SPACE VS PLACE (THEORIES LECTURE 3)

In general, spaces and places around us always influence and affect in every way we observe, experience and understand the world. Space and place are the mediums of creation- the movement of people, identities, cultures and objects. Human create spaces to fulfill their needs and satisfaction. The spaces created are often surrounded with reflections of themselves and the stories of their lives.

Based on one point from the lecture, one should experience a space for it to become a place. We cannot make architecture without understanding what the space is. There is no such thing as an empty space or place as there is we are surrounded by objects and matters everywhere we go. For example, the Blue Pavilion in Royal Academy of Arts, London is more than just bricks and cement where the identity of location is what makes the building significant. Guts, emotions and rationality are involved where people desire to seek a place to refuge to escape a hectic week and hence, they create an illusion of a comfortable space for themselves by visiting this building.

There are a lot of ways for one to determine and read this place. For example, the Royal Academy of Arts location may be strategic enough in terms of transportation and convenient-wise to attract one’s attention when passing by. Those who have not been to this place before would have visualized the place using their own imagination and senses relying on the description of others’ perception of this place or after looking it up on the website. The spaces inside this building are special enough to provide meaningful experience that is worth to be remembered. People can clearly define the differences of each space and the functions.

The spaces are filled with installations which invite visitors to engage with the experience of architecture and observe how different spaces, lightings, smell and sound make them feel. For example, the lighting installation by Kengo Kuma provide a relaxing atmosphere to certain people due to its flexibility and the way it is installed by allowing people to stroll along and pass through it to experience the spaces in between the lightings.

Object in spaces involved where the objects are designed according to proportions based on human ergonomics and their relationship to the spaces occupied by people. For example, the CONVEX carpet designed by Asplund is made with series of woven yarns which provides a soft for relaxing moment. The carpet can occupy two to three people and they would sit comfortably on it. The relationship of spaces between the carpet and the human itself reach to an intimate level when the people can sleep and stretch their body while sitting on the carpet.

Therefore, sense of space is important to human in order to engage and explore more about architecture and interior design; to shape a better environment for themselves to engage with a sense of accomplishment in everyday life.