Phenomenology

Through initial research of Zumthors writings I have come to appreciate his phenomenological approach to architecture, using his emotions and feelings as perceptual tools to navigate his was around memories and the environment.

Currently reading phenomenology of perception by Merleau- ponty, and occasionally dipping into Being and Time by Heidegger, to perhaps shed some philosophical light on the issue of remembering. The idea that our bodies and being as one apprehend the environment are phenomenological ideas developed in great detail by these two. The sensual nature of Zumthor's buildings suggests he wants us to experience his buildings on a phenomenological level, with all of our being. What I want to know is how does he achieve this? I am inclined to believe that working form memories to create specific atmospheres helps in achieving this. May start looking into how the memory works- dont want to get too deep though!

“My perception is therefore not a sum of visual, tactile and audible givens: I perceive in a total way with my whole being: I grasp a unique structure of the thing, a unique way of being, which speaks to all my senses at once.” - Merleau- Ponty

Reading about sense perception by Merleau- Ponty is interesting.