Relationship with the Senses
‘Architecture is the art of reconciliation between ourselves and the world, and this mediation takes place through the senses’ (Pallasmaa, 2012, pg. 48). Humans engage with architectural environments differently as different senses are experienced in different ways by each individual. Architecture has the power to bring back strong memories and emotions (Marinova, 2019) as well as stimulating the senses, especially within pool environments. It has been highlighted throughout the research that the relationship between water and the individual is fundamental in order to create a sensory experience. Pool environments engage and interact with all the senses, creating a multi-sensory experience, but in particular the sense of sight. The primary sense ‘collaborates with the body and the other senses’ (Pallasmaa, 2012, pg .44) implying that what we see and perceive plays a fundamental role that then interacts with the other senses which creates a unique and full experience. ‘Sight is what allows us to perceive light, form and colour’ (Marinova, 2019). The research conducted (Fig 31-38) highlights how the visual qualities, such as light within a pool, can create an atmosphere, both in the water and out, enhancing the sense of sight and therefore creating an experience.
64 | Concluding Thoughts
Fig 39 | The primary sense of sight ‘collaborates with the body and other senses’ (Pallasmaa, 2012, pg. 44) (Author’s Own, 2020)
