CDP - Dipun Gandhi

Hi Everyone,

I just thought I would update all on my progress with an interest in continuing the support for each others' process.

My current position is that I've resolved the broad scale of my project and the basis for the thesis itself, and so the intention for my project is as follows:

·         After careful consideration, I've chosen to do my project in Leicester, with the reason coming from the notion that I believe my project should be positioned in a manner that allows me to visit the site at a frequent rate and at many different times of the day. This will then allow me to thoroughly immersive myself in the environment and ascertain a ‘phenomenological’ understanding of the experiential qualities of the ‘events’ that take place.

·         Following research of the current perceptions of Leicester, my objective for the project is being led by understanding the philosophical ‘essence’ of the city, which effectively began when 'tribal' settlements developed off the River Soar. On this basis, my project (although, yet to be set-in-stone) is to be sited on the bank of the River Soar close to the 'north-gate' toward the City Centre.

·         My intervention and project will seek to ‘reconfigure’ the conscious experience of the site and its intrinsic 'atmosphere' (philosophically), as far as possible.

In support of my discussion, spaces like this James Turrell Sky-Space installation highlight the phenomenological/ 'conscious' experience that architecture creates:

·         Although I'm coming from a philosophical underpinning, the idea is to try and understand how our Brain and Mind actually works to form the phenomenological experiences we are conscious of, and how the atmosphere of a ‘place’ is culminated.

·         I then hope by exploring the brain I can also seek to have a scientific rationale to any design, coming from the discipline of neuroscience. This notion is connected to my dissertation, which sought to understand the relationship between Neuroscience and Architecture, and how they are disciplines that may be worth connecting:

This image and diagram represents a neurological explanation for the experience of ethereal feelings when people enter the Thorncrown Chapel (USA), designed by Fay Jones. Believed to strike people with awe and emotion, Semir Zeki explains how these 'feelings' occur due to what the brain is directed to process, when looking upwards.

By understanding the processes of the Brain, can we begin to design beyond intuition?
Conversely, can neuroscientists begin to create methods that may lead them to work out how Phenomenological Consciousness is formed?

·     I will also attempt to explore an unconscious understanding of the project site based on its qualia. I believe this is an important aspect of how the environment actually affects the human mind; which our conscious reactions then ultimately combine to form the human components that contribute to the ‘atmosphere’ of a place.

·         Materials and Memory will play an intrinsic part to the project, but I hope to explain this in further detail a little later on.

I'm hoping to explore all of these ideas through my design and project; although its going to take a lot of work, so I may not be able to quite deliver in accordance with the ambition of the thesis.

Just to give some ideas of inspiration and direction to the philosophy of the project, below is a short list of who/ what I’ve been looking into:

   ·         Juhanni Pallasmaa (Architect and Philosopher)
   ·         Diébédo Francis Kéré (Architect)
   ·         Christopher Alexander (Architect - See 'Pattern Language')
   ·         Peter Zumthor (Architect)
   ·         ANFA (Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture)
   ·         Richard Dawkins (Evolutionary Biologist & Atheist)
   ·         Sou Fujimoto (Architect)
   ·         Maurice Merleau-Ponty (Philosopher)
   ·         Shigeru Ban 
   ·         Consumerism/ Materialism

Anyone doing their project around the ideas of phenomenology, or anything remotely philosophical, may find some inspiration from the above.

I have some ideas of the building typology and the brief; however, I am refraining from fully resolving all of this until the site research is completed, but the aim is to have everything outlined by the end of next week. In the meantime, I'll continue with the research and collation of information and will hope to upload comprehensive sets of images/ diagrams on the blogs/ cloud within this time.

I've got lots to do in terms of production drawings, diagrams, etc., but I believe that focus on the process and understanding what I'm looking to achieve will help make those things be completed much easier/ quicker.

I'm sure everyone, like me, is beginning to feel the pressure of getting things done, but "better together"/ "Delighted to be United" (and all that topical stuff) and I'm sure we can do as well as we hope for. ;)

Any feedback is, of course, encouraged and very welcome.

Cheers,
Dipun