Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

At its best, architecture is a sensuous experience, appealing to the eyes, but also to our other senses: touch, hearing, smell, and even proprioception. The inclusion of these elements as part of our design explorations has been expressed as hapticity, per Paalismaa and others, and is meant to encourage a more intimate experience of our built environment. The design process does not always include any sense other that sight, however. Hand drawing has a tactile feedback which allows at least a modicum of physical interaction: the pencil on the tooth of the paper; arm and head movements. Electronic media are purely visual, though, with mouse clicks comprising the majority of the physical interaction. Does the spread of more interactive media into the architectural field increase sensitivity to the opportunities of designing for the other senses? Initial research studies, including from a neurological perspective, seem to indicate that it does. For architects, these tools allow more interaction with their projects, and in particular, the ability to explore a project as a whole, rather than the zoomed-in narrowly focused view typical of electronic modeling. Drawing devices with haptic feedback give more of a feel to the drawing process, and augmented reality is especially valuable for clients. These complex tools take a long time to master, and so can be difficult to incorporate for students and busy professionals. The reward is that they can be of value for both the designer and, especially, for clients, to better understand the experience of their designs.