DISRUPTING ATMOSPHERES. THE CITY AS A MULTISENSORY FIELD
The course focuses on the space where people perform their daily lives, discussing how it shapes our understanding of architecture and urban space. The main examined concept is ‘atmosphere’.
‘Atmosphere’ is the medium through which people perceive and experience the urban and architectural environments. The philosopher Gernot Böhme introduced this concept in 1993 as a theory of aesthetics and perception. ‘Atmosphere’ is the smells, sounds, light, mood, humidity, wind and other invisible but experienced qualities between people and the spaces around. Often such aspects escape architectural focus, which has, since Modernity, been primarily oriented towards the visual experience and the designed object. However, in recent decades, ‘atmosphere’ has received growing interest in architectural practice and discourse. In the course, students learn how to register and integrate the climatic and experiential aspects of urban space to gain a full understanding of its atmosphere. Furthermore, students analyze the difference between an atmospheric and a visual approach in architecture and reflect upon how the atmosphere of a site can be manipulated and represented.
