How Multisensory Architecture is Redefining Spaces

Have you ever walked into a building and felt an instant sense of calm, energy, or connection—without knowing why? It might be the power of multisensory design at work!

Interesting article, “Multisensory Architecture: Designing Beyond the Visual”, which challenges the traditional visual-centric approach to architecture. Instead, it emphasizes designing spaces that engage touch, sound, smell, and even taste to create deeply immersive human experiences.

This got me thinking:

How can architects and designers prioritize senses like sound or texture without compromising aesthetics?

What spaces have YOU encountered that left a lasting emotional (not just visual) impression?

Could multisensory design improve accessibility for people with visual impairments?

Would you incorporate scent or tactile materials into your projects? Why/why not?

Let’s spark a conversation!

#ArchitectureDesign #SensoryDesign #InclusiveSpaces #Innovation #BuiltEnvironment #DesignThinking #LinkedInDiscussion

Read the full article here and share your thoughts: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/multisensory-architecture-designing-beyond-visual-jacky-kapadia-d6g7c

FREE community #fediscience, please BOOST!

TONIGHT!

Everybody welcome, just turn up!

LIVE @UCLAnthropology and on ZOOM

Tuesday Feb 11, 6:30pm (London UTC)
Sasha Farnsworth talks on
'Architecture meets anthropology: Womb Temple--Lunar Rebirth'

Sasha Farnsworth (with Hossein Sadri) introduces the design of The Womb Temple. This emerges from a growing sentiment that refusing to build is essential to saving our planet from the perils of a changing climate. The Womb Temple postulates that the most effective way to counteract this is by reverting to ancient building techniques using raw stone and live trees, a rebirth for the construction industry.
Transporting these materials to the Manchester site is deliberately slow and labour-intensive, relying on human power rather than machinery. This slower pace allows building to be treated as a ritualistic process - each stone placed annually becomes a celebration.

The temple not only revives traditional building methods but also encourages the reintroduction of nature into urban environments. It becomes a sanctuary for lost animal species and serves as a ritual space where people can spiritually reconnect with the moon, a symbol currently absent from the Manchester skyline, further affirming the renewed connection with nature and the element that governs water, the giver of life.

Graduate of Coventry University, Sasha was recently awarded the RIBA Award for Sustainable Design at Part 1 for her project “Womb Temple: Lunar Re-Birth”. The concept for this proposal was born from her passion for creating environments that support the symbiotic relationship between people and the earth holistically.

Sasha and Hossein will be speaking LIVE in the Daryll Forde, 2nd Floor of UCL Anthropology Dept, 14 Taviton St, London WC1H 0BW. Come in good time by 6:30pm before doors close please. You can also join on ZOOM ID 384 186 2174 passcode Wawilak.

https://www.europesays.com/1800670/ Public health focus on the built environment improves health for Michiganders #Accessibility #AirQuality #BuiltEnvironment #CleanWater #Environment #flooding #housing #MunicipalPlanning #OutdoorSpaces #PublicHealth #recreation #safety #walkability

Job alert for part-time #BuiltEnvironment #STEM #ClimateSolutions work!

Work with our interdisciplinary, all-virtual team of scientists studying climate solutions.

Do you have scientific research experience in #climate +
#GreenElectricity #ElectricitySystems
#industry
#transportation #ElectricVehicles
#urbanecology #UrbanDevelopment
#construction emissions
engineered #carbonsink
or reducing emissions from fossil fuel sector?

Read this and consider applying by March 15: https://drawdown.org/careers/research-fellow

Few people have left such a permanent mark on #Dublin as this man

James Gandon was born in London #OnThisDay, 281 years ago

#GlobalIrishNation #IrishHistory #IrishHeritage #Architecture #BuiltEnvironment #Ireland #Irish #OTD #Mastodaoine

https://www.irishstewpodcast.com/blog/otd-birth-of-james-gandon-1743

This Wednesday I'm talking buildings, emissions, and climate solutions (10am Pacific/1pm Eastern).

I want to give some examples of a climate paradox: Each problem contains the kernel of a possible solution, and each solution contains the kernel of another environmental problem.

This event is for everyone—no special knowledge of buildings required, although I hope you will leave with a new interest in learning more!

Register FREE: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Lrwse--tQeSzpmX1Sfrs2g#/registration

Rehabilitating #Lahaina

After #Hawaii’s worst wildfire killed scores of people in August, local and federal agencies are reckoning with the #ToxicChemicals created when a #BuiltEnvironment burns

By Travis Hartman, Adolfo Arranz, Sudev Kiyada and Simon Scarr
Published Oct. 25, 2023

"In the case of Lahaina, the age of the building helps cleanup crews determine which ruined plots might be more dangerous than others. Older structures were more likely to have used #asbestos, for example - a cancer-causing insulation material now banned in construction. The plantation-era wooden structures from the early to mid 1900s, which fueled the fire’s rapid spread through the town, might have used timber coated in poisonous #arsenic to ward away insects and rot.

"The everyday objects and materials that populate an average U.S. household generally pose no threat. But when #plastic materials, lead pipes, outdated insulation, treated wood or #batteries are engulfed by fire, they can change dramatically for the worse."

Read more:
https://www.reuters.com/graphics/HAWAII-WILDFIRE/CLEANUP/egpbmemanvq/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

"Eco-building and eco-living appear as essential steps in struggling climate change. Impacting both human and natural systems, architectural design plays a crucial role in this process. Scientific fields, such as sociology, economics, ecology and ideology, study ecovillages and intentional communities, but often forget the importance of their built environments. However, history of architecture can provide an original point of view. In this article, ecovillages are studied as whole entities acting on several levels of architectural design—from dwellings to territories, from spatial to social organization, from local to worldwide networks."

#Climate #ClimateChange #EcoVillages #Architecture #GreenBuilding #SolarPunk #Ecology #BuiltEnvironment

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44168-023-00065-2

So #electrification is happening. We hear a lot about how that's going to impact the grid side. But what happens to all that #naturalgas infrastructure?

It's an open question. And an important one.

Here's a good explainer of the issue and what we need for a transition that works for all, from @isaac in climate + community project:

https://www.climateandcommunity.org/building-decarb-natural-gas-problem

Powerful piece today on the need for housing, myths & misconceptions around it from @pluralistic :

'A city that you can't live in is a failure. A system that can't provide decent housing is a failure.'

'America needs a *shit-ton* more housing - regular housing for working people. Mr Market doesn't want to build it, no matter how many "incentives" we dangle.'

Read it all at
https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/16/mortgages-are-rent-control/
or in thread https://mamot.fr/@pluralistic/110379852902927282

I'm visiting Carrboro, NC. I notice and appreciate all the welcoming public spaces! Here's one example outside a food market, a large open space with tables where anyone can sit, eat, read, look at the world, seek birds. Lots of public art around too. This isn't the way in my Virginia town. #Carrboro #landscape #cityplanning #urbanecology #builtenvironment #publicspace

Today in #myfavoritethings, by popular demand, we have “A Pattern Language” (1977), by Alexander, Ishikawa, Silverstein et al.: a *luminous* compendium of practical insights into how the #builtenvironment might be best organized as to support human flourishing, across every stage of life. It is possibly the most humane document in all of #architectural thought. ETA: The hypertext version linked here is complete — h/t @BillSeitz http://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/set.htm

Updated #introduction.

I'm a #ScienceEditor in #chemistry & #astronomy education (was #FirstGenCollege myself).

I do #writing and #photography on #travel, #builtenvironment, global #workingclass #food, & #transportation. I #bike everywhere & have a strong interest in #urbanplanning. I'm from #NYC.

I'll travel for interesting eats & often smoke #BBQ. I play #guitar but less than I used to.

I hope Mastodon can be my one place to post lots of #photos and musings about all of the above.

I did an #introduction on another server but I changed accounts so thought it might be worth redoing one. I am a #scientist with a focus on the #builtenvironment, we are often given different names but many know us as #buildingscientists. I am interested in #IndoorAirQuality, #Microbiology and how people interact with buildings including #productivity. I have a background in #biotechnology and #microbiology with interests in #fungi and #biodeteoriation. As a hobby I take #photographs and #blog.

Long overdue #introduction,

I’m a #structuralengineer and a #software developer. I tried to do both for 5+ years with an emphasis on #structural before deciding it would be a lot better for my career and happiness to focus on the #software.

I’m currently working as a #fullstackengineer. I also do contract work related to #sustainabledesign #embodiedcarbon #sustainability

Other interests:
#dataviz #bridges #emacs #foss #cats #builtenvironment

Previously @recursecenter

Hello, I'm Iris and this is my #intropost. I am a #berkeley #epidemiologist, mother, and a #progressive.

I am interested in:
#architecture #minimalism #tinyhomes #rollerskating #trans #lgbt #adhd #motherhood #taoism #daoism #zen #builtenvironment #urbandesign #cityplanning #backpacking #Bicycling #polyamory #solopoly #japanesefood #sanfranciso #greenparty #leftist #socialdemocracy

I'm sure I'll add more later!

Time for an #introduction!

#webdev/engineer by day, dad by afternoon, husband by night (with some overlap). Trying to make the world a better place, one way or another.

Passionate about #sustainability, particularly in relation to #community, the #builtenvironment , #urbandesign and #transit. Love #technology and #creativity — particularly the places where the two meet — and learning in general.

Expect to be tootin’ about all of the above, and more.