Mia Love Emley Sensoscape M.Arch Project Thesis

MIA LOVE EMLEY FALL 2024 MASTER PROJECT UTSA; PROFESSOR SUE ANN PEMBERTON

SENSOSCAPE BECOMING HUMAN THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT RECONNECTING SENSES, SPIRIT, AND SOCIETY THROUGH EMPATHETIC DESIGN

CIRCULATION

PROJECT LOCATION: 434 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205 The selected site for this Master’s Project is strategically located in San Antonio’s vibrant downtown. This location presents a compelling intersection of cultural, historical, and urban layers. Close to the King William District and La Villita, the site seamlessly integrates into the city’s rich cultural fabric, offering a meaningful context for a design that balances modern innovation with the architectural history of the region. The surrounding green spaces, at Hemisfair Park, provide an ideal setting to incorporate biophilic and sensory design elements, aligning with the project’s emphasis on healing, well-being, and empathy-driven architecture. Positioned within San Antonio’s urban landscape, the site offers an opportunity to explore the harmony between urban energy and sensory-focused design, creating a sanctuary within the city’s dynamic environment.

SITE HISTORIC FABRIC: TOWER OF THE AMERICAS

JOHN H. WOOD COURTHOUSE

FEDERAL BUILDING

Cultural & Historic Significance, Prime Urban Location, Abundant Green Spaces, Community & Civic Support, & Existing Infrastructure Fragmented Land Use, Maintenance & Preservation Challenges Adaptive Reuse Potential, Community Integration, & Economic & Educational Growth

WIETZEL KUSCH HOUSE RICHTER HOUSE HOUSE

RESTROOMS TYNAN HOUSE

AMAYA HOUSE

WOMEN’S PAVILION

Financial Constraints, Environmental Factors, OverCommercialization, Resistance to Change, & Economic Uncertainty

KODAK PAVILION

The Women’s Pavilion and Kodak Pavilion were built for San Antonio’s 1968 HemisFair. The Women’s Pavilion celebrated women’s achievements in culture, arts, and science, while the Kodak Pavilion showcased advancements in photography and media technology. Both structures hold historical and cultural significance, offering opportunities for adaptive reuse to honor their legacy and integrate them into contemporary design.

THE WOMEN’S PAVILION THE KODAK PAVILION SIDEWALKS STREETS PARKING PAVEMENT

PARKING BUS STOPS STREETS

PLACES RESTAURANTS AMUSEMENT PARKS APPT. & HOTELS

VEGETATION & WATER Features lush vegetation, green spaces, and abundant trees, enhanced by its proximity to the Riverwalk and water features like a reclaimed water splash park. These elements create a sustainable, refreshing environment for relaxation and play.

PROGRAM & ZONING: SECOND FLOOR

CHROMA EXPERIENCE MOON ROOM VISUAL THERAPY POD SIGHT COPPER & WATER TASTESCAPE SALT ROOM

TASTE SCENT

AROMA THERAPY TERRACE

ARCHITECTURE CONCEPT: EMPATHETIC TO REVIVE THE HUMAN BODY AND SPIRIT

SHAPING SPACE

BUTTERFLY BIOPHILIA

MEZZANINE RESTROOMS REFLECTIVE PATH RESTFUL SEATING

REST

EXPERIENCE

ENTRANCE LOBBY COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE EXPERIENCE ROOM STORAGE KID FRIENDLY SENSORY SPACE STAFF SUPPORT SPACE OFFICES PRIVATE THERAPY ROOM ATRIUM ZEN GARDEN MEDITATIVE WALKING PATHS

SOUND

COPPER DRUM WATERFALL SOUNDSCAPE PATH

PALIMPSEST

This project reimagines the Women’s and Kodak Pavilions at San Antonio’s Hemisfair as transformative spaces that exemplify how architecture can shape the lives of its occupants. By integrating sensory and biophilic design principles, it offers an empathetic response to the stress and disconnection of modern life, creating sanctuaries for mental, physical, and emotional renewal. This project stands as both a testament and an invitation—a ripple in the great pond of architectural possibility—to inspire designers to craft with creativity and care, shaping spaces that heal, connect, and nurture the human spirit while honoring the cultural and historical significance of their environments.

GROUND FLOOR

UNDERGROUND FLOOR

TOUCH

INTERACTIVE TOUCHSCAPE HAPTIC POD

VERTICAL CIRCULATION Like tender seedlings in a greenhouse or flowers rooted in rich soil, humanity’s growth and well-being depend on the environment that cradles it. Just as sunlight, water, and care allow plants to flourish, architecture has the power to nurture the spirit, heal the body, and inspire the mind. Spaces are not mere voids; they are active participants in shaping the lives within them. Architecture, much like medicine, carries the potential to restore, soothe, and invigorate. It is a tool that can transform stress into serenity, chaos into calm, and disconnection into belonging. Poorly crafted spaces can harm, while thoughtful, empathetic design becomes a balm for the soul. Let us not view buildings as static forms, but as living companions; immersive, responsive, and healing. For in every wall, shadow, and threshold lies an opportunity: to create environments where people not only survive but truly thrive, enriched by a sense of purpose, connection, and humanity.

PRIVATE STAFF SPACE PUBLIC SEMI-PUBLIC SEMI-PRIVATE

CONVENTION CENTER TOWER OF THE AMERICAS

SITE PLAN: TOWER PARK

EVENT LAWN

ACTIVITY LAWN R

DO RI R CO NES R CA E LA T E K RE & BI ST

NG PO A NG N PI ARE

TS OR RT P S OU C

L

L BA E T CC UR BO CO

PICNIC AREA INTERACTIVE ART & EXERCISE SPACE

R

H

IT

PH

TE EA

M

A

D

O

FO

LL

A

H

ART HEART

RESTROOMS

GALLERY

FARMERS MARKET PLAZA

PARK POLICE

PEOPLE PLAZA

COMMUNITY ASSET

COMMUNITY GARDEN

COMMUNITY ASSET COMMUNITY ASSET

SIDEWALK

COMMUNITY ASSET

STREETCAR CORRIDOR & BIKE LANES

CA

Within these walls, architecture transcends the tangible, weaving a symphony of light, sound, touch, and memory. This is a space where history and modernity intertwine, each layer honoring the past while inviting the future. The design breathes life into its occupants, offering a sanctuary for reflection, recovery, and reconnection. Here, senses awaken to the rhythm of being—colors dance with light, textures whisper stories, and each step becomes an act of discovery.

This project is not merely a building but a vessel of transformation, a call to the human spirit to pause, to heal, to become. Like a ripple in a pond, it inspires beyond its bounds, urging us all to craft with empathy and care. It is a place of stillness and growth, where the interplay of history, humanity, and design creates a profound resonance, reminding us not just of where we dwell but who we are capable of becoming.

FLOOR PLANS: 1" = 50' 0" 10' 25'

50'

(20)

100'

(30)

(19)

(13)

-7' - 0"

(1) (3)

(28)

(1)

(1)

(2)

(21)

(1)

(22)

(23)

(1)

(8)

(9)

(1)

(1)

(6)

(17)

(7) (5)

(29)

(4)

(12)

(10)

(11)

(1) (27)

(24)

(14) (26)

(16)

(25)

(15)

(18)

-12' - 0"

UNDERGROUND FLOOR (1) ELEVATORS (2) SOUNDSCAPE PATH (3) COPPER DRUM WATERFALL (4) INTERACTIVE TOUCHSCAPE (5) SHAPING SPACE EXHIBIT (6) HAPTIC POD (7) STORAGE

GROUND FLOOR

MEZZANINE

(8) ENTRANCE (15) PRIVATE THERAPY ROOM (9) LOBBY (16) ATRIUM (10) COMMUNITY FLEX SPACE (17) ZEN GARDEN (11) EXPERIENCE ROOM (18) LABYRINTH GARDEN (12) STORAGE (19) OUTDOOR COMMUNITY FLEX SPACE (13) KID-FRIENDLY SENSORY SPACE (20) MEDITATIVE WALKING PATHS (14) STAFF SUPPORT SPACE & OFFICES

(21) MEN’S RESTROOM (22) WOMEN’S RESTROOM (23) REFLECTIVE PATH & RESTFUL SEATING

SECOND

10' 25'FLOOR 50'

100'

1" = 50' 0"

(24) COPPER & WATER TASTESCAPE (25) HEALING SALT ROOM (26) AROMA THERAPY TERRACE (27) GASTRONOMY GARDEN (28) MOON ROOM (29) VISUAL THERAPY POD (30) CHROMA EXPERIENCE

SECTIONS:

NORTH-SOUTH SECTION FACING EAST

EAST-WEST SECTION FACING SOUTH

UNDERGROUND FLOOR: SOUND & TOUCH

The base level of the project, as shown in the plan below, integrates an Interactive Touchscape, a Haptic Pod, and a Hearingscape, each carefully designed to engage and awaken the senses.

The Hearingscape features a waterfall that rhythmically cascades onto a copper surface, crafting a resonant soundscape that heightens auditory awareness. The Touchscape offers textured pathways that invite tactile exploration, encouraging movement and a seamless sensory flow throughout the space. The Haptic Pod provides an intimate sensory experience, enclosed by a steel chain curtain and featuring a wind tunnel fan and touch-responsive lighting. Together, these dynamic elements form a sensory-driven foundation, fostering mindful exploration and deep sensory engagement.

The Symphony and Texture of Space Architecture carries its own melody—the echo of footsteps, the murmur of cascading water, or the quiet resonance of silence. Sound softens chaos, amplifies intimacy, and shapes experience.

Equally, touch brings spaces to life. The smoothness of wood, the roughness of stone, and the weight of textured walls ground and connect us. Together, sound and touch transform architecture from mere structure into a sensory dialogue—where we feel, resonate, and belong.

(3) INTERACTIVE TOUCHSCAPE

(1) (2) HAPTIC POD (2)

(3)

(1) COPPER DRUM WATERFALL

GROUND FLOOR: EXPERIENCE The ground floor offers a sensory-rich experience with flexible community spaces and a welcoming entrance. Guests are guided toward the entrance by a vegetative sculpture resembling the human form. Inside the building, a fabric ceiling installation, enhanced by airflow, waves visitors in the right direction, while the lobby’s lush greenery creates a warm and vibrant atmosphere.

The design subtly shapes and inspires the journey through the space.

(7) COMMUNITY FLEX SPACE

Space is more than shelter; it is a quiet force shaping who we are, inviting us to heal, to connect, and to simply be.

(6) LOBBY

(4) (5)

(6)

(7)

(5) WAVE INSTALLATION LOBBY ENTRANCE

(4) ENTRANCE

GROUND FLOOR: EXPERIENCE

The ground floor features sensory-rich experiences, including a Projection Experience Room and a Kid-Friendly Sensory Space. The Projection Experience Room combines visually soothing yet dynamic architectural elements with 360-degree projection screens. Designed to be versatile, the exhibit can showcase seasonal environments or serve as a platform for local artists to display their work.

The Kid-Friendly Sensory Space offers an immersive environment with engaging activities such as an interactive light and art installation, a customizable stained-glass wall for mixing colors, and a meditative cushion corner. This space also features an aroma therapy tree sculpture, preserved moss acoustic walls, and is divided into playful quadrants by vibrant rainbow harp strings that encourage exploration and interaction. Together, these spaces promote creativity, mindfulness, and sensory engagement.

The ARCHITECTURE OF EXPERIENCE Within these walls, light becomes a storyteller and shadow a poet, weaving tales of awe and introspection. Seasons unfurl in whispers across the senses, while colors and forms dance in harmony, shaping a sanctuary for discovery. Here, sound becomes visible, touch unveils the profound, and every moment is an invitation to connect deeply with the extraordinary rhythms of life.

It is not the space itself, but what you discover within it—the profound resonance of being fully alive.

(9) KID-FRIENDLY SENSORY SPACE

(9)

(8)

(8) projection experience ROOM

Layers of Time, Shaping of Space Steel threads whisper of futures untold, while brick remembers stories grown bold.

Between the mesh and the historic walls, a dialogue begins, where time gently calls.

This façade, a veil, neither forceful nor shy, stands apart, letting history sigh.

A palimpsest blooms, a tapestry spun, of eras entwined, yet harm done to none.

The steel’s clean lines speak of today, while shadows of the past softly play.

Dualities merge—old meets the new, giving spaces a life both rich and true.

Space becomes voice, fluid and free, shaping meaning, crafting memory.

Here, history and vision find their embrace, as architecture carves a timeless space.

EXPERIENTIAL GROUNDS: The façade of the exterior is composed of architectural mesh and steel posts, designed as a separate layer from the historic fabric of the Women’s and Kodak Pavilions. This independent façade introduces a contemporary visual language that complements the original structures without permanently altering them, as all components are fully reversible. The design celebrates a palimpsest-like layering, where the interplay of historic and modern elements creates a dialogue between past and present, enriching the site’s architectural narrative.

MEZZANINE: REST Above the ground floor lies an intermediate mezzanine dedicated to spaces of rest, reset, and recovery. Centrally located restrooms ensure convenience, while a reflective pathway gracefully connects both ends of the mezzanine. Along this path, two vertical circulation nodes and thoughtfully designed seating areas offer moments for pause and introspection, creating an environment that nurtures relaxation and renewal.

SANCTUARY A sanctuary of stillness, this project is a haven where the fragmented self finds unity— offering spaces to reset the mind, recover the spirit, and reflect on the beauty of simply being.

(11) REFLECTIVE PATH

(11)

(10)

(10) RESTFUL SEATING

(13) HEALING SALT ROOM

(16) LUSH LOUNGE

(14) AROMA THERAPY TERRACE

(16) (15)

(12) (14)

(13)

(15) GASTRONOMY GARDEN

SECOND FLOOR: TASTE & SCENT

(12) COPPER & WATER TASTESCAPE

On the second floor, an immersive experience awaits, engaging the senses of taste and scent. Visitors encounter a copper and water tastescape, designed to stimulate and awaken the palate, alongside a healing salt room that promotes relaxation and rejuvenation. An adjoining exterior terrace extends the sensory journey, featuring an aromatherapy space, a gastronomy garden filled with fragrant herbs, and a verdant lounge that invites restful contemplation amidst lush surroundings.

SECOND FLOOR: SIGHT

On the second floor, sight becomes the centerpiece of sensory exploration. The layout features a Moonlight Therapy Room, an adjustable Light Therapy Pod, and a Chroma Experience Space. Within the pod, occupants can tailor lights and colors to meet their specific needs, creating a deeply personal sensory environment. The Chroma Experience Space takes the form of a grand stained-glass box, where natural light streams through vibrant hues, immersing occupants in a captivating interplay of color and illumination. Together, these elements celebrate the profound impact of light on perception and well-being.

SIMPLY SEEING Here, light becomes a living canvas, where every hue whispers stories of renewal.

A sanctuary of sight, where colors breathe and shadows dance, inviting you to rediscover the brilliance of simply seeing.

(18) CHROMA EXPERIENCE SPACE

(18) (17)

(17) MOONLIGHT THERAPY ROOM

THE WEIGHT OF ARCHITECTURE: Architecture is never silent; it speaks to our senses, our rhythms, and our souls. The walls we construct carry the weight of intention, shaping the lives they encase. A poorly conceived building becomes a parasite, draining vitality, seeding discomfort—air too stale, light too harsh, a rhythm too discordant to sustain. Such spaces leave invisible wounds, disrupting the delicate interplay of body and mind. Yet architecture, when imbued with care, becomes a sanctuary, a vessel of possibility. It invites breath to flow freely, light to caress gently, and time to linger meaningfully. A well-shaped room can cradle our fears, amplify our hopes, and guide us back to equilibrium.

Buildings are not passive backdrops; they are active participants in our lives. They hold the power to inspire or suppress, to heal or harm. The scripts for our days lie in their forms—where we thrive or falter, connect, or withdraw. To build is to assume responsibility, to acknowledge that every line drawn, every shadow cast, imprints upon the human spirit. Architecture, at its best, offers not merely shelter but solace. It becomes a companion, a guide, an act of empathy in material form. In its worst moments, it estranges us from ourselves, compounding the burdens we already bear. The choice, always, is ours: to create spaces that diminish or those that restore the fullness of being human.

NORTH FACING ELEVATION

SOUTH FACING ELEVATION

EAST FACING ELEVATION

WEST FACING ELEVATION