Review: Place vs Space

Review: Place vs Space

We all are human. Human have sense. Human body moves, sees, smells, touches, hears and even tastes within a space, then architecture comes to life. Prominent neuroscientists across the global have actually proved that images of the brain in action and emotion are placed in the main place, asserting that thinking is emotion-base intuitive and fast. In this review, based on the topic, Space, I actually stand to my point: understand how does a space work and then applied it in community life which giving benefit.

The readers I have chosen are “Come to your senses”, by Catherine Warren LeoneIe and “Traveling, Inhabiting, & Experiencing,  A phenomenology for public transit”， by Lena Hopsch, Marco Cesario, and Rachel McCann. In usual life, architecture design only rely more on primary sense—visual.  However, this is very unfortunate as senses do really enhance the emotions. From my review, there is also saying that addressing historic , traditional or present-day cultural patterns can make a work of architecture a success when the senses are transmitted and conveyed effectively. In directly, emotion then affect the interaction between space and after that goes to memory.  Just exactly fit to what my reader says, “the architect must act as a compressor that orchestrates space into a synchronization for function and beauty through the senses--and how the human body engages space is of prime importance.

Other than that, my reader takes bus terminal as example. In public transit, efficient movement and way finding are often at odds with human identify and environmental presence. In the reader it is mentioned that bus terminal is considered as a space for travellers and travelling but also offering affordances to the activities of that area. Considered as an Agora which with so much movement and also interaction, for example ticket area, shoplots, waiting area ,etc..  Besides,  bus terminal is a kind of crowded space ,the ambience and architecture  qualities inside actually bring the effect that encourage users to engage fully with the space. So, it is then let people feel like more willing to join in interaction, participation and exchange with others.

Bus terminal proved to me that spaces bring ambience and sense. So, how about we apply this knowledge on somewhere meaningful?  The area I chose is art street. In my research, I found that art street always lead to two opinions, either in term of vandalism or appreciating art. Then why don’t we just apply the theory of sense and change the typical bad to a good one. My reader says “Emotions affects awareness, consideration, persuasion, recall and loyalty. “Sometimes, architecture is not only about function and beauty, it can be more than that. We can take good use of it in order to contribute in community rather than just leave it as a useless space. For example, there is a famous street art artist ROA he has drawn a lot of animal street art in order to raise up awareness about endangered animal. As the result of a survey, people feel good to see these kind of fun interact space and they also raised up their awareness effectively.

Conclusion, in my opinion I think that architecture is not only about function and aesthetic, it should works closer to our daily life and as human we should use our knowledge in this area and building its advantage to contribute to community. By engaging all of the sense, form and function may be more fully expressed so occupants can have deeper and more meaningful spaces.