What is Phenomenology
There are days when our existence in itself feels questionable. After all, what is it that makes us who we are, what is it that shapes our perceptions? Phenomenology is a school of thought that deals with these questions. Phenomenology in other words is the way we experience space.
Maurice Merleue Ponty is largely associated with the existential movement in the mid-1900s. Most of his readings focus on elucidating the relation between the mind and body, the objective and experienced worlds. Interestingly, Ponty has drawn on anthropology and ethnology in the Phenomenology of Perception.
A characteristic he has followed throughout the book is to critique the common presumption of a ready-made world, which in turn leads to a failure in accounting for the historic and embodied character of experience. In architecture speak he talks about how our lack of consideration of the context and history of a space leads to less stimulating spaces and structures
Phenomenology and Architecture
As an architect by profession, it is only normal that I saw the comparisons I can make in how Ponty teaches and how we can practise the same in architecture. One interesting point he says is – we come not to see the work of art, but the world according to work. This to me defines what architecture should work to be. Not an end product of art but an unveiling of experiences.
This ideology shows how far we’ve strayed from the path of our architecture. Buildings and spaces were once an unveiling of a mystery, a meaningful experience, but now with more and more glass transparent structures, there is no unveiling, there is no mystery. Architecture has lost its touch of being a secret. In a sense we’ve lost that sense of security we crave for the indoors.
Ponty talks a lot about gaze and focus in the book, an interesting take away from what he’s saying in architecture can be to shift our focus more towards the periphery as well. Thinking of spaces and structures in isolation is what leads to monotonous concrete jungles with no character and a loss of sense of direction for daily users. After all, our loss of sense of navigation in the later generations can’t be blamed completely on technology but also on the spaces we’re forcing them to navigate through.
Alternative Perspectives on the Body
Ponty places a lot of focus on shifting our focus from our ocular sense to the other senses available to us – sound, smell and touch. He talks about two definitions of sensation – the visible which is seized upon with the eyes, and the sensible which is seized upon by the senses. Something that we need to consider more and more as modern architecture evolves.
Throughout the book Ponty creates a rhythm where he first presents the realist approach to a particular experience, followed by its intellectual alternative. And then follows up with a third alternative that avoids the problematic assumptions made in the previous options.
The first three parts of the book focus more on the body. Ponty portrays an alternative understanding of the body across the domains including the experience of one’s own body, spaces we occupy, sexuality and even language. After all, language is a form of bodily expression.
In later parts, Ponty dwells on the interpretation of the senses through studies of space, senses, landscapes and society. Looking at even hallucinations and illusions he alludes to what is, and what we create to be.
Phenomenology of Perception is one of Maurice Ponty’s most well-known works, and also one of the milestones of philosophical thought. I am no expert on the field and confess that this book was a tough but eye-opening read. As I am far from an expert in philosophy I’m aware of the sheer possibilities of what I’ve not grasped. But what is philosophy if not open to interpretation?
As an architect, I find Ponty’s call to shift our focus from the visual to embracing all senses particularly resonant. His critique of the modern world’s tendency to overlook history and embodied experience resonates deeply in an era where architecture often prioritise efficiency over human connection. By integrating Ponty’s insights, architects can rekindle spaces that not only serve practical needs but also evoke a sense of wonder and belonging.
Phenomenology of Perception helps remind us that architecture has the power not only to shelter bodies but also to nurture the soul, creating environments that engage and inspire the human spirit.
