

4th Floor Sensory Wall Detail 70

Another experimental method for implementing haptic understanding within the building is the sensory wall system. This system utilizes a undulating wall, which runs throughout sections of the building to guide and allow for confirmation of location. This technique was borrowed and reinterpreted from the Hazelwood School and also the Illinois Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped by Stanley Tigerman. The wall is used within the building as storage space for the students. Each floor, besides the second, uses this system in a different way. The materials of the sensory wall juxtapose the

other dominant materials within the space. For instance the sensory wall is wood in the concrete sculpture studio spaces and metal within the wood clad performance studio spaces. The system starts to penetrate from the spine into the music room spaces on the 4th floor. The need for varying storage space for musical instruments (ranging from flute to timpani) allowed for a creation of patterning that lacks repetition making each one immediately identifiable. The system is used inside to break up side reflections and act as a double facade to control levels of auditory connection to external environment and levels of natural ventilation.

Fourth Floor Plan

Section A

Section B 72

Section C 73

Conclusion This thesis process has a been one of the most challenging projects I have undertaken thus far. It has strengthened my iterative process to a point of refinement beyond what I could have imagined prior. Although I am proud of what I have accomplished in such a short period of time, I do feel like it can be pushed much further given the time. I feel I have been successful in creating final drawings that depict the sensory environments being formed. The methods of sensory representation collaged over each other create a sense of understanding. One can imagine that the auditory, haptic, and spatial influence of the material choices can be read beyond purely visual attributes, utilizing the haptic scale method of depicting textures along with the point source sound testing method. The final critique went extremely well. The critics acknowledged how challenging it is represent these nonvisual modes of understanding within

the boundaries of traditional architectural presentation methods. They felt that the most successful part of the thesis was the method of representation that was developed, even proposing that this method could have been explored without the hand drafted plans and sections. Professor Cowherd reminded the critics that if I were to do this, then they would have asked where the building was. Everyone agreed that this was a great middle ground in presenting these ideas, but wished that the method was transposed onto the site itself. The project was very inwardly focused and only addressed the site in subtle ways like the auditory connection of the music classrooms and the outdoor performance area to the street. It was felt that if this was further developed, then the project could have been stronger since, as proposed, the building could have been located in a variety of places within any urban environment.

Ungar. “Cognitive Mapping Without Visual Experience.” Cognitive Mapping: Past Present and Future, Edited by R. Kitchin and S. Fredundschuh, 13. London: Routledge, 2000.

Annotations

Blesser, Barry, and Linda-Ruth Salter. Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?: Experiencing Aural Architecture. Cambridge MA: The MIT Press, 2007.

http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/ aia/documents/pdf/aiab087189.pdf 77