When our senses are spoken to, we are brought to a state of heightened attention, to the here and the now. So, when a creation has a sensory language, it awakens our complete senses and addresses our human spirit.
An experience is made of many factors. One is the obvious, the context around us. Second is the moment, and third is the individual himself. The three of them come together to create one’s unique experience.
It is somewhere in between context and moment, that our senses tap into, and draw us to be truly present in the space, to experience it.
Over the years, our senses tend to get dull, our mind bored and our experiences faded. On the contrast, when we look at a child, or even back into our own childhood, we observe the freshness and curiosity present. This appreciation of life’s experiences seems to fade as we grow older.
To take us from this state of peripheral living, to a state of being in the moment, we must begin by looking at space, events, objects and even our everyday life with new eyes and a fresh perspective. This sharpens our appreciation of our surroundings. This brings us to “being”.
Excerpt from the discussion: “Van Gogh’s Sunflower: He looks at the same field every day, but with a fresh perspective. That is what separates the original from the rest, the ability to look at it like it’s the first time.”
But, just the fresh perspective/ imagination itself won’t suffice; observation is needed to make it deeper; translating an experience to a memory and knowledge acquired.
Excerpt from the discussion: “The Pieta, by Michelangelo, is an example of what the artist wants you to see. Purity is conveyed through the sculpture, as it’s what he believed in and strived to create. He envisions, then understands the physical body & then creates.”
To take it further, for this last and final step, as a designer, we must interpret and analyze. This lets us transform that knowledge and memory to an understanding and wisdom.
Excerpt from the discussion: “Architects/ designers follow a structure similar to that of an artist. They understand nature and the human senses, and then go one step further in translating the experience into a space.
We manipulate senses & experiences to create spaces where people can hopefully see and feel what we want them to.. Architecture can move higher on the scale of experience and ‘truly awaken your senses’, when it goes beyond the basic functional requirements.”
Why do we make buildings for art/ museums?
When a space is designed with a deeper understanding and intention, the experience of being in that space would be such that, it can be placed next to art; can house the art.”
See like a child, understand like an artist and interpret like an architect.
From the world of a child – to the world of an artist – to the world of an architect; we translate, transform and finally transcend our senses and experiences to create spaces which can truly hold us in themselves.
That is why we look at the sensory sensitivity of space.
by sra edu team
Featured illustration: sra edu team
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