"The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses" by Juhani Pallasmaa is a captivating exploration of how architecture engages our senses beyond mere visual perception. Having first read this book with a purpose when undertaking my undergraduate dissertation, I have recently been reading it again to try and understand it's complexity.
Multisensory Experience
Haptic Perception
Embodied Experience
Memory and Emotion
Sensory Deprivation
Multisensory Experience - Pallasmaa argues that architecture should be experienced holistically, engaging all our senses - touch, smell, taste, and sound - rather than sight alone. Think about it, when we enter a space we feel its temperature, hear echoes, and smell the materials. Consider how a cozy cafe feels inviting not only because of its visual aesthetic but also due to the aroma of coffee and the warmth of wooden furniture.
Haptic Perception - 'Haptic' refers to our sense of tough. Pallasmaa emphasises the importance of touch in understanding space. Our skin, as the largest organ, connects us to the built environment, touching surfaces is fundamental to understanding space. Imagine running your fingers along a rough stone wall or feeling the smoothness of polished marble. These tactile experiences contribute to our overall perception of space.
Embodied Experience - Pallasmaa believes that architecture shapes our bodily experience. When we move through a space, our bodies respond to its proportions, materials, and acoustics. Architecture becomes an extension of our physical selves. If we think of how a ceiling height affects our sense of confinement, or how narrow corridors create a different bodily experience than wide, open spaces. The acoustics of a room can influence how we perceive a room - if it feels intimate or not.
Memory and Emotion - The book delves into how architecture evokes memories and emotions. Certain spaces trigger nostalgia, comfort, or awe. Pallasmaa agues that these emotional connections are essential for meaningful design. A childhood home, a favourite park bench, or a grand cathedral all evoke feelings. Pallasmaa suggests that these emotional connections enhance our experience of architecture. Designing with emotional resonance in mind can create lasting impressions.
Sensory Deprivation - Modern architecture often prioritises visual aesthetics over other senses. Palasmaa critiques this trend, advocating for a return to sensory richness and depth - embracing materials, textures, and acoustics to create more meaningful spaces.
When I returned to the text out of personal interest instead of academic requirements, I gained a deeper understanding of Pallasmaa's concepts. At first, I had only been skimming it to bolster a specific theory I was promoting. I suggest that people go back to at least one book they studied during their academic days.
What are you reading?
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