Body in the Centre
“Sensory experiences become integrated through the body or rather, in the very constitution of the body and the human mode of being.” pg 40
St. Louis Cathedral was so majestic. Stepping inside, you felt transported to another world. I had goosebumps when I looked up at the high ceiling to see the intricate paintings and the delicate gold borders around them. The smell of wax from the many candles being lit at the altar engulf you. You felt a sense of warmth being surrounded by all the religious artwork. You also felt a wave of peace washing over you. The large altar at the front drew your eye immediately and then made you walk towards it.
“…there is no body separate from the its domicile in space, and there is no space unrelated to the unconscious image of the perceiving self” pg 40
Outside of the Louvre, it felt as if you were in two different worlds; one being futuristic and the other being transported back into the time of the Renaissance. The courtyard is very spaced out and made you feel so small compared to the large structures. You can hear the water fountains from the pond which essentially hushed the crowd resting outside. You are also surrounded by the sounds of many different languages because of the many tourists that come to visit this prestigious attraction.
Multi-Sensory Experience
“[Architecture] is not an isolated and self-sufficient artifact; it directs our attention and existential experience to wider horizons.” pg 41
In Lucien, the architecture guided you to see the beautiful mountains and the lake across from it. The soft breeze coming off the lake provides a calming presence as you walk through the streets. The buildings felt as if they were wrapped around you and gave you a sense of comfort. It helped guide your eyes to the environment surrounding us. The noise of the crowds were a small murmur that was hidden by the large structures.
“Even the eye touches; the gaze implies an unconscious touch, bodily mimesis and identification.” pg 42
When your eyes first see the Louvre Pyramid, you can feel the coldness of the glass that it is made of. You can smell the metal of the bars that outline the pyramid. It seems almost godlike, contrasting the older architecture of the museum surrounding it. Your eyes are immediately drawn to it and your body is frozen in time just observing it.
“Good architecture offers shapes and surfaces moulded for the pleasurable touch of the eye.” pg 44
The detailed golden borders that surround the large painting on the ceiling make you feel like royalty. Your hands can feel the rough and smooth textures of the intricate carvings that outline the ceiling. You can feel the coldness of the borders between your fingers. You can smell the metal of the stone that was used to create the small statues.
“The senses not only mediate information for the judgment of the intellect; they are also a means of igniting the imagination and of articulating sensory thought.” pg 45
The Grand Place is so full of life and amazement. The towering structures cast beautiful shadows along the plaza. The gold accents on each of the buildings brings the whole complex together. Your mind is taken to a different time period as your eyes are lost in the buildings. You can hear the buzzing of many people filling up the plaza. You can almost feel the carvings that are at the top of the buildings.
