PERCEPTUAL SPACE
Steven Holl. Chapel of St. Ignatius. 1994 - 1997 Steven Holl is one of the masters of modern phenomenology in architecture and understands human perception and sensation more clearly than most architects of the 21st century. More specifically, his Chapel of St. Ignatius addresses a notion of human experience that is more loosesly defined than the two case studies to follow. I am interested in St. Ignatius for the ways in which it directs, contains, embraces, and celebrates light. I believe all architects must understand the ways in which light operates and manifests itself if we are truly to own our craft.
Steven Holl conceived of the chapel as seven bottles of light inhabiting a stone box. While his earliest drawings were literally of seven color bottles inside a box this definition would later loosen itself becoming voids or surfaces where a certain color of light would reveal itself. I believe we can break down this process into three definite categories that in some way address light. First, the building creates interesting projections from the roof that formally serve to embrace the light in specific ways. Second, that light is then augmented through the use of
Holl, Steven. “Steven Holl�. Thames & Hudson High Holborn, London 2003 pgs. 120 - 129 RAW 46
colored glass apertures and then cast in differing ways based on the embracing form. Finally, the input and augmented light is revealed for the denizens of the chapel. This is achieved through casting the embraced light onto stucco textured surfaces providing a relief on which the light is allowed to dance. Steven Holl’s understanding and command of light is important for me to understand when attempting a thesis about phenomenology and human perception. It is St. Ignatius chapel that will serve as my control throughout the design process.