Architectural design creates a multisensory dialogue between space and its occupants through its engagement with human perception, which extends past visual aspects. The combination of material selection with light transmission spatial echoes and lingering scents creates the distinctive character of a space (Meselhy and Malkawi, 2024). The sensory components in space determine emotional reactions while controlling human conduct and defining how people interact with their environment (Zumthor, 2006). Architects who consider sound, light, materiality, and other sensory aspects during their design process develop immersive environments that surpass both functional requirements and aesthetic standards. Thoughtfully crafted spaces engage the senses, leaving a lasting impression on those who inhabit them.
Sound: The Unseen Architect
Sound, an intangible power component in architectural design, controls how people perceive built environments. A cathedral’s grand echoes inspire awe, while the hushed acoustics of a library promote concentration (Blesser and Salter, 2007). Sound dynamics greatly depend on material selection since glass and marble surfaces reflect sound to produce an active atmosphere, while wood and fabric materials absorb noise to create peaceful environments. A room’s design determines its auditory properties since open-plan offices create sound disorder through diffusion, while enclosed spaces maintain intimacy (Kang, 2006). The addition of water features, together with green buffers, serves to reduce noise pollution in urban areas.
Architecture surpasses visual elements through sound design when architects purposefully integrate audio into their architectural language. The Chapel of Sound is a massive outdoor concert hall near China’s Great Wall. OPEN Architecture created this structure by carving it into a boulder using concrete that contains minerals from the local area (Archdaily, 2021). The structure extends to the sky without roof coverage while rain hums its music, wind produces vocalizations through its empty spaces, and birdsong moves unconfined. Sound finds its sanctuary in this sacred space because it receives all forms of sound without restriction. The architectural design functions as both an acoustic enhancer and a natural instrument that serves as a vessel for elemental music. The architectural form receives sound to the same extent that it allows sound to escape (OPEN Architecture, 2021).
Acoustic planning transforms built environments into functional spaces that perform their designated functions. Performance halls need precise reverberation calculations to improve sound quality, and hospitals use noise-dampening materials for their calming effect. Applying proper soundproofing measures benefits residential areas by minimizing outside disturbances (Cavanaugh, 2009). Through their architectural designs, builders direct the acoustic environment to create settings that affect human feelings and work effectiveness alongside comfort levels (Kang, 2006).
Materiality: The Tactile Language of Space
The architectural design expresses itself through materials that affect user experience by providing sensory feedback through texture, weight, and thermal properties (Pallasmaa, 2005). The reflective quality of polished marble creates luxurious spaces, but unfinished concrete surfaces present an industrial appearance. Wooden interior design produces a nostalgic warmth that creates welcoming environments, but steel and glass construction represent modern efficiency. The physical characteristics of materials determine how people connect with them since heavy wooden doors provide security and lightweight partitions promote openness (Zumthor, 2006). Materials determine both acoustic properties and light behaviours, which determine space perception (Heschong, 1978). The traditional use of local materials shaped regional architectural styles, yet modern sustainable materials provide designers with fresh opportunities to create responsible sensory-rich environments.
Shigeru Ban’s Cardboard Cathedral in New Zealand demonstrates how everyday materials can be used innovatively. The building uses cardboard tubes and polycarbonate roofing to create a light, warm and tactile structure. The use of these materials highlights sustainability while generating a powerful visual pattern that demonstrates how basic materials can produce both robustness and refinement in architectural design. The physical properties of materials extend past visual perception to shape psychological reactions. Natural stone provides a stabilizing touch to spaces through its smooth texture, but textured elements create multi-dimensional visual interest (Pallasmaa, 2005). Workplaces benefit from sound-absorbing materials that fight noise fatigue, yet reflective surfaces maximize natural illumination (Heschong, 1978). Architects create spaces through their understanding of material experience, which results in environments that balance functionality with emotional resonance (Zumthor, 2006).
Light: Sculpting Space and Emotion
Light functions as an essential architectural design element that controls how spaces appear to people while influencing their emotional responses and environmental conditions (Zumthor, 2006). The combination of natural light with shadows produces a healthier atmosphere through its dynamic interplay. Areas with plenty of sunlight appear expansive and energetic, whereas dimly lit rooms lead to contemplative moods (Pallasmaa, 2005). The strategic placement of clerestory windows, along with courtyards and skylights controls the amount of natural light, which shapes interior perception. Artificial lighting also plays a role—warmer tones create intimacy, while cooler hues enhance focus (Heschong, 1978). Light is intensified by reflective materials, yet diffused materials reduce its intensity, thus producing an optimal relationship between light and dark. The thoughtful approach to lighting direction enables users to navigate spaces while simultaneously affecting their level of involvement (Zumthor, 2006).
A thoughtfully designed lighting system can transform any area into something more than its basic functional purpose while shaping how people react emotionally. The Church of Light’s design features a single cross-shaped opening in concrete to admit natural light, which transforms into a sacred presence. The architectural element of light functions as the central focus to direct emotional responses and reflective contemplation without any decorative elements.
Retail establishments use complex lighting schemes to direct customer attention, yet museums use precise illumination methods both to preserve artworks and structure visitor interactions (Boyce, 2014). Religious spaces achieve their peaceful ambiance through dim lighting, but offices need optimal brightness levels to maintain productivity. Light functions as an architectural instrument that generates spaces that present themselves naturally and deeply involve the senses and evoke emotional responses through soft or dramatic light effects (Pallasmaa, 2005).
Olfactory Perception: The Scent of Space
The often disregarded sense of smell leaves an undeniable mark on the way people perceive and retain their surroundings (Pallasmaa, 2005). The olfactory characteristics of materials determine a space’s scent profile because wood produces warm scents, yet metallic materials generate clinical odors (Wathelet, 2007). The architectural design of traditional markets provides a rich cultural experience through their blend of spicy aromas with fresh food scents and seasoned wood that contrasts with hospital environments that use neutral odors for cleanliness. Hotels and retail establishments use distinct fragrances to establish their brand identity, which leads to subconscious associations that improve customer experience (Kubartz, 2014). Building ventilation systems determine how scents move through a space and persist, which ultimately affects the ambient atmosphere.
The olfactory senses form emotional bonds that extend beyond branding concerns and maintenance practices. The natural earthy smell of heritage buildings creates nostalgic feelings, while wellness spaces use fresh pine and floral scents to help people relax (Porteous, 1990). Restaurants carefully plan their cooking aroma distribution to stimulate appetite and improve customer interaction (Kubartz, 2014). Architects who integrate olfactory elements into their designs create multisensory spaces that move beyond visual appeal to become immersive experiences that people feel and remember deeply.
Other Sensorial Approaches in Architecture
Architectural design integrates more senses than just sound, light, materiality, and scent to create richer sensory experiences (Pallasmaa, 2005). The way heat interacts with surfaces determines comfort levels because warm wooden materials create inviting sensations while metal and stone produce distant feelings. Physical interaction with space through movement patterns creates distinct perceptual effects as surfaces, floor elevations, and adjustable furniture elements influence this process. The spatial rhythm concept derived from proportional arrangements and sequential design determines both spatial navigation patterns and emotional architectural responses. Multisensory design ensures that a space is not just functional or visually appealing but holistically immersive, shaping human experiences in profound and lasting ways.
Through its design elements, architects create environments that control how users perceive and connect with built spaces emotionally (Zumthor, 2006). For example, the Therme Vals extends into the hillside to create a cave-like space where stone, water, and light interact to produce a meditative experience. The spatial sequencing enhances sensory transitions—cool and warm zones, quiet chambers, textured flooring, and subtle lighting all contribute to a deeply immersive environment. The impact of architecture extends beyond visual elements because it interacts with sound, light, materiality, and scent, as well as touch, to form environments that affect emotional states, behavioral patterns, and memory retention.
Design choices determine whether humans use concert hall acoustics, wooden interiors, or carefully directed natural light. Architects who study multiple sensory elements can design environments that create deeper emotional bonds between people and their built surroundings (Pallasmaa, 2005). Through intentional design, professionals create structures that transform how humans experience environments as they inhabit them (Zumthor, 2006).
References :
ArchDaily, 2021. Chapel of Sound / OPEN Architecture. [online] ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/972823/monolithic-concert-hall-open-architecture [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Blesser, B. and Salter, L.-R. (2007) Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? [onloine] The MIT Press. Available at: https://www.agosto-foundation.org/sites/default/files/upload/spaces_speak_are_you_listening.pdf [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Boyce, P.R. (2014). Human Factors in Lighting (3rd ed.). CRC Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1201/b16707 [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Cavanaugh, W.J. (2009) Introduction to Architectural Acoustics and Basic Principles. Available at: https://catalogimages.wiley.com/images/db/pdf/9780470190524.excerpt.pdf [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Heschong, L. (1978) Thermal delight in architecture. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/87094387/Thermal_delight_in_architecture?uc-g-sw=34023538 [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Kang, J. (2006). Urban Sound Environment (1st ed.). CRC Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781482265613 [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Kubartz, B. (2014) Urban Smellscapes: Understanding and Designing City Smell Environments. The AAG Review of Books, 2 (3): 99–101. doi:10.1080/2325548X.2014.919152.
Meselhy, A. and Malkawi, A.T. (2024) ‘Bloomer, Kent C., et al. Body, Memory, and Architecture. Yale University Press, 1979. $32’,Community Change, 5(1), p. 1. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21061/cc.v5i1.a.49.[Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Pallasmaa, Juhani. (2012) The eyes of the skin : architecture and the senses. Wiley.
Porteous, J.D. (1990) Worlds of Sense and Metaphor. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. doi:doi:10.3138/9781487579548.
OPEN Architecture (2021). Chapel of Sound. [online]. Available at: https://openarch.com/index.php/en/task/387 [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Wathelet, O. (2007) The Smell Culture Reader by Jim Drobnick. L’Homme, pp. 239–240. doi:10.2307/25133734. [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
Zumthor P., 2006. Thinking Architecture. [online]. Available at: https://www.agosto-foundation.org/sites/default/files/upload/spaces_speak_are_you_listening.pdf [Accessed 6 Apr. 2025].
