PHENOMENOLOGY of PLACE
Phenomenology of place, a memory that only belongs to specific landmark or a new building that can redefine the identity of that landmark? The term, “a sense of place” proposed by Edward Relph in his phenomenological study “place-based” and “placelessness” explores the value that local human behavior, practice, and lived experience have on the formation of our built environment. Sense of place interchange between location, landscape and personal involvement, a way to design the communities that will more than everything else or as a battle of identity.
“Authenticity is above all that of being inside and belonging to your place both as an individual and a member of the community, and to know this without reflecting on it. We strive for a sense of insideness - or the idea that the more strongly an environment generates a sense of belonging, the more strongly does that environment becomes a place.” Quoted by Edward Relph.
The ideas or intention will shape who we are or what we will become. Place-based is how we remain the memory and inherit it through building while placelessness is the way we create a new elements that will represent the building and the community itself. I think as we move towards rebuilding and redefining neighborhoods, a real question for us will be how to “plan for” both the adaptability and flexibility required for place?
For a better understanding, I will use my studio 4 design project to further explain the way I treat phenomenology of place. The project is an artist village that located at Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang. It is a platform to gather artist all around Malaysia to exhibit, explore or get inspired, a platform to connect art to the locals of Balik Pulau.
To allow a connection to surrounding, I have apply place-based as the main ideas of design, for exhibition, café and workshop. These spaces are design based on the architecture surrounding, a large pitch roof, simple timber roof truss, material we interacted with and the location of existing building. On the contrary, placelessness theory is applied to the design of artist resident, a space for artist to rest and work. I differentiate two space with different phenomenology of space so that private and public area can be seen clearly and at the same time to allow new architecture without turning culture and memory into oblivion.
First, the pitch roof with timber truss. This is the architecture of the site that will allow the building to be part of it, different space will be design with different roofing to indicate the function and allow a better and easier user experience. All the material applied is based on the material found in surrounding building and barely finish to allow the origin of sense. In addition, the orientation of the building is based on the existing building, this is to follow the local human behavior in access and lived experience.
Second, the placelessness in my design. I design a two storey artist resident with huge butterfly roof that is rarely seen at Balik Pulau. The material used is mostly glass wall and a lot of opening compare with the Place-based state above. This is to create sufficient sunlight for artist to work or to rest. An open plan for artist shared area, living, dining and kitchen that allow full ventilation and access to the views.
Besides, a steel structure with sun-shading cladding together with vegetation planted is also the ideas of placelessness at the site. Vegetation planted below the cladding is to allow future grow and it will grow throughout the vent block cladding. It will become part of façade and part of history or memory that only belongs to the site.
The placelessness that alienate the building and site is just for temporary moment. Throughout the years, it will become the identity of the site, it will become the place-based ideas for future development. A balance, which continues to evolve the architecture of Balik Pulau.
