Image: © Dianka | Dreamstime.com

You walk into a room. You notice a certain aroma. You smell fresh cookies baking in the kitchen. Immediately, you remember your childhood days when your mother brought you fresh chocolate chip cookies.

Ok, this may seem a bit idealistic but smell and memory are linked. The article entitled Smell and Memory explains that of all the human senses, the process of smelling takes the longest to reach the brain, and once you do smell, the smell lasts longer than other senses. This leads to the assumption that smell and memory are linked in different ways as compared to the other senses; and yes, this is an important differentiation.

If the latter is true, then when you design, you instantly trigger memory the moment someone walks into your building. You see, memory is intrinsically linked with learning. So, the minute someone actually smells within your space, they begin to learn, and the olfactory process can play a meaningful role.

So, how can you design better now that you know this knowledge?

SENSE OF SMELL CAN OPTIMIZE YOUR DESIGNS

Perhaps you can be more proactive as you design. Instead of letting the scent within your space just sort of happen as a by-product of all your other design decisions, you can instead think about what effect you want to have with your space.

This doesn’t mean that you need to go ahead and inject strange aromas with hopes that suddenly your design will be more pleasing without proof that this will work. However, did you know that some hospitals are beginning to design for the olfactory sense? Patients in some facilities are already benefiting from aromas (circulated through the air systems) that are more soothing, anxiety reducing and calming.

Think of what you want your occupants to experience within your architectural space, how you want them to navigate though it and where you may want them to stop and engage in activity. As a designer, think about ways to tap into the olfactory sense — use it to spark occupant behavior, thought, emotion and intellect. There are so many opportunities to capitalize on this sense: think hotel, restaurant, stores or even an airport.

I WOULD LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK…

I would love to hear your feedback on this post today, so leave me a comment down below. And if you enjoyed it, make sure you share it with your Twitter followers by “tweeting” it using the re-tweet button! Thanks so much!

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: Detail of the Parthenon | philos from Athens | Flickr

Buildings change through time. Not only do their materials weather, but their intended purpose can become altered by a changing society’s or culture’s needs. So, how do you design a building that is both timely and timeless? This is an age-old question.

It is important to stay on top of the latest trends that affect building design and construction processes, but that is not all that is important.

New advances are taking place in other fields. In the sciences, for example, researchers are unraveling great findings that both directly and indirectly will affect the way you design and how your occupants perceive your spaces. Such advances prove to be important because they impact how people live — this influences how they think, the choices they make and what they like to do.

IT’S BOTH COMPLEX AND SIMPLE

A timely design can reach timelessness by really staying free from hype and gimmicks. Form with no meaningful purpose or pure function with no attention to form and aesthetic are two sure fire ways to design architecture without true synergy.

To reach timelessness, your architectural designs need to be carefully thought out and your intentions need to encompass both the complex and the simple. These basics elude many building designers. Although they may seem obvious, they are often quite difficult to truly achieve. This is especially true the more complex a design is. (Think about hospital design as an example.)

REDEFINE THE FUNDAMENTALS

So often, architects are faced with the challenge to create designs that break a mold so they may be called “innovative”, “fresh” or “new”. But are they really timeless or universal? Perhaps they look “cool” from the outside. Perhaps they look “different”, but how do they actually feel for the occupant within them?

The perfect fusion between the timely and the timeless within a design is very difficult to achieve – particularly within more complex building types. Start with the fundamentals like…”How should these building programmatic requirements be translated and built so they feel right for the occupant as they journey through the space?”

Use limitations (like budget) as ways to help you push boundaries. With limitations come challenges and with challenges come opportunities to think outside of the box.

Look at better ways to improve upon basic human (and planetary) needs. Do this, while reaching for something innovative, but without forgetting the fundamentals. Then your designs will start to sing.

I WOULD LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK…

I would love to hear your feedback on this post today, so leave me a comment down below. And if you enjoyed it, make sure you share it with your Twitter followers by “tweeting” it using the re-tweet button! Thanks so much!

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Can your architectural design change an otherwise basic experience?

This project called GreenRay and designed by 3kta actually makes walking a whole new experience. Their green laser light show literally interacts with the people as they walk around the main party event.

As you will see in the video, GreenRay plays with the night’s darkness in that it uses green laser lights to cut across the floor as people walk. Not only does it make for an interesting real-time experience for the party-goers, but it also makes for a beautiful display if you are looking down from overhead.

Take note of this project as an example of a design that stimulates the senses in a whole new way. The best designs sometimes challenge visitors to experience the world differently from how they usually travel within it.

Walking, often taken for granted, is actually challenged and made fun. If I use my imagination — the color green evokes grass; however, the lasers in this project are actually lifted to about ankle height, thus making it feel as though they are walking in a dry sort of water.

Watch how strategically placed green lasers can really make a space interesting:

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Can your building speak for its city?

With the rise of social media and other easy ways to communicate your whereabouts, moods or thoughts — buildings are becoming a canvas on which a population can paint their collective information.

The Emotional Cities, a 4-month light installation project, is doing just that. City dwellers can log in their current moods and the building displays certain colors on its façade to reflect those moods.

So, why can’t buildings talk back? Why stop the conversation there?

IMPACTING A CULTURE

Once buildings get better at absorbing and translating information, they will eventually be able to make some sense of it (going beyond simply displaying an “averaged” color on its façade).

In the meantime, let’s enjoy the process of seeing ourselves “reflected” at these larger scales, and in these creative ways. Perhaps we’ll learn something new about ourselves, where we live and how we relate to one another.

Yet again, architecture can impact a culture.

Here’s the first baby-step.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: drp | Flickr

Smells can make or break a space.

Odor is actually a major reason why people complain about an indoor environment, yet nobody likes to talk about it much when it comes to building design. Smells within a building can either be good, bad or simply neutral. Plus, after being in a space for a longer time, you may actually stop smelling a particular odor which was pungent when you first came in.

So, what’s all the hype about? How can you design for someone’s sense of smell — particularly when everyone interprets smells differently?

I think attention needs to be paid to the institution-type of your building and what functions go on there. Yes, you will have to design appropriately in terms of choosing the right building materials, (after all, these have individual smells themselves) but what about the functions that go on within a particular space?

We all know that a gym smells different from an office which can smell different from a classroom.

THE OLFACTORY SENSE

The key is to think about the olfactory sense (smell) while you design. Think of ventilation, temperature, humidity, building materials and other products that can help to prevent unpopular smells. (1)

When choosing an interior building material, “visualize” how that might feel for your occupants entering your space. Will the scent of a particular kind of wood add anything to your design? Will the scent of certain plastics or textiles take away from your design?

Also, don’t forget health. Your occupants may be susceptible to allergic reactions. (1)

Our sense of smell is a very important part of how we all perceive. Don’t take it for granted. Think consciously about how to bring the olfactory sense into your designed architectural experience.

(1) Odor and Odor Thresholds. Aerias.org.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: jericho1ne | Flickr

Augmented reality and other virtual digital displays can revolutionize they way we interact within architectural spaces. When sitting in your office, experiencing a museum or simply learning in school, occupants already use digital media to carry out even the most basic of tasks. Just imagine what the evolution of augmented reality can do.

For starters, we can now see the beginning to how buildings can evolve internal “nervous systems”. Designers are beginning to think of “connections” in whole new ways.

Not only can spaces become less “local”, they can gain even greater dimension as real-time information gets processed through the building to provide visitors with a broader sense of where they are and what they can do.

YOU ARE THE BAROMETER

Similar to the glass evolution in architecture, real-time virtual “models” of information are making space less limited. Space is gaining transient abilities. It is becoming less static and more in tune with what its occupants really need and want.

Architects will need to act as the barometer for these augmented reality spaces — so virtual information can integrate and work with architectural form.

The key is to bring all of these emerging technologies back to the essence of human comfort: health, safety, happiness, productivity and so on. Without targeting the most basic of human needs, everything else could fall by the wayside.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: Norebbo | Dreamstime

We all know that computer technology has done a lot to advance not only the way the design process can work, but also to improve the constructed outcome of that design process.

That’s why I think it’s important to shed some light on what “aural renderings” can do. (1) You, as an architect, can actually listen to a designed space as built to the parameters of your three dimensional CAD model. Here is a detailed description of the process that goes into creating such an aural rendering:

A 3-D model of the space is built using CAD software, and this model is transferred to an acoustical modeling software package. The acoustical consultant assigns acoustical properties to the modeled room’s surfaces (or potential construction materials) and places sound sources and listener locations. The software then calculates the propagation of sound from the source to the listener using algorithms based on ray-tracing combined with statistical reverberation calculation and other techniques to account for sound scattering and diffraction. The calculated room impulse responses are then convolved with audio material that has been recorded anechoically – in a space free from echoes or reflections – to generate a realistic and listenable result (a piano recital, a busy wedding banquet, or a ceremonial speech as it will sound in the yet-to-be-built space). (1)

EXPERIENCING YOUR BUILDING BEFORE YOUR OCCUPANTS DO

Yes, you can visualize your building’s design and perhaps its final outcome, but so many variables are at play once the building is constructed. Can you be certain that your designed spaces will not only function, but also feel the way you intend?

Simulation technologies can be an extremely helpful tool to you during your design phases. And they can be quite valuable as you must make many decisions during those phases to produce a quality architectural design that realizes your vision.

For instance, the aural qualities to a space may not be so evident in a fly-thru animation; however, an aural rendering may make that space come alive in a way the fly-thru does not. As you know, different modeling techniques can inform you of different things.

As technology develops with new ways to “visualize” your complex architectural designs, wouldn’t it be nice to have a way to fuse them together? Why not visually render a space capturing its light levels at a specific time of day while also aurally rendering how it will sound during a specific function?

Really, the possibilities (and opportunities) become endless. The key is to pull the best of what technology has to offer so you are informed with vital information that helps you make great design decisions.

Don’t use computer technology as a crutch, but strive to push the boundary with them.

(1) Sacks, Jonah & Pieleanu, Ioana. Technology Transforms Architectural Drawings into Aural Renderings. Architechweb.com. September 2009.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: Dejanj01 | Dreamstime

This article is the third article in a three part series. To read the first and second article in the series, please click on the links below:

• Previous Article: Designing Architecture for a Sense of Building Safety — Part 1
• Previous Article: Keeping Your Occupants Safe by Building Community — Part 2

THE MANY TYPES OF FEAR

There are so many places where just approaching a building can cause fear, simply because of the institution type. Take hospitals, for instance. Patients like to feel safe and that they’re getting the best treatment; however, factors like medical technologies that beep and buzz make sounds that can sometimes cause patients to feel fear during their recovery process.

That is one type of fear, but there are others. What about hotel security? For that matter, what about office buildings located in urban settings where their mere locations can pose a threat to occupants.

A building can be wonderful inside, but the way it meets its surrounding site and interacts with its surrounding neighbors can work wonders when trying to turn fear into feelings of safety for occupants.

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR LANDSCAPE

Actually, simple things can make a big difference. For instance, for apartment complexes you might want to pay particular attention to the height of bushes and the location of the garbage dumpster. It is found that persons “up to no-good” can hide behind or within such nooks.

Another simple thing you can do is to pay attention to how you light the exterior of your building. In addition to creating an entry that is visible so others may offer natural surveillance, lighting can often deter your building from becoming a scary experience for your occupants as they approach and enter at night.

Often, simple solutions can be sparked during the design phase of your building project and you can begin to turn an otherwise fearful experience into a secure one.

BRINGING GREEN-SPACE AND COMMUNITY INDOORS

A bit more complex is dealing with the type of fear that can cause anxiety within a space and actually deter your occupant from having a joyful, healthy and productive experience.

Let’s go back to our original hospital example from the beginning of this article. Fostering community can go a long way to not only reduce feelings of fear, but promote feelings of safety. (1) In a hospital this is extremely important, as too much anxiety and stress can actually have a detrimental affect on a patient’s healing process.

Similar to what I explained in my previous article entitled Keeping Your Occupants Safe by Building Community — Part 2, greenery and community are vital. For our hospital example, these principles can be integrated into the interior. For instance, it has been found that patients with a view of a tree from their hospital room window recover significantly better than those with no view. The same can be said for patients that have a common space within or near their room for their visitors (like family and friends).

Although designing for green areas and shared community spaces might seem simple and somewhat obvious, the trick is to implement these in innovative ways. Once you understand how such simple mind-shifts can improve your designs, your buildings will inherently be able to reduce fear and foster feelings of safety in the right places and at just the right times.

READ THE PREVIOUS ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES

This article is the third article in a three part series. To read the first and second article in the series, please click on the links below:

• Previous Article: Designing Architecture for a Sense of Building Safety — Part 1
• Previous Article: Keeping Your Occupants Safe by Building Community — Part 2

(1) Earthbeat – Safety in cities and the architecture of fear. RNW – Radio Netherlands Worldwide. On Air: September 17-19, 2009.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: Erdosain | Dreamstime

This article is the second article in a three part series. To read the first article in the series, please click on the link below:

• Previous Article: Designing Architecture for a Sense of Building Safety — Part 1

SAFETY INSIDE AND OUT

In my previous article entitled Designing Architecture for a Sense of Safety — Part 1, I explained why the “context” surrounding your building is so important. This led to my discussing “The Big Question” that cuts to the heart of what your building is truly promoting — fortress-like protection or a shelter that also provides a sense of safety which spreads into the surrounding community.

It is so important to provide your visitors with a sense of safety through your architectural designs. Of course, the way you go about doing this can take different forms, but there are some overriding principles that can help your building to foster these feelings of safety. This involves building an environment which promotes trust by building community. (1)

IN AN IDEAL WORLD

Many buildings today, depending on their surroundings and context, seek to have a presence which is unique, safe and extends out into the community.

Yet, in some places around the world, crime is rising to a point that is “forcing” designers to turn their built environments inward, to shut their occupants out from their surroundings. Yes, this is a form of protection, but does it really provide occupants with feelings of safety? And is this “gated-type” approach truly helping the overall problem? (1)

In an ideal world, buildings should foster both security and community. So, in a crime-ridden world, this becomes a major first step for architects to contribute to a solution.

HOW CAN BUILDING A COMMUNITY HELP?

The example talked about in the radio broadcast entitled Earthbeat: Safety in Cities and the Architecture of Fear, painted the picture of how the Borneo-Sporenburg Project in Amsterdam dealt with issues of safety.

The most powerful message from this radio discussion is the notion that sometimes it’s beneficial to design outward facing entrances. The beauty of this project’s design is that all of the homes’ doors face outward onto sidewalks which also face a larger green-scape. (1)

The result is that homeowners plant flowers to line the sidewalks and children play within the green-scape. Consequently, neighbors act as natural surveillance while streets gain much needed life full of purposeful interactions. (1)

A lot can be learned from such a project. In particular, the way your building communicates with its context is key. Your building can be designed to feel safe inside as well as outside. Strive to make the immediate surroundings lively, interactive and enjoyable. This sort of designing will build “trust amongst strangers”. (1)

FEELINGS OF FEAR

Too much security can actually cause feelings of fear. The author Anna Milton says it best when she states “The more security they have the more security they want.” (1)

In the next article you will lean more about how to reduce feelings of fear for your occupants when they’re interacting with your building design. It is a delicate balance to build safety while reducing fear. Hospitals, hotels and office buildings are only a few examples that bring home this point.

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE SERIES:

• Previous Article: Designing Architecture for a Sense of Building Safety — Part 1
• Next Article: Buildings that Cause Occupants to Feel Fear — Part 3

(1) Earthbeat – Safety in cities and the architecture of fear. RNW – Radio Netherlands Worldwide. On Air: September 17-19, 2009.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Image: Nikolais | Dreamstime

IT’S WHAT YOU WANT

Everyone wants a safe(r) place to live, to work and to do everything in between. I’m sure you’re no different.

So how does architecture contribute to safety? And what is its connection with a person’s sense of safety? What role does architectural design play?

Safety is a really important part of what architecture can do. In buildings, your occupant should feel not only healthy and comfortable, but also safe.

That’s why I’m writing this article as the first of a three part series dedicated to architecture and safety.

LOOK AROUND

A good place to start with this complex topic is what I call the “surrounding area”. Your building’s site resides within a certain context: whether it be a neighborhood, urban city or other surrounding. As a designer you should understand the safety climate and design accordingly.

But how do you do that?

Well, what goes on outside, can be carried inside. This can be either good or bad. That’s why your building’s surrounding area is so important.

The way your architecture communicates through its exterior environment may call for you to ask specific questions regarding its shared exterior spaces, green-spaces, site plan, traffic patterns and so on.

Of course, as an architect you also need to be concerned with your occupant’s safety by designing with water, fire, barrier and accidents in mind. (1) But there is a core question which cuts to the heart of why your building might or might not illicit a sense of safety from the moment your visitors approach your building.

THE BIG QUESTION

It’s all about Community. I just heard this great radio broadcast from Radio Netherlands Worldwide where the author Anna Milton discusses this exact point. She explains that people don’t just feel safer because they have locks on their doors; but, that people feel safer in environments that foster and promote “trust between strangers”. (2)

Milton’s remarks lead to the big question: Does your architecture evoke feelings of safety because it shelters its occupants from the rest of the surrounding area, or does your architecture evoke feelings of safety because it is an environment that is designed to foster trust? (2)

In other words, when you design your building, is it to be an “island” that shuts out the rest of the crime-ridden surrounding area — driving people to isolate themselves from the rest of the community?

Of course, architecture needs to shelter its occupants to some extent; but doing this too much may actually be contributing to the crime problem, and your occupant’s sense of fear.

HOW TO BUILD FOR A SENSE OF SAFETY

In the next article, Part 2, you will learn how to design to foster safety without going to such extremes. Your designs will balance the best of both worlds, where you provide shelter and refuge for your occupants while also giving them a way to connect with their local surroundings.

By bringing safety through your design to the surrounding community, you will help not only your occupants inside, but also the crime-ridden neighboring areas — two steps toward helping to solve the problem.

TO FINISH THIS ARTICLE SERIES, READ:

• Next Article: Keeping Your Occupants Safe by Building Community — Part 2
• Next Article: Buildings that Cause Occupants to Feel Fear — Part 3

(1) Objectives of Architecture. Archi-field. June 19.2008.

(2) Earthbeat – Safety in cities and the architecture of fear. RNW – Radio Netherlands Worldwide. On Air: September 17-19, 2009.

© 2008-2009 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman