Pallasmaa

1.  How can we understand and determine a person’s experience of architecture?

I think it is possible to understand a person’s experience of architecture by the way it makes them feel while they are experiencing and after.  It is possible for one to recount an architectural experience with positive or negative memories.  As architects it is difficult to determine a person’s experience of architecture unless the design addresses the importance of the individual.

2.  Interpretations:

All art emanates from the body….  I agree with Pallasmaa that art’s meaning lies in the emotional force that it carries.  It is the interactive experience with art that derives its meaning; if it does not have a connection with the body it is meaningless.

Early childhood memories inform us and form us as we grow up….  This is certainly true.  It is the sum of all our past experiences and memories that have created who we are today.  It is the early childhood memories which are particularly important because it is often times those lessons that we learning which form the basic foundation of how to be a human being.  As such, those memories will affect how we interact with our architectural environment as various emotions are brought to light.

Other arts create the importance of place and experience…..  I would agree with this notion because other arts often times force you to question and explore the world around you.  Also, as we have learned through the various readings in this class, other arts art offer great tools and vocabulary to describe place and experience.

Loneliness and silence of buildings…….  Pallasmaa states “A strong architectural experience always produces a sense of loneliness and silence irrespective of the actual number of people there or the noise.”  This is true in many cases.  A great example are the cathedrals found throughout Europe: while visiting the Notre Dame in Paris, despite the hundreds of other tourists in the cathedral a sense of loneliness can overcome the visitor.  Perhaps what Pallasmaa is suggesting is that strong architectural experiences often times cause one to question or philosophize while they are experiencing the architecture.