Philosophy of Design
To make people feel the meaning of a place
Introduction
Architecture can make people feel both present and eternal. As a spatial medium, architecture achieves this consciousness by arousing the senses. The senses trigger memory and emotion, followed by empathy and reflection. This sequence can lead people to relate their current time and place to other times and places. By eliciting these sensations and connections, architecture can make people understand the meaning of a place.
The meaning of a place comes from its connection to other times, places, and people. To make people feel these connections, they must first be aware of their current time and space. Activating the senses through architecture grounds people in their body and in the present. Only then can we expand their awareness to other times and places. At best, they will understand that these senses have been felt by others connected to that place.
At that moment, people will feel both present and eternal, present and omnipresent, singular and collective. A random moment in time becomes significant; a random space becomes a meaningful place. Positioned in this place, the visitor will also find a new layer of meaning.
"She had never learned history proper,
but sometimes one's eyes are enough."
Slave Memorial at the historic Cobblestone Landing, the former center of the cotton and slave trade along the riverfront in downtown, Memphis, TN.
What is architecture?
Architecture is the result of designing for more than function. For example, a stadium needs to house a thousand people, or a fence needs to enclose an acre. The result of satisfying these needs is shelter.
Considering the implications of the design choices made to achieve these goals creates architecture. The stadium aims to provide clear views for all, and may even try to enhance collective excitement. A short picket fence communicates openness, while a high stonewall communicates exclusivity.
It’s nearly impossible to make these decisions arbitrarily. Therefore, everything may seem like architecture. However, architecture is in the intention.
What makes a place meaningful?
Meaning does not come from architecture. Instead, meaning comes from within and without. Meaning comes from the building’s use, its inhabitants, its history, and its symbolism. In hospitals, people struggle with life and death. In homes, families grow tighter or fall apart. In cities, generations of people have fond memories of a public park. In media, a skyline becomes part of civic identity.
In some situations the meaning is associated with the place weakly, like parks, while in others the meaning is associated strongly with the place, as in skylines. Nevertheless, the people involved with those places do ascribe meaning to it.
Ultimately, people’s understanding of a place is the source of its meaning.
How can you make people understand?
A place is only meaningful if people understand its meaning. There are two parts to understanding the meaning of a place: emotional and intellectual. Meaning should be felt first and then reflected upon later.
The emotional impact of a place is felt through the senses. Architecture should heighten people’s senses to draw attention to the meaningful aspects of a building, from people’s interactions in a building to the building’s interactions with the city.
Next, architecture should provide people opportunities to consider the emotional impact of the space. This may be explicit, as in a bench placed by a reflection pond. Or, it may be subtle, as in evocative cues from a building’s past such as preserving machinery in a renovated factory.
Not all architecture can be museums. In fact, this would be counter-productive. If architecture only appeals to the intellect, it will have minimal impact and not create a long-term memory. Instead, architecture should be more like a haunted house—an experience that leaves visitors delirious, walking away with hearts racing, sharing what made them feel the strongest.
What is the point of understanding a place’s meaning?
Architecture should make people feel both present and eternal. Understanding the meaning of a place makes people aware of where they are but also their connection to other times, places, and people. Architecture should humble visitors, giving them context for their current place and time. In the process, it will make them appreciate their current place and time. In that moment, it will make them feel more alive.