What is the importance of the haptic aesthetic in architecture?

4ARC630 Dafydd Jones-Davies 1

What is the importance of a haptic aesthetic in architecture? Dafydd Jones-Davies 11745293


Introduction

I initially decided on this topic through reading ‘The Eyes of the Skin’ 1

and ‘On Weathering’.2 What drew me to these books was, my interest in

photo-realistic image production that seems ubiquitous in architectural

schooling. I believe that with the greater attention given to the production of

imagery, a timeless architecture is being produced, that gives no suggestion

to the understanding of architecture’s own mortality, and by reintroducing

other modes of sensation we can begin to create a more humanistic

architecture. I do not wish this dissertation to turn into an anti-visual diatribe

but merely to note that there are other senses that help to inform our

appreciation of our environments. This interest has driven me to discover to

what end our other senses, in particular the sense of touch, play in our

enjoyment of a place, or to put it more succinctly our perception of a place.

Despite the apparent interaction of our bodies with space, architectural

representation is dominated by visual modes. What are the reasons for this

visually subjugated culture and in what way does our haptic sense influence

our perceptions?

I will attempt during the course of this paper to demonstrate why our

society has become so ocular orientated. Also, how we receive and process

haptic sensations and the importance of haptic sensations on our emotions

and consequently our appreciation of our surroundings. I will discuss how the

body processes these haptic influences and which areas of the brain are

involved in processing this sensation.

I will be referring to scientific and psychological reports to demonstrate

the influence of haptic sensation on our emotions and our perception as

corpuscles in space. As well as architects that are aware of the predominance

of the ocular and attempt to engage our haptic sense.

To avoid confusion there are a few definitions that will need to be

clarified. The term haptic is widely agreed to be defined as “The sensibility of

the individual to the world adjacent to his body by use of his body”.3 I will be

1 Pallasmaa, Juhani (2005) “The eyes of the skin”, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. 2 Mostafavi, M & Leatherbarrow, D (1993) “On Weathering: the life of buildings in time”, MIT Press, London. 3 Gibson, J.J. (1966). “The senses considered as perceptual systems”, Boston: Houghton Mifflin. pp.97-98.


using the term haptic to include a combination of somatosensory perception,

the perception of textures and patterns on the skins surface, as well as the

perception of one’s body in relation to objects in space.

It’s also necessary to clarify the difference between vision and ocular

sensation. The term vision shall be used when discussing the sense of sight

in accompaniment with other senses. The term ocular will be used to discuss

only sensations received through the eyes and the perceptions there in.

The present day notion that the qualities of animate or inanimate

objects are perceptions we attribute to them and that these perceptions are

formulated within the brain is taken for granted - the result of sensory effects

on receptors located on our body transferring the information into our brain

and consequently we are perceptive bodies. This notion was first introduced

by Galileo who began to consider the body and mind as corpuscular. Entities

that float about space receiving stimuli and responding as is necessary. This

separation of ourselves from the world, although it’s had huge benefits, also

required that the senses be considered separately. Something that we are

now realising, through neuroscience, is not strictly true.


Ocularcentricism

During the enlightenment there was a great push to place reason at the

centre of philosophical development.4 This quest for truth was underlined by

continual references to ocular descriptions, such as, light and vision.5 The

importance of our other senses was negated, because reason could be

objectively and logically deduced and so considered more truthful. It’s also

important to appreciate that up until the 19th century beauty was considered to

preside in the mind, to which the senses were subservient. As David Hume

remarks;

"Beauty is no quality in things themselves. It exists merely in the

mind which contemplates them." 6

In the 19th century in Germany, the field of aesthetics was developed.

Until then, the scientific study of beauty hadn’t been grappled with. The

reason for the development of this subject was in order to elevate its

importance and authority, bringing it on a par with engineering.7 Considered

by many predecessors of philosophy as a merely subjective field, this new

insight into the subject was in an attempt to objectify the subject and

consequently to reconsider the importance of our senses. They attempted to

discover, philosophically and scientifically, what and why we perceived things

to be beautiful [see Fechner’s tests with golden ratio rectangles].8

It was during this time that Robert Vischer (1847 – 1933) developed his

doctrine that aimed to incorporate the body directly into the experience of

objects. This appreciation for an object he termed ‘einfëhlung’ or empathy.

This sense of empathy was considered to be a feeling as opposed to a

4 “Age of Enlightenment”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment (28th December 2011). 5 Bloomer, K. & Moore, C. (1977) “Body, Memory & Architecture”, Yale University Press, London. p.29. 6 “Good Reads”, http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/45726.David_Hume 6 (28th December 2011). 7 Bloomer, K. & Moore, C. “Body, Memory & Architecture”, p. 31. 8 Mallgrave, H. & Ikonomou, E. (Intro. & Translation.) (c1994) “Empathy, Form & Space: problems in German aesthetics 1873-1893”, The Getty Centre for the History of Art, Santa Monica, U.S.A. p.13.


process of formal thought in which we imbue an object with our emotional

desires.9 10

Of particular importance to architecture during this time were Gottfired

Semper (1803 – 1879) and August Schmarsow (1853 – 1936). Within

architecture, tectonics had given way to embellishing details that aimed to

heighten the visual impact of a building.11 Semper had begun to discuss the

importance of enclosure as the antecedence of ‘raum’ or space as the

principal concern of architectural creation.12 August Schmarsow took the

concept of space further by declaring it as the real motivation behind

architectural form. Along with this newfound belief in the senses Schmarsow

declared the movement of the body to be the determining factor in developing

the third dimension.13 It must be remembered that until this time the orders of

classicism, and the proportions of the golden ratio had held a great power

over architectural design. The idea of beauty through bodily movement could

liberate a profession that concerns itself with the creation of space, which until

then had been confined to visual pleasure.

Despite their best efforts to readdress this bias of the senses, with the

dawn of mechanisation and more specifically a mass media consumerist

driven capitalism of instant gratification and reproduction, society refocused

on visual beauty as its opiate. This is a system that in order to progress and

grow is drawn into a repetitive production of imagery in order to assert itself

and its values.14

Also, with the modern development of computers and more specifically

graphic based representation, the pendulum has swung back into the realm of

ocularcentricism - computer rendering software uses images pasted onto

surfaces to represent materials and textures.

The dominance of our ocularcentric mode of representation in

architecture today and the consequences this has on the architecture

9 Mallgrave, H. & Ikonomou, E. (Intro. & Translation.) “Empathy, Form & Space: problems in German aesthetics 1873-1893”. pp. 89 – 125. 10 Bloomer, K. & Moore, C. “Body, Memory & Architecture”, p. 26. 11 Mallgrave, H. & Ikonomou, E. (Intro. & Translation.) “Empathy, Form & Space: problems in German aesthetics 1873-1893”. p. 59 12 Semper, G. (Translation by Mallgrave, H) (1989) “The Four Elements of Architecture”,. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 13 Mallgrave, H. & Ikonomou, E. (Intro. & Translation.) “Empathy, Form & Space: problems in German aesthetics 1873-1893”. p. 65 14 Debord, Guy (1994) ‘The Society of the Spectacle’, Zone Books, New York.


produced, is not purely to be blamed and placed at the door of the

architectural profession or architectural schooling – it’s an overriding problem

with a consumer capitalist driven society. We are constantly encouraged to

reproduce images, polished and exciting, original or not in a endless quest for

growth (a fallacy of a consumer driven capitalist regime).15 Or as Guy Debord

puts it;

“…as the perfect image of the ruling economic order, ends are

nothing and development is all…”.16

Juhani Pallasmaa reminds us of the danger of conceiving of

architecture in this way;

“An architectural work is not experienced as a series of

isolated retinal pictures, but in its fully integrated material,

embodied and spiritual essence.”17

Guy Debord in his seminal work ‘Society of the Spectacle’, heavily

criticises our concentration on imagery. He sees this production as symbolic

of a deeper social problem;

“The spectacle is not a collection of images; rather it is a social

relationship between people that is mediated by images.”18

Debord goes on to describe how he believes society has been robbed

of its ability to see itself as it creates mirages in its place.19 He also attests to

the elevation of the sense of sight over the sense of touch in accordance with

15 Bartlett, Albert. “The most important video you’ll ever see”, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-QA2rkpBSY (2nd January 2012). 16 Debord, Guy (1994) ‘The society of the spectacle’. p. 14. 17 Pallasmaa, Juhani. “The Eyes of the Skin”. p.12. 18 Debord, Guy (1994) ‘The society of the spectacle’, p. 12. 19 Debord, Guy (1994) ‘The society of the spectacle’, p. 17.


this move.20 This is unfortunate as the primordial strength of the tactile in

charging emotions is well discussed.21 22

This ocularcentric focus creates a timeless society out of touch with the

natural cycles of time. Think of a photograph and how it captures in static

motion the positions of bodies in space. But space is something to be

experienced through the body in motion. Both Pallasmaa and Debord

comment on the effects of this timeless cycle;

“As Hegel showed, time is a necessary alienation, being the medium in

which the subject realizes himself while losing himself, becomes other

in order to become truly himself. The opposite obtains in the case of

the alienation than now holds sway – the alienation suffered by the

producers of an estranged present. This is a spatial alienation,

whereby a society which radically severs the subject from the activity

that it steals from him separates him in the first place from his own

time. Social alienation, though in principle surmountable, is

nevertheless the alienation that has forbidden and petrified the

possibilities and risks of a living alienation within time.”23

“Buildings of this technological age usually deliberately aim at ageless

perfection, and they do not incorporate the dimension of time, or the

unavoidable and mentally significant processes of ageing.”24

Haptic Perception

What we perceive through our haptic engagement with the world helps

to create a fully sensual experience of space. In an increasingly ocularcentric

20 Ibid. 21 Hertenstein, J. Matthew (2002) “Touch: Its communicative functions in infancy”, Human Development, Vol. 45, pp. 70-94. 22 Williams, L. and Bargh. J.(2008) “Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth”, Science. Vol. 322. 23 Debord, Guy (1994) ‘The Society of the Spectacle’, pp. 115-116. 24 Pallasmaa, Juhani. “The Eyes of the Skin”. p.32.


society it’s important that we don’t neglect what is considered to be the oldest

sensory organ. Ashley Montagu suggests that;

“the skin is the oldest and most sensitive of our organs, our first

medium of communication, and our most efficient protector…Even the

transparent cornea of the eye is overlain by a layer of modified

skin…Touch is the parent of our eyes, ears, nose and mouth. It is the

sense which became differentiated into the others, a fact that seems to

be recognised in the age-old evaluation of touch as “the mother of the

senses”.25

What we regard as our haptic sense comprises a highly complex set of

interactions. This network of receptors and neurons is known as our

somatosensory system. The elements of this system can be broken down into

3 main categories; the receptors, the nervous system and the brain.

The first point of contact, the skin, contains millions of receptors. The

receptors themselves have different qualities that suit them to specific roles.

The four main types of receptors are; mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors,

pain receptors (nociceptors) and proprioceptors. Within these groups there

are different receptors that do similar but often counter roles. The receptors

are located across the body, in varying density. For example there are as

many as 100 receptors per cm3 in areas such as the hand and tongue, whilst

as few as 10 per cm3 are found on the back.26

The mechanoreceptors perceive sensations such as pressure,

vibrations and texture. There are four main types of mechanoreceptor whose

only function is to sense indentations and vibrations on the surface of the skin.

The thermoreceptors are a lot simpler in that there are two basic types; the

hot and cold receptors. Above and below certain temperatures however the

pain receptors take over. Pain receptors or nociceptors, as the name

suggests, detect pain or stimuli that might cause damage to the skin or

organs. These are scattered around the body and can be found in your skin,

muscles, bones, blood vessels and organs. Proprioreceptors are able to

25 Pallasmaa, Juhani. “The Eyes of the Skin”. p.11. 26 “Skin and Your Sense of Touch” http://www.hometrainingtools.com/skin-and-sense-of-touch/a/1386/. (Date accessed 18th Nov. 2011).


sense the position of different parts of the body in relation to each other and

the surrounding environment. Found in tendons, muscles and joints, their

locations within the body enable them to sense changes in muscle length and

muscle tension.27

Whilst many of these receptors have specific functions there is never

an occasion when just one type will be active. For example, when drinking a

fizzy beverage, your hand will be sensitive to the right amount of pressure to

exert to hold onto the can, the coolness of the can and the faint popping of

bubbles within the can. You will also be aware of your hands position in

relation to your mouth, so avoiding any unnecessary spillage.

As the receptors are deformed or chemically induced they set up a

chained response through the nervous system to inform our brain. The brain

processes the quantitative and qualitative information and then, if necessary,

relays a command to the subject to desist or continue doing whatever they are

doing.

This information travels up into the brain where it is processed in

different regions. What must be remembered is that these messages travel up

to various regions via other areas, which are also receptive to the information

and also play an important part in the coordination and emotional responses

to the stimuli [see fig. 1]. A message that is sent through the brain stem will

pass through the amygdala and the cerebellum before entering into the

primary somatosensory cortex. It is here that the neurons associated with the

haptic and tactile sense reside.

The complexity of how our neurons operate is slowly beginning to be

unravelled. In has been discovered that different neurons will fire in the brain

to activate what, on the surface, would appear to be similar tasks. The

example given by Rizzolatti is between using your index finger to grasp

something and to scratch.28 The muscles required to initiate the task are the

same yet different neurons will fire. Which leads Rizzolatti to conclude that

certain motor neurons will be triggered in relation to the intent of the

movement. As he defines it “…grasping-with-the-hand-and-with-the-

27 “Somatosensory system” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatosensory_system (18th November 2011). 28 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. (2008) “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”, Oxford University Press, Oxford. p. 3.


mouth…”29 The act of grasping is the next sub-division that must be

considered after the realisation that a motor neuron is being triggered.

Figure 1. Shows the role of different areas of the cortex

Scientific and Psychological Studies

The importance of the haptic sense begins in infancy. It informs our

perception of ourselves in relation to space and feeds into our emotional well-

being. It is through haptics that we receive our earliest understanding of the

world around us. It also possesses an important communicative function that,

as babies with under-developed optical abilities, we’re very receptive to.30 31 It

has been noticed how young infants respond positively to touch stimuli even

when the facial responses of the caregiver are neutral. The simple act of

touching would relax an infant.32 This valuable interaction would appear to

release emotionally calming responses. Many of our emotional histories are 29 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”. p. 3. 30 Hertenstein, J. Matthew “Touch: Its communicative functions in infancy”, pp. 70-94. 31 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”. p. 72. 32 Hertenstein, J. Matthew. “Touch: Its communicative functions in infancy”, p.77.


stored in the amygdala and due to its function will influence many of our future

reactions to touch.33 Another report concerning young infants demonstrated

the importance of touch in premature babies. Neonatals who were kept in

near-sterile condition suffered from a lack of tactile and kinaesthetic

stimulation. Whilst, the neonatals who received daily sessions of limb

movement and stroking grew 47% faster per day, were more active, and were

released from the hospital 6 days sooner than the control group.34

Another study testing the effects of tactile senses on our mood found

that individuals who were asked to hold warm items, such as a drink, were

more likely to perceive others and themselves as friendlier, more trusting, and

more generous than those who held cold items.35

In a separate study individuals were presented with hard or soft

objects, resumes on heavy or light clipboards, and a puzzle with smooth or

rough pieces. They found “Among other effects, heavy objects made job

candidates appear more important, rough objects made social interactions

appear more difficult, and hard objects increased rigidity in negotiations.”36

At the Delft University of Technology Marieke Sonneveld began

to teach a tactile aesthetics module to her product design students.

Interestingly, to begin with students were nervous and shy to share their

tactile experiences of objects as they lacked a vocabulary to discuss how they

felt about the objects.37 Students felt unsure about sharing their intimate

feelings through the sense of touch with regard to an object. Sonnenveld also

distinguishes between two different forms of touching, one exploratory and

intelligent, picking out rational qualities, the other as she terms it the ‘dreamy

hands’, which aids the student in deciphering their own aesthetic and

emotional judgements of the objects.38

33 Jacobs R. H. A. H. (2011) "Aesthetics by numbers: computationally derived features of visual textures explain their aesthetics judgment", University of Groeningen, Groeningen. p.38-42. 34 Field, T., Schanberg, S. et al. (1986) “Tactile/Kinesthetic Stimulation Effects on Preterm Neonates,” Pediatrics. Volume 77 No. 5. p. 654-658. 35 Williams, L. and Bargh. J.(2008) “Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth”, Science. Vol. 322 p. 606-607. 36 Ackerman, Joshua M., et al (2010) “Incidental Haptic Sensations Influence Social Judgments and Decisions”, Science. Vol. 328, pp. 1712-1715. 37 Sonneveld, M. (2004). “Dreamy hands: exploring tactile aesthetics in design”. McDonagh, D, Hekkert, P, Erp, J van & Gyi, D (Ed.), “Design and emotion: the experience of everyday things”, Taylor & Francis, London. pp. 228 – 232. 38 Sonneveld, M. (2004). “Dreamy hands: exploring tactile aesthetics in design”, p. 230.


The importance of the optic sense in our perception of the world is

irrefutable. The interaction it has with our sense of touch, the first sense we

perceive our environment through as infants, is significant in providing us with

our perception of our environments.39 This is a quote taken from Houlgate in

‘The Eyes of the Skin’;

“Sight detached from touch could not have any idea of distance,

outness or profundity nor consequently of space or body”.40

It would appear that the two senses don’t operate separately but

interact within the brain to give a fuller understanding of that which we see.41 42 Rizzolatti has demonstrated how stimuli will trigger some neurons

previously thought to operate solely in response to certain stimuli. The

somatosensory neurons will be triggered by visual and 3d objects.43 Rizzolatti

goes on to demonstrate the complexity of our haptic ability [see fig. 2]. Here

somatosensory neurons are responding to the proximity of visually perceived

objects. Not only will the neurons respond to direct touch but also to a

movement observed optically within the proximity shown.44 This ability

enables the body to define its position relative to itself and its surroundings -

the skin actually sees. Something that is alluded to in the opening pages by

Juhani Pallasmaa’s “The Eyes of the Skin”;

“our skin is actually capable of distinguishing a number of colours; we do indeed see by our skin.” 45 39 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”. p. 71. 40 Pallasmaa, Juhani. “The Eyes of the Skin”. p.42. 41 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”. p. 55. 42 Jacobs R. H. A. H. "Aesthetics by numbers: computationally derived features of visual textures explain their aesthetics judgment", p. 42. 43 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”. p. 55. 44 Rizzolatti, G. & Sinigaglia, C. “Mirrors in the Brain: How our minds share actions and emotions”. p. 56. 45 Pallasmaa, Juhani. “The Eyes of the Skin”. p.10.


Figure 2. Somatosensory & visual receptive field of bimodal neurons. The

shaded area indicates the somatosensory receptive fields; the solid figures

delineate the visual receptive fields.

This interaction between differing areas of the brain was also noted in a

recent study by a group called Syntex, at the University of Groningen. They

looked at the effect of textured swatches on brain activity. The textured

surfaces were presented via a monitor and the test subjects were required to

decipher if they found the textures beautiful or rough. Interestingly, when the

subjects viewed the textures under fMRI conditions the second

somatosensory cortex was shown to be active. This implies that on viewing

textures a person will actively begin to imagine how that texture feels.46 What

was also interesting was the stimulation of the amygdala on viewing these

textures. It is unclear what the amygdala does in its entirety, but it would

appear that not only does it store memories and control emotional responses

to stimuli, but that it may also direct our optical devices to focus on certain

areas of interest. These focal points are genetically driven and/or emotional

memory based driven. So, not only does the amygdala receive information but

46 Jacobs R. H. A. H. "Aesthetics by numbers: computationally derived features of visual textures explain their aesthetics judgment", p. 42.


it also works in a top-down manner, directing our attention to features it

deems significant.47

Architectural Influence

The study “Corporeal Experience: A Haptic Way of Knowing” looked to

determine the verbal descriptive associations and recollections that a group of

ranchers had with the land, structures and their livestock. It’s interesting to

note, that in reminiscing about past experiences, we will often use words that

are descriptive in nature of physical movement within space.

It’s clear to see the dominance of descriptions of a haptic nature (see

fig 3). The physical connection the ranchers felt for their environment is

evident and their recollections and stories are littered with an abundance of

descriptions of a haptic ilk.48

What is interesting about this is, how our imagined past, is recollected

through predominantly kinaesthetic and haptic perceptions. And that this

personal contact of the ranchers with the environment had developed a deep

bond and understanding between all elements on and within their land.

Bloomer and Moore discuss at length these strong emotional feelings that are

brought about through haptic interaction with our environments. They go on to

say of the significance of the sense of touch;

“No other sense deals directly with the three dimensional world

or similarly carries with it the possibility of altering the

environment in the process of perceiving it; that is to say, no

other sense engages in feeling and doing simultaneously.” 49

47 Ibid. 48 O’Neill, Maire. (Sept. 2001) “Corporeal Experience: A Haptic Way of Knowing”, Journal of Architectural Education, vol. 55, no. 1. p. 8. 49 Bloomer, K. & Moore, C. “Body, Memory & Architecture”, p. 35.


Figure 3. Table showing the number of times descriptive words relating to

visual and haptic modes were used in reference to certain features on the

ranch.


One exemplar of an architecture that absorbs you haptically is the late

Alvar Aalto. Although practicing during the formative years of modernism,

Aalto’s work displays a gentler touch to context than most of the modernists of

the time. Using collage techniques, his buildings ebb and flow within the

landscape, giving them a layered quality that encourages haptic engagement.

Aalto’s projects aren’t underlined by one single concept – a tendency in the

modernist approach. Instead the buildings unravel in a sequence of events

that stimulate us to explore the built landscape.50

Below is one example that demonstrates this collage technique [see

figs. 4-7]. In utilising this approach, Aalto creates disparate elements that work

in unison to produce emotionally charged encounters. He achieves this haptic

quality by masterly playing textures and light against one another. He also

brilliantly manipulates forms, to interact externally and to unfold internally,

giving a rich contextual experience.

It’s also worth mentioning the development of Liss Werner’s

Tactile Architecture practice. The practice looks to develop space by using

cybernetics, biogenetics as well as other digital tools as conduits for

developing spatial designs. It’s almost certain that with the ascension of

computers that the use of this medium for design will only continue. It may be

hoped that through the use of parametricism that we might be able to harness

the power of computers, not only to aid complex geometrical forms, but also

to contain quantifiable information regarding materials tactile qualities.

50 Pallasmaa, Juhani (1998) “Logic of the Image”, Journal of Architecture, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 289-299.


Figure 4. The elevation drawings begin to show the play of forms that Aalto

does so well.

Figure 5. This elevation shows the mixed use of form and material in Aalto’s

work.


Figure 6. Here simple grilles offset create interesting light quality and requires

dynamic movement of the body through the space.

Figure 7. Again Aalto’s use of materials and play of light tempts you to reach

out and touch.


A contemporary architect that constantly subscribes to the haptic

mantra is Steven Holl. As Holl says himself;

“Architecture is a phenomenological discipline in the sense that

the only real knowledge and real understanding of architecture is

when you move with your body through the space.” 51

By cleverly manipulating space Holl encourages the visitor to move

through the spaces. This can be seen in projects such as the Nelson Atkins

Museum of Modern Art and the Stretto House [see figs. 8-11]. In both these

projects the spaces are displaced and played off of one another to entice

movement. Although Holl’s use of materiality is often simpler than Aalto’s, he

will be more inclined to use only one material externally, the haptic nature of

his buildings encourages your body to explore.

Steven Holl believes that architecture within the 21st century needs to

advance towards a;

“…new focus on architecture’s potential to shape experience,

that interrelates body, brain and world”.52

51 Stefano Casciani (April 2007) “Adventures in the Haptic Realm”, Domus, No. 902. p. 37. 52 Stefano Casciani (April 2007) “Adventures in the Haptic Realm”, Domus, No. 902. p. 37.


Figure 8. The Nelson Atkins Museum of Modern Art extension.

Figure 9. Internally the museum extension creates interesting directions of

movement encouraging exploration.


Figure 10. The Stretto House like the museum extension suggests separated

volumes that must be explored to be uncovered.

Figure 11. Internally spaces are partially concealed and levels altered to give

the body a sense of movement about the space even just by looking.


Conclusion

As is evident from many of the studies mentioned in this paper, the

importance of the haptic sense on our emotional response to situations and

our perception of space is indisputable. More interesting though, is the

interaction between the ocular and haptic senses. The displacement of

neuron activity across the different areas of the brain indicates why a holistic

approach to architecture is required, as our own appreciation of places is

never constructed out of independent sense perceptions. Stimuli would

appear to create reactions across regions of the brain, so giving a multi-

sensory perception of our environments, even when the stimuli is thought to

be unrelated to other senses. Therefore, we should begin to consider how

things look and feel in the same breath when designing.

It is my belief that by demonstrating such a clear scientific connection

between the ocular and haptic sense it’ll hopefully encourage people to

design for both senses. What must be remembered is that the senses never

work independently. The information gathered by them is compiled giving us

constant relays of our surroundings, which in turn constitute our perception of

our environment.

Our tactile and haptic connection with our surroundings has been

neglected. Unfortunately, due to this disconnection, the language of the tactile

is under-developed. It would appear that it’s going to be difficult to alter this in

a ‘Society of Spectacle’, but if we should wish not to lose one of our senses,

which is ultimately a form of expression, then we must attempt to rebalance

the hegemony displayed by the ocular.

I’m not advocating a return to rapidograph-based drawings and model

making as the solution. But that within the 21st century the ability new

software packages afford the designer to create projects in a virtual domain

must be balanced with a tactile approach and appreciation of the basic

principles of architecture, which is to create spaces for habitation. These

spaces may be considered to be extensions of our bodies.

As neuroscience progresses, our appreciation of how the brain

processes the senses and consequently where consciousness pops up, will

begin to reshape, not only architecture, but also the fabric of society.


Further Research

The writing of this paper has opened up many other avenues of

investigation that would warrant attention. For instance, how may it be

possible to arrive at quantifiable responses to materiality? Especially as our

response to textures and materials are largely governed by past experiences?

Would it be possible to arrive at mean expectations of emotional responses to

textures and materials? If so, would it then be possible to incorporate these

calculations into modern design tools i.e. computer programs? Would this

then encourage a standardised method of designing that would reduce the

architect to a mere button pusher?

One aspect of the research that I found particularly difficult was in

finding architecture that is a paragon of haptic engagement. This maybe due

to the fact that all architecture engages us in movement, although some do

with a greater sense of excitement and discovery than others. It’s very difficult

to get beyond the rhetoric of many of the blurbs on architectural designs.

What concerned me was that this is a method of sensing that is about

physical experience not rational understanding. I’ve come across many

examples of architecture that use the words ‘tactile and haptic’ in their

descriptions, yet, and the irony is not lost, I’ve felt uncompelled by the images

I found of them.

It would also be interesting to try and uncover what makes physical

movement thrilling or enjoyable. There are many philosophers who believe

that shadows are important in providing the mind with space to imagine.53 54 Is

this true of movement as well? The less we see, as long as it’s suggested,

does this invite and excite the body into movement into the space? In relation

to this I would like to research further into the history and the present

concepts of architectural space.

53 Bachelard, G. (1992) “The Poetics of Space”, Beacon Press, Uckfield. 54 Merleau-Ponty, M. (1969) “The Visible and the Invisible: Studies in Phenomenology and the Existential Philosophy”, Northwestern University Press, Illinois.


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Electronic References

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What is the importance of the haptic aesthetic in architecture?