The Perceptual-Cognitive Body and the Consumption of Material Space: A Critical Proposal for the Danish Pavilion

Abstract

Architecture is inhabited by bodies. Yet, it is not always a concern for architects to study body-space dynamics as an integral part of the design process. This experimental and theoretically driven project seeks to explore the ways in which the body informs a work of design. More specifically, it suggests that architectural design could make use of the body's sensory faculties - in particular, body memory and proprioception - as a tool to promote an individual's awareness of the built environment and facilitate the development of rich social spaces. There are two segments to this design research project. The first is an analysis of literatures and architectural examples that address the body's relevance in design. The second is an application of the concepts examined to the design of the Danish Pavilion for the World Expo in Milan, Italy. A key objective is to reorient the processes of conceptualization and synthesis toward the sentient body, which links the human subject to the architectural object.