SYNAESTHETIC ARCHITECTURE THE LOST SENSES OF ARCHITECTURE

Similar documents
PROFESSION WITHOUT DISCIPLINE WOULD BE BLIND

Sidey Myoo. The Telematic Art: from the Image of Water lilies to Dipping the Hand into the Electronic Pond Realis

Memories and Conversations. Integrative Project Thesis. Tiffany Leung

03 Theoretical discourse

A Basic Study on the Conversion of Sound into Color Image using both Pitch and Energy

Rusudan Japaridze SYNESTHETIC METAPHORS IN WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS POETRY

(Syn)aesthetics: Redefining Visceral Performance. by Josephine Machon. A review. by Paul Woodward

Visual communication and interaction

Spatial Formations. Installation Art between Image and Stage.

The Existential Act- Interview with Juhani Pallasmaa

The Aesthetic Experience and the Sense of Presence in an Artistic Virtual Environment

AN IDENTIFICATION OF SYNAESTHETIC ABILITY: CONSISTENCY OF SYNAESTHETIC EXPERIENCE TO VOWELS AND DIGITS

The poetry of space Creating quality space Poetic buildings are all based on a set of basic principles and design tools. Foremost among these are:

Chapter 2 Christopher Alexander s Nature of Order

High School Photography 1 Curriculum Essentials Document

THE SENSATION OF COLOUR

iafor The International Academic Forum

Surprise & emotion. Theoretical paper Key conference theme: Interest, surprise and delight

2 nd Grade Visual Arts Curriculum Essentials Document

Objects and Things: Notes on Meta- pseudo- code (Lecture at SMU, Dec, 2012)

THESIS MIND AND WORLD IN KANT S THEORY OF SENSATION. Submitted by. Jessica Murski. Department of Philosophy

Hear hear. Århus, 11 January An acoustemological manifesto

SocioBrains THE INTEGRATED APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF ART

Is Architecture Beautiful? Nikos A. Salingaros University of Texas at San Antonio May 2016

ARCH 121 INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE I WEEK

Mind Formative Evaluation. Limelight. Joyce Ma and Karen Chang. February 2007

Hamletmachine: The Objective Real and the Subjective Fantasy. Heiner Mueller s play Hamletmachine focuses on Shakespeare s Hamlet,

The In/Visible: "Common Senses" Architecture

Synaesthetic Effects Can Produce an Immersive Visual Music. Chao-Chun Wu

Memoria est Imperfectus

CONRAD AND IMPRESSIONISM JOHN G. PETERS

Comparison, Categorization, and Metaphor Comprehension

ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

It is from this perspective that Aristotelian science studies the distinctive aspects of the various inhabitants of the observable,

Cover Page. The handle holds various files of this Leiden University dissertation.

Análisis Filosófico ISSN: Sociedad Argentina de Análisis Filosófico Argentina

Kant Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysics, Preface, excerpts 1 Critique of Pure Reason, excerpts 2 PHIL101 Prof. Oakes updated: 9/19/13 12:13 PM

Expressive information

INFLUENCE OF MUSICAL CONTEXT ON THE PERCEPTION OF EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION OF MUSIC

REVERSE ENGINEERING EMOTIONS IN AN IMMERSIVE AUDIO MIX FORMAT

Royce: The Anthropology of Dance

K Use kinesthetic awareness, proper use of space and the ability to move safely. use of space (2, 5)

Coloured Vowels: Wittgenstein on Synaesthesia and Secondary Meaning

An Analysis of the Enlightenment of Greek and Roman Mythology to English Language and Literature. Hong Liu

Barbara Kasten and Amanda Ross-Ho Part 2, MOCA (2016): [online]

Examination papers and Examiners reports E040. Victorians. Examination paper

Introduction SABINE FLACH, DANIEL MARGULIES, AND JAN SÖFFNER

Space is Body Centred. Interview with Sonia Cillari Annet Dekker

Sculpting Stage Fright a conversation with Lisa Robertson Excerpt from Kairos Time 2015 published by the Piet Zwart Institute ISBN:

DAT335 Music Perception and Cognition Cogswell Polytechnical College Spring Week 6 Class Notes

c. MP claims that this is one s primary knowledge of the world and as it is not conscious as is evident in the case of the phantom limb patient

Exploring Choreographers Conceptions of Motion Capture for Full Body Interaction

Case Study: Richard Neutra s Lovell Health House. Space is an extremely broad term that encompasses a number of

JIMMI TOR

8K Resolution: Making Hyperrealism a Reality

Interior Environments:The Space of Interiority. Author. Published. Journal Title. Copyright Statement. Downloaded from. Link to published version

Indiana Academic Standards for Visual Arts Alignment with the. International Violin Competition of Indianapolis Juried Exhibition of Student Art

The Solution. The business man behind a desk, the scientist in the lab, the artist approaching his

Culture and Art Criticism

The legacies of the Bauhaus For the Present and the Future

CHAPTER SIX. Habitation, structure, meaning

Curriculum Framework for Visual Arts

PHILOSOPHY. Grade: E D C B A. Mark range: The range and suitability of the work submitted

Oral history, museums and history education

Truth and Method in Unification Thought: A Preparatory Analysis

Blindness as a challenging voice to stigma. Elia Charidi, Panteion University, Athens

NEW YORK STATE TEACHER CERTIFICATION EXAMINATIONS

Working BO1 BUSINESS ONTOLOGY: OVERVIEW BUSINESS ONTOLOGY - SOME CORE CONCEPTS. B usiness Object R eference Ontology. Program. s i m p l i f y i n g

Aristotle (summary of main points from Guthrie)

An Indian Journal FULL PAPER ABSTRACT KEYWORDS. Trade Science Inc.

Mixing Metaphors. Mark G. Lee and John A. Barnden

Intentional approach in film production

A Condensed View esthetic Attributes in rts for Change Aesthetics Perspectives Companions

Years 9 and 10 standard elaborations Australian Curriculum: Drama

Aesthetic Qualities Cues within artwork, such as literal, visual, and expressive qualities, which are examined during the art criticism process.

Recently a professor shared two images with me, the first was a photograph of ancient

MATERIALS AND ARCHITECTURE What is the relation between the honest use of materials, and beauty in architecture?

Image and Imagination

ACSA Annual Meeting, Technology Conference Montreal, June 1999:

Incongruity Theory and Memory. LE300R Integrative & Interdisciplinary Learning Capstone: Ethic & Psych of Humor in Popular.

Archiving Praxis: Dilemmas of documenting installation art in interdisciplinary creative arts praxis

Inter-Play: Understanding Group Music Improvisation as a Form of Everyday Interaction

Chapter 2 The Main Issues

Music Performance Panel: NICI / MMM Position Statement

THE DIGITAL DELAY ADVANTAGE A guide to using Digital Delays. Synchronize loudspeakers Eliminate comb filter distortion Align acoustic image.

Mammals and music among others

REVIEW ARTICLE IDEAL EMBODIMENT: KANT S THEORY OF SENSIBILITY

Design Principles and Practices. Cassini Nazir, Clinical Assistant Professor Office hours Wednesdays, 3-5:30 p.m. in ATEC 1.

Translating Cultural Values through the Aesthetics of the Fashion Film

NOVEL DESIGNER PLASTIC TRUMPET BELLS FOR BRASS INSTRUMENTS: EXPERIMENTAL COMPARISONS

Design for Information

UNIT 1 VISUAL PERCEPTION

Our interactions with home are intimate, sustained, complex, and even

The Oxford Compendium of Visual Illusions (2017), A. Shapiro, & D.Todorovic (Eds.), Oxford University Press, New York,

An Overview of the Pixel Ware Project at the Oriental Museum, Durham

Perceiving Differences and Similarities in Music: Melodic Categorization During the First Years of Life

Review of Carolyn Korsmeyer, Savoring Disgust: The foul and the fair. in aesthetics (Oxford University Press pp (PBK).

International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies (2014): 5(4.2) MATERIAL ENCOUNTERS. Sylvia Kind

Influence of lexical markers on the production of contextual factors inducing irony

Digital Images in Mobile Communication as Cool Media

Transcription:

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Submittedinfulfilmentoftherequirementsfor ARCH5036MastersProjectReport1 InthedegreeofMastersofArchitecture FortheSchoolof Arts,ArchitectureandDesign UNIVERSITYOFSOUTHAUSTRALIA 12/05/2011 Ideclarethatthisexegesisdoesnotincorporatewithoutacknowledgmentanymaterialpreviouslysubmitted for a degree or diploma in any university; and that to the best of my knowledge it does not contain any materialspreviouslypublishedorwrittenbyanotherpersonexceptwhereduereferenceismadeinthetext Copyright2011 JoshuaBudarick ii

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Figure1 Figure2 Figure3 Figure4 Figure5 Figure6 Figure7 Figure8 Figure9 Figure10 Figure11 TheTreacheryofImages[LaTrahisionofImages]byReneMagritte http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:magrittepipe.jpg TheDisneyConcertHall,LosAngelesbyFrankGehrey http://www.astroman.com.pl/img/magazyn/577/o/fg Walt_Disney_Concert_Hall.jpg RoyalOntarioMuseum,TorontobyDanielLibeskind http://campoalexandra.com/english/other/images/2144266465_08277478e2.jpg ArchitectureParallax:TheBlindArchitect,AlexanderPilis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazelamwrkg ArchitectureParallax:TheBlindArchitect,AlexanderPilis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazelamwrkg FeedbackCircuit BaronCohen,S&Harrison,J(eds.)1997,Synaesthesia:ClassicandContemporaryReadings, BlackwellPublishers,Oxford.p161 CrosstalkCircuit BaronCohen,S&Harrison,J(eds.)1997,Synaesthesia:ClassicandContemporaryReadings, BlackwellPublishers,Oxford.p164 ExperimentalMusicPavilion:SynaestheticPavilion RutzingerS&SchineggerK2008,FlimmerndePrasenz:WettbewerbOhrenstrandmobil,Viewed 26 th April2011,http://ohrenstrand.de/Teilnehmer08/Flimmernde.pdfp1 AcousticStructure RutzingerS&SchineggerK2008,FlimmerndePrasenz:WettbewerbOhrenstrandmobil,Viewed 26 th April2011,http://ohrenstrand.de/Teilnehmer08/Flimmernde.pdfp8 SynaestheticFilter:Plan RutzingerS&SchineggerK2008,FlimmerndePrasenz:WettbewerbOhrenstrandmobi,lViewed 26 th April2011,http://ohrenstrand.de/Teilnehmer08/Flimmernde.pdfp6 SynaestheticFilter:Section RutzingerS&SchineggerK2008,FlimmerndePrasenz:WettbewerbOhrenstrandmobil,Viewed 26 th April2011,http://ohrenstrand.de/Teilnehmer08/Flimmernde.pdfp7 3

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Q.Discusstheflawsofexcessvisualconsiderationsinarchitectureandhowinfluencescanbedrawnfromthestudy ofsynaesthesiaandsynaesthete storeinvigoratearchitectureanddirectitbackintotherealmofmultisensory? Theunderstandingandexperienceofarchitecturecomesfromthesenses;themediumbywhich ourbodiesinteractwiththeirsurroundings.withouttheuseofthesesensesweareabandonedtoa worldvoidoffeeling,emotion,experienceandmemory.similarly,ifasenseislost,oroverlyfavoured, weareleftcrippled;unabletotrulyexerciseourperceptionstoexplorethefullpossibilitiesofspatial experience.unfortunatelythisishappeninginalotofarchitecturetoday. Contemporaryarchitecturehasbeguntorelytooheavilyonvisualstimulationandaccordingly,the uniqueness that results from sensual detail has been sacrificed in order to facilitate mass visual production.theseworks,stunninglycraftedin1800x1600rendersandreproducedjustasstunninglyin 12 x8 photographs for the covers of architectural magazines, distort our focus from full body appreciationtoanaddictionofvisualbeauty.suchvisuallyseductivearchitectureleavesusalienated, forourbodiesarenolongerinvolvedintheexperience.ifweleavearchitecturetocontinuedownthis pathourperceptionswilleventuallybetamed;leavingarchitectureonlytofulfilrequirementsofvisual indulgence.oureyesalonearenotenoughtoencompassthepossibilitiesofarchitecturalexperience; nordoweperceivewithonesenseatatime.accordingly,thisexegesisquestionsthevalidityofgiving thevisualsensesuchfreereigninarchitecturalspaceandemphasisestheimportanceofamultisensory design. Harnessing studies in both synaesthesia and architecture this exegesis seeks to illustrate the intricacies embedded in architecture s relationship with the senses; proposing the possibility of an architecturalpraxistoaccentuateexistingphenomenologicalexperienceandformconnectionsthatmay beinterpretedbynonsynaesthetestobemorethantheyappear. FLAWSOFARCHITECTURETODAY Itcannotbedeniedthatinthearchitecturaldesignprocessexcessiveattentionispaidtosight; tovisualaesthetics.amplifiedbyanageofmedia,technologyandabundantcapitalism, architectureis beingreducedtoseductiveimagesusedsimplytoenhancethecoversofmagazines (Yeung2006:16). This style of architecture has become a pandemic and must be remedied immediately, for many are losingtouchwiththesensualessenceofarchitecture. ForinspirationoneneedslookonlytotheSurrealistmovement;amovementthatissuggested tobeheavilyinfluencedbysynaesthesiaandsynaesthetesalike(baroncohen&harrison1997:21).the surrealistssoughtaunificationofthesenses;yearningtomoveawayfromtheanalyticalexplorationsof their society and shift artistic thinking into the realm of direct qualitative experience, as typified by synaesthesia.kandinsky,anotablesurrealist,graspedthatartisticcreativityshouldnotresultofamind whichinstantlyanalyses,orunderstands,whatisthere 1,forimpedesthesensualexperience.In1910he declaredthatinordertosaveartwe,thepeople,must lend[our]earstomusic,open[our]eyesto painting,and stopthinking! (Kandinsky,1977:22).Insuchaclimate,echoesofsynaestheticsbeganto emerge in various art forms. Sadly, despite Kandinsky s warning, again we find that visual percept s exceededtheothersensorystimuli. 1.Intermsofarchitecturethisisaresultofexcessivevisualanalysis. 4

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE René Magritte, another notable surrealist spoke out against the limitations of the flattened surfacedofvisualperceptioninhisworkthetreachery of Images. His proclamation Ceci n est pas une pipe [This is not a pipe] registers the truth behind the falsifiedpretencesvisualarchitecturepresentsus.the painting of the pipe [fig 1] is a representation and thereby not equal to the pipe itself. The painter can capture the colour and shape of the pipe and even allude to dimensionality and temporality. However, Figure1 TheTreacheryofImages besidesthevisualinformationthereisnosupportingevidencetoconfirmitsexistenceasapipe:the aromaofthewoodanditslacquer,thewaftingscentoffreshlyburnedtobacco,theremnantheatfrom aprevioususe,andtheshiftingtactilityofitssurfaceallremainundefinedinthispastiche.itcannotbe used;itservesnofunctionotherthantobeseen.it slackingabilitytoprovidethesensorystimulationa real pipe would leads Magritte to the assertion that it cannot be a pipe. Today s contemporary architectureleavesusaskingasimilarquestion:isitreallyarchitectureifitdoesnotengagethebody? ARCHITECTUREPORN It is not hard to find examples of such architecture; architecture aligned solely to considerations of visual imaging [Figure 2 & 3]. This architecture, often celebrated by the media, surroundsitselfwithpublicityinanattempttomanipulatepublicopinion,therebyconvincingusofits genius. This results in the architecture sustaining an air of vanity and omnipotence. However, these designs attempt to conquer the foreground instead of creating a supportive background for human activities and perceptions (Pallasmaa 2000:85). Accordingly, while these works may successfully contributeboldvisualstatementstotheirsurroundings,oncevisitedtheybecomenothingmorethan empty shells. Furthermore, these designs are removed from related social and contextual considerations; in many cases even negatively impacting on the surroundings 2. They exist as an inappropriatenouninthenarrativeofthestreetscape. Figure2WaltDisneyConcertHall,LosAngeles]Figure3RoyalOntarioMuseum,Toronto 2. According to Alasdair Palmers article in The Daily Telegraph Gehry's design failed to consider the neighboringapartments;thegleamingstainlesssteelraisingthetemperatureofthehomesby15 o.lawsuits thatensueresultedinadull,ugly,nonreflectiveclothcoveringlargeareasofthedesign.(2007) 5

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Asthegapbetweenarchitectureandthesensescontinuestowidenwebecomelostamongsta bombardment of visual stimuli. Juhani Pallasmaa (1994:34), in The Architecture of the Seven Senses, discussestheindividual sreactionstothisaffront: Theeyeisthesenseofseparationanddistancewhereastouchisthesenseofnearness,intimacyand affection.duringoverpoweringemotionalstateswetendtocloseofthesenseofvision;weclose oureyeswhencaressingourlovedones.deepshadowsanddarknessareessential,becausethey dim the sharpness of vision and invite unconscious peripheral vision and tactile fantasy. Homogenouslightparalysestheimaginationinthesamewaythathomogenisationeliminatesthe experienceofplace. ArchitectureimbuedwithanexcessvisualconsiderationlackstheintimacyPallasmaadiscussesandis more reminiscent of the pornographic image; existing only as a medium to simulate beauty and stimulatevisualpleasure.ifonewastocomparetheinteractionbetweenthebodyandarchitectural spacetothatbetweenlovers,however,onecanbegintounderstandtheimportanceofsensualityand intimacyinarchitecture.byimpedingsightwithdarknessonegeneratesanairofmystery;forcingusto use our other sensual modes, especially the sense of touch, to observe, interact and experience. A similareventisdiscussedbykevinhetheringtonhisinterviewwithablindwoman.hereheprovides insightintotherelationshipthatcanexistbetweenbodyandobject.thewomandescribesthatwhen she is experiencing an object, there is no me [or] object.it is just the object. So the me disappears.thewayi[senseisthrough]identificationwithsomethingsomewhereinsideof[me];[i] havegotarelationshipwithit(hetherington,2003:193334).suchasensationcannotbeperceivedby meansofvisionalone.accordingtohetherington(2003:1939),duringthisprocessthereisa gameof identification involvedbywhichthesensualfeelingismatchedtopastmemory.insteadofreducing the sensual possibilities the woman s loss of sight enhances her sensual spectrum; although this methodtakeslongertoperceivetheprolongedexperienceincreasestheintimacyofthememory. MEMORY Thebiasagainstsensualityinarchitecturealsoimpactsonitsrelationshipwithmemory. Memoryis by no means static, continuously shifting in perspective and purpose (Lambek 1996: 24243). This is mainlybecausetheprocessofcognitiveretentioninvolvesforgettingasmuchasitdoesmemorising. Sensory memory is selective, so it chooses only the dominant senses to strengthen and reinforce memory.accordingly,ifsightdominantsarchitecturalexperienceourmemoryistracedasavaguevisual syntax.inthewordsofcicero: when we [experience] things in everyday life things that are banal or excessive we generally fail to remember them We ought then to set up [architectural events] of a kind that can adhere longest in memory...thethingsweeasilyrememberwhentheyarerealwelikewiserememberwithoutdifficulty whentheyarefigments(yates1966:2526). 6

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Memory, infact, is so closelyintegrated withplace that theybecome mutually dependent uponone another.theformeracquiresitssubstance,alocus,fromplace,whilstthelatterdrawsitsmeaningand itstimelessqualitiesfrommemory.forexampletocreateasenseofhomeonemustevoke homeness bystimulatingmemoriesofahome,thusresultingintheformulationofadditionalmemoriesofhome. From within this circular methodology also emerges the phenomena of déjà vu and intuition. These states are discussed by Frascari, who asserts that the imagery of memory is not synonymous to the visualimage,butratheracollectionoftheintuitionsofthewhole.hespeaksofablindmanwhocan sketchsomethingvaguelyrecognisablebythosewhomaintainsight.thissuggeststhattheindividual hastheabilitytointuitimagesfromtheothersensestheypossess(yeung2006:5).alreadythisbeginsto speakofapossiblesynaestheticnatureexistingwithinoursubconscious. BlindArchitecture InaninvestigationintothefieldofBlindarchitectureAlexanderPilistemporarilystripsaperson oftheirabilitytoseeandplacesthemintoasquare,whiteroom.aidedonlybyacaneandtheirsenses the individual is asked to explore the unknown environment. The process begins slowly, but asthe individual moves through the space the echoes, the resistance and textures of its surfaces, the temperatures of the lights and materials, and the residual aromas of use and constriction, provide enoughsensorialstimulationtocomprehendscale,dimension,proportionandtextuality;thusallowing fortheconstructionofavirtualimage.accordingly,byremovingourdependencyonsight,theother sensesareheightenedand,notsurprisingly,provideamoredetailedstudyoftheenvironment. Figure4 ArchitectureParallax:TheBlindArchitect Figure5 TheBlindArchitect:MeetsRembrandt Weareallblind,exceptthattheblindcanteachusagainhowtosee.Weseetoomuch.Thereisnoend ofseeing.thereistoomuchtosee.ifwedonothingelsewesee.weliveinaculturesofilledwiththings tobeseenthatvisibilityiswhatdeterminesthebeing[ornonbeing]ofobjects,experiencesandidentity. Thereissomuchtosee,andrarelyanofferofaspaceoratimeforlooking.Evenlesstheofferofaspace ortimewhereoneneedn tlookatallbutrather (Pilis2008) InleavinghissentenceunfinishedPillsechoestheviewsofFrascari,whoclaimsthatthereisasensual intuitionthatweallexperience.thememorymappedwithsuchintuition takesusinto[an]environing world [thatis]coextensivewithworld (Casey1987:311).Inthisworldwhatyouactuallyseeiswhat hasbeenpreconceived;aworldbuiltfromsensualmemory. 7

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE ArchitectJuhaniPallasmaa,inhisstudiesofarchitecturalphenomenology,discussesthenatureof sensualityinarchitecturalexperience.heobservesthat authenticarchitecturalexperiences[may]have moretheessenceofaverbthananoun (2000:82);ratherthanstandingasaloneentity,architecture shouldbeconsideredasseriesofarchitecturalevents 3. Authenticarchitecturalexperiencesderivefrom realorideatedbodilyconfrontationsratherthanvisuallyobservedentities (Pallasmaa,2000:82).Take thetypicalarchitecturalentitiesofadoororawindow: The visual image of a door is not an architectural image, for instance, whereas entering and exiting througha door are architectural experiences. Similarly, the window frame is notanarchitectural unit, whereas looking out through the window or daylight coming through it, are authentic architectural encounters(2000:84). However,asaconsequenceoftheoverindulgenceinvisualconsiderations,today sarchitectureseems to originate in a single moment and evokes an experience of flattened temporality (2000:80) rather thancollectionsofintimatetemporaljourneys.this flatarchitecture canbeinterpretedasbothliteral andmetaphorical;theformerreferringtoapictorialrepresentationofspace,thelatterreferringtothe lackofmeaningbehinditspictorialessence. Atthispointitmustbestressedthatarchitectureofformalstrengthshouldnotbecondemned; we must merely be critical of architecture that relies entirely on its image to stimulate a response. Besides, as it has been shown, there are architects, like Marco Frascari, Alexander Pills, Juhani Pallasmaa,whoseektoreturnthesensestothearchitecturaldesignprocess.Attemptssuchasthese havepreparedthefoundationsforanewmodelofsensualarchitecture:asynaestheticarchitecture. BeforewecandelveintothepossibilityofaSynaestheticArchitecture,however,wemustfirst havean understandingof synaesthesia andsynaestheticexperience.thetermsynaesthesia,derived from ancient Greek syn meaning joined, and aisthsis, meaning sensation, shares its root with anaesthesiameaningnosensation.itisdefinedasoccurringwhen stimulationofonesensorymodality automaticallytriggersperceptioninasecondmodalityintheabsenceofanydirectstimulationtothis second modality (Cytowic, 1993). As an example let s say X experiences a sound, this sound instantaneously triggers X s sight and a flash of paleblue appears before them. Such reactions are independent of thought; they are not connected to the imagination, nor can they be learned. Furthermore,whiletheexperiencesofanindividualarestableallsynaesthetesdonotexperiencethe samesensations(cytowic1993),suggestingthatwhilesynaesthesiacombinesperceptualmodesitdoes notremovethesubjectsabilitytoperceiveindividualresponses. Explanationforthisphenomenonhaseludedthemindsofscientistsforcenturiesandaftera peakofinterestbetween1860and1930synaesthesiawasleftforgottenandunexplained.inthelast fewdecades,however,synaesthesiahasreacheditsrenaissance;withrecentadvancesinneuroscience and psychology prompting greater study into the phenomenon. This, however, has provided more 3.Theseeventsthemselvesshouldalsoreflecthumansituationsandencounters.Formoreinformationrefer topallasmaa shapticityandtime. 8

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE questionsthananswers;ofwhichtheoriginofsynaesthesiaremainsthemajor.currentlythereexistsa key debate between neuroscientists regarding whether synaesthesia is sensory leakage [Figure 6] (Jacobs 1981) a mutation of the cognitive process [Figure 7] (Galton, 1880) or rather a forgotten elementofcognitiveevolution(lewkiwiczandturkeqitz1980). Figure6FeedbackCircuit Figure7CrosstalkCircuit Thelatter,Ibelieveisamoreromanticnotion,foritsuggeststhatweallpossessthiscognitiveability whenwearebornuntilgradually,whetheritbethroughfundamentallearningorbythematurationof our bodies, the distinction between senses sharpens; eventually converging into their individual specialities Accordingly, it is this definition which the foundations of the proposed Synaesthetic Architecturewillbebuiltupon. As our senses are distinguished it becomes almost impossible not to differentiate between them. Despite the difficulties this presents it is essential to recognise that our body perceives the externalstimuliasaunion.thedefinitionyeunggivestosuchanexperienceissentire;theconditionor quality of being sentient, concise and susceptible to unified sensation (Yeung 2006:29). Bodily experience,ratherthanindividualperception,isessentialinthecomprehensionofarchitecture.inthe wordsofpearson: Far from being narrowly based upon any single sense of perception like vision, our response to [architecture]derivesfromourbody stotalresponsetoandperceptionoftheenvironmentalconditions whichthatbuildingaffords(1991:68) ThisisreinforcedbyphenomenologistMauriceMerleauPontywhoassertsthat perceptionisnotasum of[sensual] givens,[we]perceiveinatotalwaywithmywholebeing;[we]graspauniquestructureof thething,auniquewayofbeing,whichspeakstoall[our]sensesatonce (1964:50).Suchaninstinctive union of sensation highlights that our perception of architectural space is already close to being synaesthetic.itissimplythespace sthemselveswhichlacksynaestheticqualities. 9

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Withinthefieldofarchitectureweareessentiallytryingtoinfluenceplace.Thisplacehowever doesnotmerelyexistinacorporealrealmbutalsoapsychological one.inhisbookremembering:a PhenomenologicalStudyEdwardCaseydeclaresthatarchitecture initsabidingcharacter isthereto be reentered, by memory if not by direct bodily movement (Casey 1987:186). This suggests that sensually active architecture helps to make it accessible in a way that is rarely true in a comparably sensuallyinactivearchitecture.thispresentsanimmediateadvantagetosynaestheticarchitecturein thefieldofmnemonics.asalreadydiscussedlastingarchitecturalexperienceisgovernedbymemory; andmemorybyitsassociatedsensuality.similarly,researchintothecorrelationbetweensynaesthesia, synaestheticexperienceandstrengthenedmemoryhasalsobeenproven(cytowic1993).thisresults fromthecumulationofsensualexperience,andconnectionsforgedbetweenthem,providingmultiple distinctions for a single stimulator. For an example take colourgrapheme synaesthetes. The word architecture may correlate to a specific shade of blue and thus that shade of blue and the word architecturebecomementallyconnected;thecolourstimulatingmemoryofthewordandviceversa. Accordingly, if we can induce, or allude to, synaesthetic experience architecturally we can afford a greaterimpactontothoseexperiencingitandfurthermoreamorelastingmemory. IncontrasttotheproposedconceptsofSynaesthetic Figure8SynaestheticFilter Architecture,whichalignsitselftoarediscoveryofexperience throughbodilyperceptionsandthesenses,therehavebeen several alternative proposals claiming a synaesthetic approach; the most recent emerging from a competition entry for Ohrenstrand mobil 2008. Submitted by architects Stefan Rutzinger and Kristina Schinegger the design, Synaesthetic Filter [Fig 8], combines the functional applicationsofsynaestheticsratherthanthephenomenological.themobilepavilion,constructedasa stageforexperimentalmusic,consistsofrotatingacousticelementswhicharemanipulatedaccordingto thedesiredacousticalfunctionality.maneuveringeachindividualelementproducesashiftingpattern overthepavilionssurface[fig9].thisresultsinasynchronicrelationshipbetweenvisual,spatialand acousticqualities,hencethe SynaestheticFilter. Figure9FormalStructure 10

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Thepavilionitselffiltersspacebothvisuallyandacoustically;byharnessingsynaestheticsatafunctional levelthedesignallowsforflexibilityintheplacementofbothmusiciansandaudience[fig10],whilst maintaininga playfulintegration[with]itssurroundings (Sykes,R 2009).Inthewordsofitsdesigners: Likethesoundsthatemergefromit,thepavilionproducesnoformbutaflickeringpresence.Itdoes not create an enclosure to enter but a synaesthetic experience [in which] you are immersed (Rutzinger&Schinegger2009)[Fig11]. [Above]Figure10 FloorPlan [Below]Figure11Section As winner of the 2008 Austrian Experimental Tendencies award this design stands as a marker of synaesthetic design. However, while the design reacts synaesthetically, it is not informed by its contextual sensorium. It focuses on two sensual elements, sight and sound, assimilating into the surroundingsviamanipulationoftheirporosity.accordinglyitshouldnotbeseenasatruesynaesthetic Architecture but rather a study of the possible relationships between internalized synaesthetics and function. 11

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Conclusions: Itisclearthatitistreacheroustoconsiderarchitectureintermsofonlyonesense.Excessivevisual considerationswillnotonlyleadtoaflatteningofthearchitecturalcanvas,butalsotoatemperingof oursenses;wewillbecomeaddictedtothevisualandloosesightofourhumansensorium.wemust endeavor, to reunite contemporary architecture with its sensuality and in doing so we should look beyondprimarysensoryaestheticsintoarealmofsynaesthetics.synaesthesiaisnomerecuriosity,but awindowintothequaliaofsensualperceptionandcognition.infact,suchascytowicclaimweareall synaesthetic, we just don t realize it. If we can somehow manage to harness or stimulate these synaesthetic experiences with architectural designs we may be able to reimburse the idea of visual stimulationwithsynaestheticreasoning.furthermore,suchexperiencecanenhancethestimulationof memory, the evocation of emotion, the intimacy of new memories and the overall impacts of our architecturalspaces.accordingly,theintegrationofsynaestheticforcesintostudioprocessisintended to stimulate architectural events; in the specific case of the recent Marion development carefully located nodes of sensual force will manipulate the subcity s habitation and occupation through consideredpushandpulloftheestablishedsensorium. WhetherthepossibilityofatrueSynaestheticArchitectureisactuallyobtainable,orwhetherit ismoreplausibletomerelyalludetosynaestheticsthroughconsideredcumulationofanarchitectural sensorium, we must nevertheless harness these explorations in an effort to medicate the visual pandemicthathasbegottenarchitecture.toshallconcludeirefertolocke,forhismusingspromptthe imaginationintothepossibilityofsomethingmorethanarchitecture: Astudiousblindmanwhohadmightilybeathisheadaboutavisibleobject,andmadeuseofthe explicationsofhisbooksandhisfriends,tounderstandthosenamesoflightandcolours,whichoften came his way, betrayed one day that he know understood what scarlet signified. Upon which,his friend demanded what scarlet was? The blind man answered, it was like the sound of a trumpet (BaronCohen&Harrison1997:4) 12

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Bibliography Ackerman,D1990,ANaturalHistoryoftheSenses,RandomHouse,NewYork. BaronCohen,S&Harrison,J(eds.)1997,Synaesthesia:ClassicandContemporaryReadings,BlackwellPublishers, Oxford. Blake,P1977,FormFollowsFiasco:WhyModernArchitectureHasn tworked,littlebrown&co.,boston. Bowring,J2006, TheSmellofMemory:SensorialMnemonics,TheLandscapeArchitect,IFLAconferencepapers May2006,pp156170 Cutsforth,T1925, TheRoleofEmotioninaSynaestheticSubject,TheAmericanJournalofPsychology,Vol.36,No. 4,pp527543. Casey,E1987,Remembering:APhenomenologicalStudy,IndianaUniversityPress,Bloomington. Casey,E1996, Howtogetfromspacetoplaceinafairlyshortstretchoftime:phenomenologicalprolegomena, Feld,S.andBasso,K(eds.)SensesofPlace,SARPress,SantaFe,pp1352. Cytowic,R1993,TheManWhoTastedShapes:ABizarreMedicalMysteryOffersRevolutionaryInsightsInto Emotions,ReasoningandConsciousness,Abacus,London. Day, S 1996, Synaesthesia and Synaesthetic Metaphors, PSYCHE, vol. 2, viewed 16 th March 2011 <http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v2/psyche232day.html> Desmet,P&Schifferstein,H2008,ToolsinFacilitatingmultisensoryproductdesign,TheDesignJournal,Vol.1,No. 2,pp137158. Dixon, M, Smilek, D & Merikel, P 2004, Not all synaesthetes are created equal: Projector versus associator synaesthetes,cognitive,affective,&behavioralneuroscience,vol.4,pp335343. Donnel,C&Duignan,W1977, SynaesthesiaandAestheticEducation,JournalofAestheticEducation,Voll.11,No. 3,pp6985. Edquist, J, Rich, A Brinkman, C & Mattingley, J 2006, Do Synaesthetic Colours Act as Unique Features in Visual Search?,Cortex,no.42,pp222231. Fehn,S1992,ThePoetryoftheStraightLine,MuseumofFinnishArchitecture,Helsinki. Fjeld,P1983,SverreFehn:TheThoughtofConstruction.RizzoliInternationalPublications,NewYork. Frascari,Marco2003, ArchitecturalSynaesthesia:AHypothesisontheMakeupofScarpa'sModernistArchitectural Drawings,NordicJournalofArchitecturalResearch,no.1,2003. Galton,F1880, Statisticsonmentalimagery,Mind,Vol.5,pp301318. Hetherington,K2003, SpatialTexturas:PlaceTouchandPraesentia,environmentandplanningA,vol.35,no.11, pp19331944. Heyrman,H2005, ArtandSynaesthesia:insearchofthesynaestheticexperience,LecturepresentedattheFirst International Conference on Art and Synesthesia, Universidad de Almería, Spain, Viewed 5 th of March 2011, <http://www.doctorhugo.org/synaesthesia/art/index.html> Huckstep, B, Tsakanikos, E & Ward, J 2006, Soundcolour synaesthesia: to what extent does it use crossmodal mechanismscommontousall? Cortex,vol.42,pp264280. Jacobs,L,Karpik,A,Bozian,D&Gothgen,S1981, AuditoryvisualSynaesthesia,ArchivesofNeurology,Vol.38, pp211216. Jones,C(ed.)2006,Sensorium:embodiedexperience,technologyandcontemporaryart,MITPress,Massachusetts. 13

SYNAESTHETICARCHITECTURE THELOSTSENSESOFARCHITECTURE Kandinsky,W1977,ConcerningtheSpiritualinArt,trans.M.Sadler.DoverPublications,NewYork. Kemp,S,Hollowood,T&Hort,J2009,SensoryEvaluation:APracticalHandbook,WilleyBlackwell,Oxford. Kress,G&Leeuwen,T2001,MultimodalDiscourse:TheModesandMediaofContemporaryCommunication,Oxford UniversityPress,London. Lambek,M1996, Thepastimperfect.Rememberingasmoralpractice. inantze,p.andm.lambek(eds.)tense Past:CulturalEssaysonTraumaandMemory,Routledge,LondonandNewYork,pp.23554. LewkiwiczD&Turkewitz,G1980,Crossmodalequivalenceininfancy:Auditoryvisualintensitymatching DevelopmentalPsychology,Vol.16,pp597607. Mattingley, J & Rich, A 2002, Anomalous Perception in Synaesthesia: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective Neuroscience,Vol3,pp4352. Matthen,M2005,Seeing,DoingandKnowing,OxfordUniversityPress,NewYork. MerleauPonty,M1964,SenseandNonSense,trans.H.Dreyfus&P.Dreyfus,UniversityPress,Evanston. Pallasmaa,J2009.TheThinkingHand:ExistentialandEmbodiedWisdominArchitecture,JohnWiley&SonsLtd., Chichester. Pallasmaa,J,2000, HapticityandTime:NotesonFragileArchitecture,ArchitecturalReview,Vol.207,No.1239,pp 7884. Pallasmaa,J2005,TheEyesoftheSkin:ArchitectureandtheSenses,JohnWiley&SonsLtd.,Chichester. Pallasmaa,J1994, ArchitectureandtheSevenSenses ArchitectureandUrbanism,No.286,pp2737. Palmers,A2007, Architectswhodesignbadbuildings,TheDailyTelegraph,20December,viewed16 th March2011, <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/non_fictionreviews/3670049/architectswhodesignbad buildings.html>. Pearce,J2006, Synaesthesia,EuropeanNeurology,no.57,pp120124. Pearson,D1991, MakingSenseofArchitecture,ArchitecturalReview,vol189,No.1136,pp6870 Pilis,A2008,ArchitectureParallax:TheBlindArchitect,Viewed11March2011, <http://www.theblindarchitect.com/theblindarchitect> Ross,P2001, QualiaandtheSenses,ThePhilosophicalQuarterly,Vol.51,No.205,pp495511. RutzingerS&SchineggerK2009,SynaestheticFilter,Viewed26 th April2011, <http://crispandfuzzy.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/synaestheticfilter/> RutzingerS&SchineggerK2008,FlimmerndePrasenz:WettbewerbOhrenstrandmobilViewed26 th April2011, <http://ohrenstrand.de/teilnehmer08/flimmernde.pdf> Slattery,D2005, TheNoeticConnection:Synaesthesia,Psychedelicsandlanguage,DigitalCreativity,Vol.16,No.2, pp122128 Sykes,R2009,SynaestheticFilterbyStefanRutzinger&KristinaSchineggerViewed26 th April2011, <http://www.dezeen.com/2009/01/18/synaestheticfilterbystefanrutzingerkristinaschinegger/> Yates,F1966,TheArtofMemory,Penguin.London. Yeung,C2006,TheIn/Visible:CommonSensesArchitecture,SchoolofArchitecture,PhDThesis,CarletonUniversity, Ontario. Zardini,M(ed.)2005,SenseoftheCity,analternateapproachtoUrbanism,LarsMüllerPublishers,Canada. Zumthor,P2006, AWayofLookingAtThings,ThinkingArchitecture.Birkhäuser,Basel,pp727. 14