A phenomenological study of sensual space experiences in terms of architectural pleasurability: A critique of visual dominance

During recent years, due to the advancing technology and visual representation techniques,architecture has evolved as a virtual image. As a consequence, the relationship between architectural space and its users has been neglected in buildings. When the human-space relationship is analyzed, it could be seen that, experiential integrity between the subjectand the space is constructed through sensual experiences of space. This relativity is emphasized by architectural phenomenology. Taking the architectural phenomenologyapproach, this thesis explores the effects of senses on space experiences. It is assumed that multi-sensorial spaces are more pleasurable for every user.As a criticism against the tendency to represent architecture as only a visual image, thethesis aims to examine role of nonvisual space experiences on spatial pleasurability. For this purpose, a comparative study had been studied between visual and nonvisual space experiences.For the purpose of exploring experiential integrity of architectural spaces, the relationship between blind people and space had been examined by interview method and then it hadbeen tested both blind and sighted participants as the case study of the thesis.At the scope of this thesis, by comparing visual and nonvisual space experiences, a multisensorial approach for architectural design had been proposed.