EXPERIENCINGBUILTSPACE: AFFECTANDMOVEMENT

by EvaPerezdeVega

EXPERIENCINGBUILTSPACE:AFFECTANDMOVEMENT
ABSTRACT PHENOMENOLOGY,PERCEPTION,SENSATIONANDAFFECT 1.1Phenomenologyinarchitecture:subjectandmeaning 1.2Perceptionandsensation 1.3Thenotionofaffect EXPERIENCINGBUILTSPACE p.8 p.3 p.2

2.1Objectofperception.Associationandintuition 2.2Objectofsensation.Movement 2.3Objectofaffection.Performance THEPROBLEMOFPHENOMENOLOGY p.16

3.1Deleuze'scritiquesofphenomenology.Bodywithoutorgans 3.2Broadeningphenomenology:multiplicityandemergence 3.3.Phenomenologywithoutorgans NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATIONCREDITS p.21

p.23

p.24

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ABSTRACT Thispaperaimstolookattheexperienceofbuiltspacebeyondthesubjectiveand signifyingconnotationsofphenomenologyinarchitecture.Insteadofexperiencing throughsubjectivemeanings,theattemptistolookattheaffectivedimensionofspace. Whatdoesitentailtoexperiencebuiltspaceintermsofaffect?Ifaffectpertainstoan affectionthatmodifiesboththemindandthebody,1itisatonceaperceptionanda sensation,andtiedtotheideaofmovement.Sohowdoesphenomenologyriditselfofthe ideasthathavehelpeddefineit?ItwillbethroughDeleuze'scritiqueofphenomenology andthenotionofaffectasseenthroughhisconceptionofthebodywithoutorgansthat willsetthegroundforapossiblenewwayofexperiencingarchitecture.

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PHENOMENOLOGY,PERCEPTION,SENSATIONANDAFFECT 1.1Phenomenologyinarchitecture:subjectandmeaning Therepudiationofthetermphenomenologywhentheorizingaboutarchitecturestemmed largelyfromitsperceivedindividualandsubjectivequalityaswellasfromcertain associationthetermhaswiththenotionofsignificanceormeaning.Aftermanyyearsof academicrejection,phenomenologyinarchitecturehasacquiredsufficientdistancefrom earlydebatesthatitisnowpossibletoproperlyassessitssignificance.Thispaperwould liketoarguethattherearecertainspacescertainarchitectures2whichcanbe experiencedbeyondthesubjectiveandbeyondthemeaningful;experienceswhichblend subjectandobject,whichblendperceptionandsensation;experiencewhichhaveaffectas theirmaindrive.GillesDeleuzescriticismofphenomenologyisindeedtargetedatthe notionsofsubjectivityandsignificance.Aswewillseefurther,hiscritiquewillactually provideameansforreevaluatingtheassumptionsmadewhendiscussingphenomenology inarchitecture,andopenupnewpossibilitiesfortheexperienceofbuiltspace. ForMerleauPontyphenomenologyisamethodofdescribingthenatureofour perceptualcontactwiththeworldandisconcernedwithprovidingadirectdescriptionof humanexperience.ThroughtheoristslikeChristianNorgergSchulzandAlbertoPerez Gomez,phenomenologyinarchitecturehasbeenlargelyidentifiedwithHeideggerian thoughtandwhatwasseenashiscallforareturntopersonalauthenticity.3Inpractice, phenomenologyisindeedassociatedwiththeindividualexperienceofaspacethroughits sensationalqualitiesoflight,sound,texture,color,andperspective.Eventoday,socalled phenomenologicalarchitectsstresstheimportanceoftheindividualsubject;"spaceisonly perceivedwhenasubjectdescribesit.Itispreciselyatthelevelofspatialperceptionthat themostpowerfularchitecturalmeaningcometothefore."4StevenHoll's illustrationsoftendepictalonelyfigureimmersedinthespaceofitsown experience;itislikeaglimpseinsidesomeone'suniqueinterpretationofthe space.Butdoallexperiencesofbuiltspacerequireorimplyasubjective
StevenHoll,Sketches

viewpoint?Isitpossibletoexperiencebeyondthesubjectivismthatsocalled phenomenologicalarchitecturesubstantiates?

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AccordingtoDeleuze,phenomenologyassumestheworldtobeprimordially impregnatedwithunivocalmeaning."5Indeedtherearemanyexamplesofarchitecture impregnatedwithmeaning:theBastilleacquiredmeaningasaresultofaparticularhistoric event6;thetourEiffelacquirednationalisticmeaningeventhoughitsintentwasjusttobe amanifestationofengineeringprodigy;inthese,asinmanyothercasesitwasan imperativehumanwishtoassignspecificmeaningsontoconstructs.Butisthereawayto experiencearchitecturedevoidofassignedmeaning? Fromaneutral,nonhumanperspective,buildings,constructs,creationsor destructionsaresimplyatransformationofmatter.Whetheritiscreationordestruction, transformationofmatteronlyacquiresmeaninginahumancontext,throughhuman consciousness.Eventhedestructioncausedbyanearthquakecanbeseenfromnature's perspectiveasasimplerearrangementofmatter.7Formedmatterinitselfhasnomeaning hasnovalueasanobjectofrepresentation.Ifwewereabletolookattransformationof matterfromaneutralpointofview,whatwouldwesee?Howwoulditchangeour experienceofbuiltspace? 1.2PerceptionandSensation Inattemptingtoelucidatetheproblemofphenomenologyinarchitectureitisimportantto lookatthenotionsofperceptionandsensation.InhisclassicbookThePrimaryWorldofthe SensesErwinStraus,establishesafundamentaldistinctionbetweenthetwo.Perception, heargues,isasecondaryrationalorganizationofaprimary,nonrationaldimensionof sensationorsenseexperience(lesentir)9.Theprimarysenseistheonewesharewith animals;itisanunreflectiveandinstinctive.Sensationdealswithcorporealitythesenses andperceptionistheintellectualizationofthatcorporeality. Strausselaboratesonthisdistinctionbycontrastingthespaceofgeographyandthe spaceoflandscape.Geographicalspaceisthatoftheperceptualworld,wherethingsare fixedwithinalterablepropertiesandanobjectivenotionofspacetime.Landscapespaceis thesensoryworld,aspacewithshiftingreferencethatconstantlymovesaswemove. Strausstalksoflandscapepaintingasillustratingthisconceptofthesensory:"Landscape paintingdoesnotdepictwhatweseebutitmakesvisibletheinvisibleInsuchlandscape

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wegainaccesstotheMitweltofanunfoldingselfworldthatknowsnocleardifferentiationof subjectandobject.Hencethemoreweabsorbthemoreweloseourselvesinit."10 ItissaidthatduringawalkthenineteenthcenturypainterJamesWhistler stoppedimpressedwiththelandscapeperspectivebeyondhim.Hisdisciple, seeingthathedidnothavehisdrawingutensils,quicklyofferedhimhis.But Whistlerexplainedthathepurposefullydidnothavehisdrawingmaterialsin ordertopainttheperspectivefromhismemorysimpressionoftheplace.Hewas notinterestedindepictingwhathesaw,itwasthevaguesensoryexperiencehehadin viewingthelandscapethathewantedtodepictoncanvas,thatsenseofbeinglostinthe painting.Thebodyofsensationemphasizedtheirrationaldisorientationofsensation, whichisveryeffectiveintheexperienceofcertainpaintingslikethosecreatedbyWhistler. Wecanbedrawnintoapaintingalmostviscerally,withoutnecessarilyhavingaclear intellectualizednotionofthatwhichweareexperiencing.Wecanconsciouslyperceiveit intellectuallybyfocusingonthebrushstokes(technique)andanalyzingtheirintensity,or onthedepiction(representation)ofwhatisshown,butitisthevisceralsensory experiencethatWhistlerseemedtobeafter. Perceptionandsensationareeasilyidentifiedintheexampleofexperiencinga crowd:byobservingacrowdfromadistance,oneisawareofthecrowdasanobject externaltooneselfandcanthusperceiveitalmostinstantaneouslyaswhatitis.Ifoneis withinthecrowd,embeddedinitsflux,itishardtoclearlygrasptheobjectnessofthe crowd,onecansenseitiscrowdandfeelthequalitiesofthecrowdthroughonessensory organs,butthereisonlyavaguenotion/sensationofthatwhichisbeingexperienced.The crowdbecomesanobjectofsensationthesmells,texturesandsoundsofthecrowdare almostimpossibletodistinguishfromthoseofoneselfonebecomespartoftheobjectof sensation;subjectandobjectbecomefusedtogether. Sensationpertainstothephysicalbody,thesenses;itisintrinsic,irrationaland unstable,oftenmutatingandmoving.Perception,ontheotherhand,isofthemind;itis rational,extrinsic,staticandwithcleardistinctionsbetweenthesubjectandtheobjectof
JamesWhistler,Harmony inblueandsilver,1865

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perception.IfasStraussuggests,perceptionpertainstotherationalworldofgeographical spaceandsensationtotheirrationallandscapespace,thenwhatkindofworlddowelive inwhenexperiencingbuiltspace?Inthiscontextistheresuchthingasapuresensory experience,orapurelyperceptualone?Whatkindofbuiltspaceallowsforsuchan itemizedexperience?Whatislacking,ifanything,inthatspacethattouchesonlythe irrational,leavingtherationalunscathed?Theseareonlysomeofthequestionsthatthis paperwouldliketoaddress,andinordertodosothereisathirdnotionthatneedstobe broughttothefore;affect. 1.3Thenotionofaffect Ifperceptionisofthemindandsensationofthebody,intryingtoexplore thesetwonotionsasanexperientialunitweseemtobefacedwiththeclassicmind bodyproblem.IfweweretotaketheCartesiandualiststandpoint,thenperception andsensationwouldhaveopposingandirreconcilableproperties,withtheminds perceptionasdominantandincontrolofthebodyssensation.Seenthrough Straus'conception,sensationseemstoprecedeperception;itisthebodywhich holdsprimacyoverthemind,thebody'ssensationtriggersthemind'sperception. Ontheotherhand,ifweweretotaketheSpinozisticconceptionofthemindbody problemthenwewouldbedealingwithasinglereality;perceptionandsensationwouldbe seenastwoattributesofonesamesubstancejustseenfromdifferentontological viewpoints.11Thusneitherthebodynorthemindprevailovertheother,neitheroneis dependentordominantovertheother,thebodycannotcommandthemindtothinkand themindcannotmakethebodyfeel. Itisthisrelationshipofperceptionsensation/mindbodythatwewouldliketo expanduponwhenlookingattheproblemofexperience,specificallytheexperienceof builtspace.Spinozafurtherdevelopsitthroughhisnotionofaffect.Asheexplains,the conceptofaffectisinclusiveofboththemindandthebody.Althoughoftenequatedwith theemotions,theconceptofaffectismuchmoreencompassing;itpertainstoanaffection thatmodifiesboththebodyandthemindthroughtheideaofdesireandpotential.Itisat
Descartes'illustration ofmindbodydualism

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onceperceptionofthemindandsensationofthebody12.InSpinozawordsaffectsare: "affectionsofthebodybywhichthebody'spowerofactingisincreasedordiminished,aided orrestrained,andatthesametime,theideasoftheseaffections."13 Affectisbothexternalandinternal.Affectionisthestateofabodyinsofarasitis subjecttobeingaffectedbyanotherbody,bytheactionofanotherbody.Therefore, affectionimpliesanexteriority,amixtureoftwobodies;onebodyactingontheother, affectingit,andtheotherbeingactedonbythefirst,beingaffectedbyit.However,affect doesnotdependontheaffection,itisenvelopedbyit.Inotherwords,withinaffection thereisanaffect.14 Spinoza'sabovedefinitionincludes"theideaoftheseaffections".Thereisa distinctiontobemadebetweenthenotionofaffectandofidea.Ifwelookattheaffectof loveforinstance,thereisanideaofthelovedthingandthisideahasarepresentation(the imageofthelovedobject)butloveitself,asamodeofthought,doesnotrepresent anythingandisnotrepresentedbyanything.Thereforeitistheideaofanaffectwhichis representational.Affectisassociatedwithanidea,andthatideahasarepresentation externaltothebody,buttheaffectitselfdoesnothavearepresentationandisnot necessarilyexternaltothebodyundergoingthataffection.15Affectinitselfisnotanidea; itremainswithintheabstractunrepresentationalrealmofpuresensation.

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EXPERIENCINGBUILTSPACE 2.1Objectofperception Whatrolesdoperceptionandsensationplaywhenexperiencingspace?Canaspace beperceivedobjectively?BernardTschumi'sQuestionsaboutspace16seemtopointtothe thornyissue:"Istheperceptionofspacecommontoeveryone?Ifperceptionsdiffer,dothey constitutedifferentworldsthataretheproductsofone'spastexperience?"Whenwe experiencesomethingthroughperceptionbeitaspace,anobject,apainting,basicallya thingweprojectourpastlivedexperiencesontothatthingthroughtheideaof associationandmemory.AsSpinozapointedoutwhenwritingaboutknowledgeinThe Ethics,perception,orimaginationashereferredtoit,cannotberelieduponasasourceof truthsincetheperceptionofonethingtriggerstheperceptionofanotherthingina randomandsubjectiveway.Itisexternalstimulithatactonthebodyallowingitto perceiveonlyasubjectiveviewofreality17. Spinozaillustratesthiswiththeexampleofasoldierandafarmer observingthetracesofahorse.Thetwowillrecalldifferentthoughts basedontheirownsubjectiveview;forthesoldierthesewillbringimages ofothersoldiersandofwar,forthefarmertheywillremindhimofaplow andofafarmfield18.ForSpinozaourperceptionofsomethinginvolves attributingitexistence,butitdoesnotgiveusanyknowledgeofitstrue
Spinoza'sexampleofPerception

nature.Thereforeperceptioncannotbetrustedasasourceofknowledgeduetoits inherentsubjectivity. PaulValeryseemstobeaimingatsomethingsimilarinhis"OnPainting"whenhewrites: "Manlivesandmovesinwhathesees,butheonlyseeswhathewantsto see.Trydifferenttypesofpeopleinthemidstofanylandscape.A philosopherwillonlyvaguelyseephenomena;ageologist,crystallized, confused,ruinedandpulverizedpoques;asoldier,opportunitiesand obstacles;andforapeasantitwillonlyrepresentacres,andperspirationand profitsbutallofthemwillhavethisincommon,thattheywillseenothingas simplyaview"19

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Eachindividualmentionedinthispassageisperceivingthelandscapeinadistinctly subjectivewayandprojectingdifferentpossibilitiesforthelandscapewhichareshapedby associationoftheirrespectiveprofessions.Soifmanseesonlywhathewantstosee,and perceivestheworldaccordingtothatwhichhasalreadyshapedhim,doeseveryoneseea differentreality?Twoindividualscouldhaveradicallydifferentexperiencesofaspaceifitis experiencedsolelythroughperceptionofassociation;theirexperiencewouldsaymore abouttheindividualthanaboutthespace.Soisthereanexperienceofspacethatgoes beyondthesubjective?Whatkindofexperienceispossibleifwesomehowmanageto avoidprojectingourpastexperiencesontowhatwesee?Theanswerseemstolieinthe ideaofperceptionasprimaryforceofexperience.Thus,wecanrewordthequestionas:is thereanexperiencebeyondtheperceptual? Wecouldalmostdistinguishbetweentwotypesofperceptionbyassociation;an associationwhichisexternaltoourbeing,akindofimposedassociation,whichispassive andbound;andassociationwhichisinternal,selfmotivated,activeandfree.The associationgeneratedbyeachlandscapespectatorinValery'spassageisinternally motivated,generatedbythatwhichconstitutestheindividualfreedomofeachviewer; theirprofession.Anexternallymotivatedperceptionbyassociationwouldbethatimposed fromwithout,likethereadingofpostmodernarchitecture.Oneismoreinstantaneousand instinctive;theotherrequiresponderanceandinterpretation. Postmodernarchitectureattemptedtopointalmostexclusivelytoourpowerof associationbyusingrepresentationandplayingsemanticgameswitharchitectural language.Inordertoappreciatethiskindofarchitecturalconstructonehadtobe 'educated'andinstructedspecificallyonhowtoreadsuchwork,whichusuallymade referencestohistoricarchitecture.Itplayedwithourperceptionofhistoryand wasdrivenbyastrongwilltoproducearesultthatwouldhaveaspecificreading. Whileallarchitecturecantoacertaindegreeberead,itispostmodern architecturethatreducesarchitecturalspacetoasemioticinterpretativegame.
Venturi.Houseforhismother

ToexemplifythisisthefigureofRobertVenturiwhoworkedtryingtofindvalues fromthepast,AsanarchitectItrytobeguidednotbyhabitbutbyaconscioussenseofthe

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pastbyprecedent,thoughtfullyconsidered."20Precedentistheexternallymotivated association,andknowledgeofthisprecedentisnecessarytoexperiencehiswork.Even thoughVenturihassuggestedthatheavoidsanykindofintellectualizationabouthis practice21,anyappreciationofhisworkneedsanintellectualizationofarchitectural historicallanguage. Thehousehedesignedforhismotheristheembodimentofhissemanticand associativeapproachtoarchitecture;itisemblematicofanarchitecturewhichneedstobe read,itislikeagameforarchitectsandcriticswhocanreadintothedetailsandrealize Venturisgesturalmessagesthroughcontinualreferencesandplayfulassociationswith historicarchitecture.Thereisnothingsensualaboutthiswork,nothingvisceralormoving; itispurelyanexercisefortheperceivingmind. Perceptionbyinternalassociationallowsuscertainfreedomofexperience; itallowsustofabricateanyfigureandgroundrelationshipwewishbetweenthe objectsofourattention.Dependingonhowwefixourattentionthefigureand groundcanchangecompletely.Whenonelooksforsomethingandcannotfindit,as withSartre'sexampleoflookingforPierreinthecaf,oneexperiencesthenegation ofthatthing,oneexperiencesthatthingasalack.22Thisphenomenological understandingofnegationhastodowiththeperceptionoftheexistenceofalack. Thusperceptionbecomesakindofintuition,whichisfreetobeexperiencedinany waydesired.ThisnotionoffiguregroundcanbevisualizedthroughtheworkofMC
Rubinvasefigure MCEscher

Escher,whoactivelyplayswithourfleetingperceptionofshapeandspace.These illustrationshavebeenfurtherdevelopedinpsychologicaltestsaswiththefamous RubinvasefigureillustrationortheRorscharchtest24. ThemapsofRomecreatedbyGianbattistaNolliinthemideighteenth centurywererevolutionarysimplyforthefactthattheyrevertedthefigureandthe groundoftraditionalmaps,thereforeallofsuddenthecitycouldbeexperiencedin termsofitspublicspaceitsvoidsratherthanfromitspositivevolumesconstructions. Thisbringsustoacrucialissuewhenlookingattheideaofbuiltspace;whenweperceive aspacedowefocusonthespaceitself,itsemptinessthevolumeofnegativespace,orisit

Nolli,MapofRome

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theboundariesofthespacethatfirstcometoourattention?Andhowdoesthisshifting focusaffectourexperience? Recentresearchinspatialorientationhasactuallyputintoquestionthetraditional cognitivemodelwhichwasbasedonareadingofvisualcuesgivenbyobjectsandforms withinaspace.Instead,ithasbeenfoundthatthebrain'sabilitytoorientincreasesthe emptierthespace;thushumansorientmorebytheshapeofaspacethanbyvisual characteristicsfoundwithinit.25Sowhatistheshapeofspaceandhowdoweexperience it?Thesestudiessuggestthatratherthananexoreferentialvisualcuesystem,ourspatial experiencefollowsaselfreferentialsystembasedonmovementandvariationsof movement.Weexperiencespaceasqualitativemovement;throughnotionsofsensation ratherthanobjectorientedperception. 2.2Objectofsensation Bythedistinctionmadeearlierbetweenperceptionandsensationwehaveseenhow perceptionisreferredtoasanobjectorientedexperiencewithcleardifferentiation betweensubjectandobject;whilesensationasaselfreferentialexperiencewheresubject andobjectlosetheirboundaries.Socantherebesuchathingasapurelysensory experience? TheworkofAustralianbodyartistStelarcseemstoaimatthis.Itisbasedonthe

ideathatthehumanbodyhasbecomebiologicallyinadequateandthroughinterventions onhisownbodyheattemptstoobjectifythebody;toerasethebodyassubjectinorderto createabodyasobject.Stelarc'sbodyisnotperformingtoacquireanewidentity,its actionsarenotdirectedtoproducemeaning,rathertheyaredirectedatthenotionofpure sensation.AsdescribedbyPaulVirilio,Stelarc'swork:"approach(es)thebodyasobjectin orderto"negate"it(counteractit)infavorofpuresensation."26Thebodybecomesan objectofsensation.Howdoesthisnotiontranslatetotheexperienceofbuiltspace? Therearespacesthatcanbeperceivedandunderstoodatasingleglance. Essentialistspaces,spacesrelatedtominimalistconceptionsofarchitecturecanbe perceivedthisway;theyarestatic,unchangingandalreadyunfolded.Thesearespacesof

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perception,notspacesofsensation.Theycanbedescribedwithasingleidea, withasinglesketch,andofferlittleornoambiguityofinterpretationor experience. Spacesofsensationarethosethatneedtobesensed;experienced throughsensationthroughachanging,movingconception,attimesambiguousand fleeting.Sensationandmovementareinseparableaspectsofexperience.Sensationisin factakindofmovement,atendingtowards;aforce.Wedon'tmoveinaspaceasmuchas thespacemoveswithus,thereisnoseparationbetweentheobjectandsubject,between insideandoutside."Insensing,bothselfandworldunfoldsimultaneouslyforthesensing subject;thesensingbeingexperienceshimselfandtheworld,himselfintheworld,himself withtheworld"27Thebodyofsensationrendersitselfpartofwhatisbeingsensed;itisan indivisibleaspectofthatwhichisbeingexperienced. TheworkofSpanisharchitectEnricMirallesisaneloquentexampleof this.Thespaceshecreatesareimpossibletoperceive,onecannotunderstand thembysimplylookingatthemandponderingaboutthemfromadistance.One needstobeimmersedwithinthespace,tomoveinandaroundit,tobecomea bodyofsensationinordertosenseitwithoutassigningmeaningor representationstherearenonetobeassigned.Experienceofsuchspaces,aswiththe UniversityofVigo,donotrenderclearmentalpictures;onlyconfusedandvague approximations;ambiguitiesandpotentialities.Indeedsensationislinkedtotheideaof potentialityandtheDeleuziantermbecoming,somethingwhichisinaconstantprocess ofconstructingitself. Movementcanhoweverplayanimportantpartalsointhenotionof perception.LeCorbusier'spromenadearchitecturellespeaksquiteclearlytothis idea;itdealswithexperiencingatemporalprogressionthroughaningeniouslink ofspacesthatallowagradualexplorationofthespace,oftenthroughtheuseof ramps.Theperceptionofthespaceandtheelementssurroundingitchanges progressivelydependingontheirlocationinspacetimewithintheproject.Howeverthis progression,thischange,isfixedanddirected;ithasaspecificintentionalityandaspecific reading.Itisalmostlikeacinematicsequence.Thusperceptioncanrelatetomovement butitisafixed,qualitative,notionofmovement,unlikesensationwhichisaconstantly
LeCorbusier,VillaSavoie EnricMiralles, UniversityofVigo AlbertoCampoBaeza

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changingmovement.Thisdifferenceisofcrucialimportancewhendealingwiththenotion ofaffect. 2.3Objectofaffection Theexperienceofspacesofsensationdependonstimuliwhicharriveatourvarioussensory organsfromtheexternalworldcausingchangesinourmentalandphysicalstates, ultimatelycausingustofeelasensationwhichhasaffectedboththemindandthebody;in otherwordsanaffect. Theideaofmovementisessentialtounderstandaffect.Indeed,movementand affectarelinkedthroughtheSpinozisticconceptionofthebody,whichisamode determinednotbyitssubstancebutbydegreesofmotionandrest.28Indeedwhat distinguishesonebodyfromanother,whatindividuatesabody,isitsmechanicproperties ofmotionandrest,speedandslowness.Inthissense,abodyconsistsofanintensityof motion,orvariationofmotion/reststates.29However,Spinozaalsorecognizesthegreater structuralcomplexityofthebodyandconceivesofitbeyondthepurelymechanistic principalsofmotion,tyingittothenotionofpotential.Eachtransitionthebodyundergoes isaccompaniedbyavariationincapacity,achangeinthepowertoaffectandbe affected.30Movementhasaphysicalcomponent(thebody)andamental/emotional counterpart(affect).GillesDeleuze,putitveryclearlyinthefollowingquote: "Abodyisnotdefinedbytheformthatdeterminesitnorasadeterminatesubstance ofsubject()abodyisdefinedonlyby()thesumtotalofthematerialelements belongingtoitundergivenrelationsofmovementandrest,speedandslowness(); thesumtotaloftheintensiveaffectsitiscapableofatagivenpowerordegreeof potential().Nothingbutaffectsandlocalmovements."31 Thebodyhighlyconditionsourengagementwiththeworld;itisourphysical presenceandthemeansthroughwhichweunderstandourenvironmentbothbuiltand natural;"thebodyitisourexpressionintheworld,thevisibleformofourintentions.Even ourmostsecretaffectivemovements...helptoshapeourperceptionofthings."32Byreceiving externalstimulifromtheworld,throughareflectiveexperience,webecomeawareofour

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body.Butwhileweareawareofitsexistence,wedonothavefullknowledgeofthebody's capacityoritsinternalmechanisms.33Weknownothingaboutabodyuntilweknowwhatit cando,inotherwords,whatitsaffectsare,howtheycanorcannotenterintocomposition withotheraffects,withtheaffectsofanotherbody.34Thebodyisthusmoreaboutasetof dynamicrelationsandinteractionsthanproportionsandstaticwholepartsrelationships.It isasanentityintransition,inconstantchangingrelationshipwiththeenvironment. Inthiscontextwehavetoaskourselves,whatcanthebodydo?Howdoesit

understandtheenvironment?Asafirstapproximationonecouldintuitthatitisthrough experience,throughakindofphenomenalreadingoftheenvironment.Butinsteadof relyingpurelyonthesensorial,wewouldliketolookatabroaderanddepersonalized notionofexperience,whichisthatofexperiencingthroughamultiplicity35ofmovements andaffects.Abodythatexperiencesspaceasachangingentity,isthatwhichisallowedto moveinandaroundit,enhancingthedynamicsofthephysicalmilieuandsimultaneously enhancingitsunderstandingofitwithouterasingitsambiguitiesandnuances.Theremust beakindofsymbiosisbetweenbody,actionandspace,whichallowsthebodytoperform asanextensionofthespaceandthespaceasanextensionofthebodysaction,rather thanasarepresentationofit.Insteadofrelyingonanalogyandproportion,sublimating thebodytomeasurementandrepresentation,onecouldthinkofthebodyalmostasifit wereacollectionofforcefields,orvectors,whichaffectaspacethroughitschanging movementwithinit. Thereisastrongaffirmationwithintherealmofcontemporaryarchitectural practicetonegateolderconceptionsofanthropomorphisminfavorofdiscoveringnew unforeseenrelationshipsbetweenthebodyanditsphysicalmilieunotbasedonsymbols andrepresentationbutratheroneffectandaffectthroughaction/performance. Architectureshouldseeklesstobeanabstractionofthelineamentsofthebodyand moretoengagethebodyseffectiveandaffectivespectrum.Itisafaultyassumption thatpatterningarchitectureonthebodymakesitmorehuman,justasitisafaulty assumptionthatthebodyisthepatternoftheuniverse.36 Themeaningofthebodyitselfhasnointerest.Insteaditgainssignificancewhenitis activatedbyamultiplicityofexternalconnectionsandaffects;throughhowitcanoperate,

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throughitsactions.Thereforespaceceasestobeamerecontainerforthebodyand becomesanelementofmultipleeventsthatincludesthebody. Toexemplifythisideaofsymbiosisbetweenbodyandspacethrough thenotionofpotential,letustakealookatanarchitecturalinstallationcalled ChoreographingSpace.37Theproject,developedbye+iarchitecture,aimedat exploringtheintersectionofarchitecture,movementandperformanceand becameatonceperformanceeventandarchitecturalenvironmentbyfusing

ChoreographingSpacee+i architecture

performer,audience,spaceandmovementintoonecontinuousexperience.Thiswas achievedbyenvelopinganeutralspacewithaninteractivemeshcapableoftransformation throughtheinteractionofviewersorperformers.Themovementofthebodywouldaffect thespace,transformingit,andinturnthetransformationofthespacewouldaffectthe possibilitiesformovementofthebody.Affectingandbeingaffectedinacontinuousloop ofexchange.Eventhoughthephysicalbodywasusedasameanstoexploresensuous space,byfusingthebodywiththespaceitself,thesubject(viewer/performer)became partoftheobject(interactivespace)andthebodylostitsverysubjectivitygivingwaytoa subjectobjectexperience. Notallspacescanbeexperiencedinthesameway.Wehaveseenhowcertain architectureswereindeedgeneratedwiththeveryintentionofbeingobjectsof interpretation,oftheperceivingmind,andothersintentionallycreatedforthebodyof sensation.WithprojectslikeChoreographingSpaceitishardtoconceiveoftheexperience ofspaceaspurelysensualorpurelyperceptual;boththeworldofthesensesandthatof themindneedtoworktogethertoexperiencethisspaceinitschangingfacets. Experiencesofspacethatareboth,movingonasensualandirrationallevelyetinspiring andclarifyingonanintellectuallevelarethoserelatedtothenotionsofaffectand movementasfirstputforthbySpinozaandlaterdevelopedbyDeleuze.

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THEPROBLEMOFPHENOMENOLOGY 3.1Deleuze'scritiquesofphenomenology.Bodywithoutorgans Deleuze'scritiqueofphenomenologytargetsitsconceptionofbothperceptionand consciousness.Forhimallconsciousnessissomething,asopposedtotheHusserlian phenomenologicalpointofviewwhereallconsciousnessisconsciousnessofsomething.38 "Byinvokingtheprimordiallived,bymakingimmanenceanimmanencetoasubject, phenomenologycouldnotpreventthesubjectfromformingnomorethanopinions thatalreadyextractedclichsfromnewperceptionsandpromisedaffections."39 Wehaveseenhowphenomenologyhasbeenlargelyunderstoodassettingupconditions foraperceivingsubjecttobeanchoredintheworldthroughanexperienceofaperceived object,andthisexperienceisdirectedtowardssomethingbyvirtueofitscontentor meaning.Phenomenologyinarchitecturehasbeenprimarilyassociatedwithanexperience fromthefirstpersonpointofview,andoftenlinkedtoaperceptionofaspacebasedonits assignedsubjectivemeaning.Butarchitecturetodaycannolongerbeunderstoodsimplyin termsofmeaningorcontent,andDeleuze'scritiqueofphenomenologyoffersanewway oflookingat,andexperiencing,architecturewhichrethinkstraditionalnotionsassociated withtheexperienceofbuiltspace.Canarchitecturalspacebeexperiencedbeyondthe individual,beyondthesubjectiveanddevoidofinherentmeaning?Deleuzegivesusinsight intohowthismightbepossible,andsetsthegroundforapossibleexplorationofthis throughhisnotionofbodywithoutorgans. Deleuze'scritiqueofthetermssubjectivity,significance(meaning)andorganism (body)arerootedinanunderstandingthattheyproclaimakindofbindingandclosure. Wherephenomenologyproclaimsinterpretationandclosureinexperience,Deleuze suggeststhepossibilityofopeningsandthecreationofnewmodelsofexperience;an alternatemodeofexperiencerelatedtocontinuousbecomingratherthansimplybeing.He suggeststhatwithinthenotionsofidentityandconsciousnessthereareothermore affectivestatesofbeing:fieldsofimmanence.

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Deleuzedeniestheworldoftheselfdefiningenclosedsubject,oftheorganized organism,andasacounterpartheproposestheBodywithoutOrgans(BwO).ABwOisnot anorganismwhereallthesensesworktogethertoreportfixedcharacteristicsofthe outsideworld.Itisnotsomuchwithoutorgansaswithoutorganization,itisopposedto theorganizingprincipalsthatdefinetheassemblagesoforgansandexperiences.TheBwO hasnoneedforinterpretationasthesubjectivebodydoes,yetitcannotexistincomplete oppositiontosubjectivity.Itcannotcompletelybreakfreefromthenotionswhichitis tryingtochallenge,subjectivityandsignification,withoutriskingdisintegration.Inorderto haveaffectandbeaffective,itmuststillexistwithinthesystemitaimstosubvert. TheBwOdeniesthestructureoforganizationwhichcomposesanorganismyetis necessarilythehostofsuchanorganism.InspiredbythebiologistAugustWeismann, Deleuzeprovidestheexampleoftheeggandthechicken40;thechickenisputforthasthe devicecreatedbytheegginordertoreproduceitself.Thechickenistheorganism;theegg istheBwO.Yettheeggdidnotcomebeforethechicken;theBwOdoesnotprecedethe organism,itisadjacenttoitandcontinuallyintheprocessofmakingitself.41"Itisnolonger anorganismthatfunctionsbutaBwOthatisconstructedThereisnolongeraSelf[moi] thatfeels,actsandrecalls;thereisa"glowingfog,adarkyellowmist"thathasaffectsand experiencesmovements,speeds."42InseekingtomakeourselvesaBwOweneedto maintainamodeofexpression,butonethatisridofapriorisignifiersandofthe conclusivefieldoflanguage.Therefore,theBwOdeniesthesubjectiveandtheimplied meaningoftheexperienceofthings,yetcannotexistwithoutaffect,anaffectthatisina continuousprocessofbecoming.TheBwOhasitsownmodeoforganization,whose principalsareprimarilyderivedfromSpinoza'ssinglesubstance.43 SowhatkindofspacearewedealingwithinaBwO?Whatkindofphysical propertiesdoesthisspacehave?Clearlyitcannotbepartofthestaticuniversedescribed byNewtonianphysics,sinceNewtoniandynamicsdescribesonlypartofourphysical experience.44IftheNewtonianuniverseisoneofbeingwithoutbecoming,whatDeleuze seemstoproposeisauniverseofbecomingwithoutbeing,thatis,auniversewhere individualsexistbutonlyasanoutcomeofbecomings.

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Deleuzeconsiderstraditionalnotionsofspacetobeimposedbythesubject. Thereforeheintroducestheconceptofthevirtualwhichisinsteadlinkedtothespaceof possibilities.Thevirtualdoesnotdenyexperience,insteaditisaconditionofactual experience;asystemofrelationsthatcreatesactualspacesandsensations,itisdefinedby itsaffects.Onthesamelines,topologicalspaceisvirtualspacethathasthecapacityto affectandbeaffected,inotherwordsithasaffects. Sowhatisaspacethathasthecapacitytoaffectandbeaffected?Earlierwegave theexampleofChoreographingSpaceprojectwherespaceandbodywerereciprocally affectingandbeingaffected.Therefore,inaDeleuziansensethisisatopologicalspace,a virtualspacewhichhasbecomeametricspacethroughaprocessofbecoming. 3.2Broadeningphenomenology:multiplicityandemergence Anexpansionofphenomenologicaltheorysuggeststhatarchitectsand architecturetheoristsaddresstheconceptsofbecoming,multiplicityandemergenceas facetsofphenomenology.Todothisitisnecessarytotakeanotherlookatperceptionand livedexperience.Toavoidonetoonesubjectobjectexperienceonemusttakenoteof Deleuze'sstatement:"Perceptionwillnolongerresideintherelationbetweenasubjectand anobject,butratherinthemovementservingasthelimitofthatrelation()lookonlyat movements."45Butwhatkindofmovementsarewetolookat? Deleuze'sconceptionofmovementstronglyrestsontheSpinozisitcfoundation discussedearlier.ForSpinozamovementisnotactual,quantitativemovement,butone thatcombinesthephysicalbodywiththemental/emotionalthroughtheconceptofaffect. SimilarlyinDeleuze,movementcannotbesimplyperceived,itisimperceptiblebynature andcanoccuronlybymeansofaffectandbecoming.Thisencompassingcharacteristicof movementandbodyofaffectioniswhatmaysetthegroundforabroadeningof phenomenology. Whenexperiencingspacethroughaffect,wearefreeingourselvesofinherited meaningsandassociatedperceptions;weareexperiencingspaceaswhatitdoesrather thanwhatitaimstorepresent.Hence,asseenearlier,thereisatightlinkbetween

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experienceandthenotionsofpotentialandperformance.Thesereferstoaforce,a tendingtowards,ineffect;amovement.Andinthisprocessofcontinualdevelopmentand change,ofbecoming,weidentifythenotionofmultiplicityasacrucialcomponent.This kindofexperiencedoesnotprovideasinglereadingofaspace,butmultiple;overlapping, everchangingandattimes,simultaneous.Outofthesemultiplicitiesofinteractionsand affects,certainrecognizablepatternswillemerge.Thesepatternshoweverareinconstant processofevolving,constantlyredefiningandcreatingthemselves. Inourclaimthatthereexistsadifferentkindofphenomenology,onefreedfrom subjectivityandsignificance,werelyontheconceptsofmultiplicityandemergenceto providethegroundworkfromwhichtounderstandourexperiencingofbuiltspace throughaffectandmovement.Andthoughitistruethatcertainspaceshavemore propensitiestobeingexperiencedasobjectsofperceptionwhileothersneedtobe experiencedthroughtheirqualitiesofsensation,allspacescanbeexperiencedwithinthis newunderstandingofphenomenology.Ineffect,experienceofbuiltspacebecomesan emergenceofpossibilitiesthroughmultiplicityofaffect. 3.3PhenomenologywithoutOrgans Someoneattemptingtoproposeanargumentagainstthisclaimmightoffera Sartreaninspiredcritique,andsuggestthatitisinfactimpossible,withinahumancontext, tohaveanysortofexperiencedevoidofmeaning.Indeed,meaningisoftenregardedasan indispensiblepartofhumanconsciousness.Furthermorethiscritiquecouldsuggestthat proposingaphenomenologyembeddedwithinthenotionofmultiplicitymightsimply causetheinterpretedmeaningstomultiply.Thuswhileitmayencouragingmultiple meanings,wearenonethelessstuckwithintherealmofmeaning. Inresponsetothiscounterclaimwewouldliketotakeanotherlookthebody withoutorgans.Aswehaveseen,theBwOexistswithinthesystemthatitisattemptingto deny;itcannotcompletelybreakfreefromthenotionswhichitistryingtochallenge withoutriskingdisintegration.Solutionstophilosophicalproblemsareneverfreeofthe

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categoriestheyattempttodismiss.ThisiswhattheBwOhasillustrated.Thusasolutionto theproblemofphenomenologyinarchitecturenecessarilywillhavetodealwiththeissues ofphenomenologythatitistryingtoquestion.Wewillneverridourselvescompletelyof subjectivityandsignificanceinbuiltspace;allspacescanstillbegivenasubjectivereading andassignedspecificmeanings.However,wecanlookbeyondthesenotionsandattempt todefineanewkindofexperiencing,onethatismoreinclusiveandlessfixed;onethat incorporatesthepresubjectivebodyofaffectionthroughnotionsofemergenceand multiplicity;asabodywithoutorgans.Ineffectwhatweareproposingisthepossibilityof aphenomenologywithoutorgans.

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NOTES

BenedictdeSpinoza.TheEthics.III.D3

SpaceislooselyequatedwithArchitecturehere,howeveritisimportanttopointoutthatnotallspacescan becalledarchitecture,butallarchitecturehasspaces.Firstlyitisimportanttoclarifywhatitiswemeanby builtspace.Notallbuiltspaceisarchitecture,yetallarchitecturehasbuiltspace.Sowedontrefertoa subwayplatformasarchitecture,butwedorecognizeitasbuiltspace.Thoughitisnotthepurposeofthis papertodefinearchitecture,wewouldliketonotethatwhenreferringtobuiltspaceweareusually referringtothebuiltspaceofarchitecture.

3 4 5

StevenPerrella,Form,Being,Absence.Architectureandphilosophy.Prattjournal,p.85 StevenHoll,Parallax,p.13

Reynolds,Jack,andJonRoffe."DeleuzeandMerleauPonty:Immanence,UnivocityandPhenomenology," JournaloftheBritishSocietyforPhenomenology37,no.3(October01,2006),230.
6

JeanPaulSartre,"TheStormingoftheBastille"inCritiqueofDialecticalReason,p.351

JeanPaulSartre.BeingandNothingness,p.40 RonaldBogue,Deleuzeonmusic,paintingandthearts,p.116117 ErwinStraus,ThePrimaryWorldofSenses:aVindicationofSensoryExperience,p.322

10 11

BenedictdeSpinoza.TheEthics.III.P2Schol.

12

Iamreferringtosensationasthephysicalcomponentofaffectandpercptiontothementalcomponent ofaffectbasedonSpinoza'snotionofaffecteventhoughhedidnotusedthesetermsinthisway. BenedictdeSpinoza.TheEthics.III.D3

13

14 15

GillesDeleuze,LectureTranscriptsOnSpinozasConceptOfAffect

Ibid. BernardTschumi,"QuestionsOfSpace"inArchitectureandDisjunction,p.53

16

17

BenedictdeSpinoza.TheEthics.IIP18.Schol. Ibid.,IIP18

18

PaulValery,"onPainting"inSelectedWritingsofPaulValery,trans.AnthonyBower(NewYork:New Directions,1964),.222
20

19

RobertVenturi.ComplexityandContradictioninArchitecture,p.13 StevenPerrella,Form,Being,Absence.Architectureandphilosophy.Prattjournal,p.85

21

22

JeanPaulSartre.BeingandNothingness,p.41

Rorschachtestisamethodofpsychologicalevaluationinwhichsubjects'perceptionsofinkblotsare recordedandthenanalyzedusingintuitiveinsight.Timingoftheresponseiscritical;subjectsareusuallynot allowedtopondertheirresponse.

24

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25 26

BrianMassumi.ParablesfortheVirtual:Movement,Affect,Sensation,p.180

PaulVirilioonStelarc'ssuspension:BrianMassumi.ParablesfortheVirtual:Movement,Affect,Sensation, p.103
27

ErwinStraus,ThePrimaryWorldofSenses:aVindicationofSensoryExperience,p.351 BenedictdeSpinoza.TheEthics,IIA'1.Definitionofthebody:"Allbodieseithermoveorareatrest" Ibid.,IIL1

28 29

30 31

BrianMassumi.ParablesfortheVirtual:Movement,Affect,Sensation,p.15

GillesDeleuzeandFelixGuattari.AThousandPlateaus,p.260 MerleauPonty,ThePrimacyofPerception,p.5 ThisideaofcomesfromSpinoza,TheEthics GillesDeleuzeandFelixGuattari.AThousandPlateaus,p.257 Deleuzianconceptofmultiplicity,whichisexpandedfurtheroninthepaper Reiser+Umemoto.AtlasOfNovelTectonics,p.85

32 33

34 35

36 37

e+iarchitecture,ChoreographingSpace(www.choreographingspace.com)aninterdisciplinaryproject thatexplorestheintersectionbetweenthematerialworldofarchitectureandtheimmaterialnotionsof movementanddance,inordertocreateanenvironmentthatiscapableofbothvisualandphysical exchangebetweenparticipantsandthespace,bothaffectingandbeingaffectedbyit.

38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

GillesDeleuze,Cinema1:TheMovementImage,p.56

GillesDeleuze,WhatisPhilosophy?p.150 KylieMessage,"BodyWithoutOrgans"inTheDeleuzeDictionary.p.34 GillesDeleuzeandFelixGuattari.AThousandPlateaus,p164 Ibid.,p162 "BodyWithoutOrgans"inTheDeleuzeDictionary,p.34 DeLanda,Manuel.IntensiveScience&VirtualPhilosophy.NewYork:Continuum,2002.P.85 GillesDeleuzeandFelixGuattari.AThousandPlateaus,p282

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bogue,Ronald.Deleuzeonmusic,paintingandthearts.NewYork:Routledge,2003 DeLanda,Manuel.IntensiveScience&VirtualPhilosophy.NewYork:Continuum,2002 Deleuze,Gilles&Guattari,Felix.AThousandPlateaus.trans.BrianMassumi.Minneapolis:Universityof MinnesotaPress,1987 Deleuze,Gilles&Guattari,Felix,WhatisPhilosophy?Trans.JanisTomlinson,NewYork:ColumbiaUniversity Press,1996 Deleuze,Gilles.LectureTranscriptsonSpinozasConceptofAffect.www.webdeleuze.com/php/sommaire.html Deleuze,Gilles.Expressionisminphilosophy:Spinoza.trans.MartinJoughin,NewYork:ZoneBooks,1990 Deleuze,Gilles,Cinema1:TheMovementImage.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1986 Holl,Steven.Parallax.NewYork:PrincetonArchitecturalPress,2000 Ihde,Don,"PhenomenologyandArchitecture"andParella,Steven,"Form:Being;Absence",inForm:Being; Absence.PrattJournalofArchitecture,Vol2,ed.StevenParella.NewYork:Rizzoli,1988 Massumi,Brian.ParablesfortheVirtual:Movement,Affect,Sensation.Durham&London:DukeUniversity Press,2002 MerlauPonty,Maurice.ThePrimacyofPerception,ed.JamesM.Edie.Chicago:NorthwesternUniversity Press,1964 Message,Kylie"BodyWithoutOrgans"inTheDeleuzeDictionary,ed.AdrianParrNewYork:Columbia UniversityPress,2005 Reiser+Umemoto.AtlasOfNovelTectonics.NewYork:PrincetonArchitecturalPress,2003 Sartre,JeanPaul.BeingandNothingness.NewYork:WashingtonSquarePress,1992 Sartre,JeanPaul.CritiqueofDialecticalreason.Vol1.trans,AlanSheridanSmith.NewYork:Verso,2004 Spinoza,Benedictd."TheEthics"inASpinozareader:theEthicsandOtherWorks,ed.andtrans.EdwinCurley. Princeton,N.J.:PrincetonUniversityPress,1994 Straus,Erwin.ThePrimaryWorldofSenses:aVindicationofSensoryExperience.1935. Tschumi,Bernard.ArchitectureandDisjunction,Cambridge:MITPress,1996 PaulValery,"onPainting"inSelectedWritingsofPaulValery,trans.AnthonyBower.NewYork:New Directions,1964 Venturi,Robert.ComplexityandContradictioninArchitecture.NewYork:MuseumofModernArtPress,1966

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ILLUSTRATIONCREDITS StevenHoll,sketchesexhibitedattheMOMA,NewYork JamesWhistler,http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Abbot_McNeill_Whistler_007.jpg:p.5 Descartesmindandbodydualism.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Descartes_mind_and_body.gif:p.6 RobertVenturi,ComplexityandContradictioninArchitecture,p.119:p.9 MCEscher,http://www.mcescher.com:p.10 RubinVasefigure,www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Rubin_vase:p.10 GiambattistaNolli'sMapofRome,en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giambattista_Nolli:10 CampoBaeza,ColeccionArquitecturaEspanolaContemporanea,frontcover:p.12 EnricMiralles,UniversityofVigo,photoEvaPerezdeVega,2008:p.12 LeCorbusier,VillaSavoie.http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/525010457_6c846fd11e_o.jpg:p.12 e+iarchitecture,ChoreographingSpace,photoBrandonJacobsMills,2007:p.15

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