Introduction to Multi-sensory Design

Environment, human perception and design hold in a broader spectrum of possibilities and we are ignoring it ―
our focus has become too narrow due to a subconscious effect: the dominance of vision.

Vision is the protagonist, taking up half of our brain's resources to process information. It's how we have always
apprehended major threats, food supplies, and reproductive opportunity, placing our eyes as a principal way to
collect data and ultimately, as the "most important" sense.

In Western Culture, sight has been historically considered as the noblest of the senses, shaping its discoveries and
proficiency. Plato considered vision as "humanity's greatest gift" and prominent early modern figures like Da Vinci
and Galileo favored sight among senses: (1)

The eye is the principal means by which humans appreciate the infinite works of nature.
— Da Vinci

During the renaissance the five senses were separated even more distinctly, being understood in a hierarchical
system from the highest sense of vision down to touch. (2) From these precedents, we carry a strong bias into the
value we assign to sensory qualities other than visuals.

Inevitably, the neglect of other senses is also evident in design, in the way it is conceived and even in the way it is
taught. In architecture school it was always about how it looked, functioned and got built. Rarely did we sustain a
discussion of the tactile or olfactory approach of the proposals.

What is missing from our dwellings today are the potential transactions between body, imagination, and
environment.
— Bloomer K and Moore, C. Body, Memory and Architecture.

However, as Juhani Pallasmaa affirms in his book The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture of the Senses (which is a
wonderful read about this subject), the way space feels, the sound and smell of these places, has equal weight to
the way things look.

Likewise, Japanese designer Kenya Hara acknowledges the importance of senses introducing the term
"senseware" to indicate any familiar thing that inspires our sensory perceptions (3).

Hara states, "human beings are a bundle of very delicate receptor organs and at the same time, an image
generating organ equipped with a vigorous memory-playback system. An image generated is a spectacle
orchestrated through multiple sensory stimuli and revived memories. This is precisely where the designer works."
(p.156)
As designers, we create an architecture of information within the mind of the spectator. This message is captured
through the assorted perception channels of sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing, and other aggregated senses to
produce what we consider an "image."

Additionally, it is fundamental to understand that the created image is not only based on external input, but is
also constructed by memories evoked by these sensory stimuli. In fact, as I commented on previously, concepts
and memories are the main construction material for our perceived world.

Contrary to the notion of the supremacy of vision and its intrinsic relationship to the brain, Hara considers the
mind is not singular and seated within the head; it exists throughout the body, like a system of tsubo, or
acupoints.

This vision is the core of multi-sensory design, with the idea that we must approach the act of design by targeting
the body's multitude of brains. The concept acknowledges that people experience and react to space in many
ways, consciously and unconsciously by receiving input from all sensory organs.

Designing for the senses is a game changer.

Jinsop Lee, a multi-sense designer, speaks about the subject in his TED Talk, making emphasis on how many of
life's greatest pleasures (like eating and sex) are enjoyed deeply because of the presence of multiple senses
interacting at the same time.

He introduces The 5 Senses Graph, to evaluate different experiences in his life:

According to this chart, the ultimate experience is one that combines all of the senses in a maximum scale.
Nevertheless, the intensification of only one of the senses can completely shape a concept and develop an
innovative, brilliant product.

We must exploit this astonishing capacity we have to perceive and grasp unconsciously and peripherally complex
environmental entities and atmospheres. Every experience in design is multi-sensory, whether we want it or not.

Instead of limiting ourselves to a result that merely looks good and functions properly, we can introduce elements
of power to communicate and seduce the user.

In this way, multi sensory design can be conceived as an effective orchestration of sensory messages. We can
enrich our performance by including a much broader catalog of instruments and techniques. A cadence of shadow
and light, a range of pleasant smells and a peak in texture can denote a well-thought composition and mastery of
the art, impregnating the project with enormous enjoyment for the user.

It is a praise of Bachelard's notion of the "polyphony of the senses", a search for design in its fully integrated and
spiritual essence.
Source: http://www.aknamarquez.com/blog/2017/7/23/what-is-multi-sensory-design
MULTISENSORY DESIGN APPROACH IN ARCHITECTURE

It is common for humans to adapt their behavior with respect to their surroundings. For example, a person is
conventionally boisterous in a concert or a sports stadium, however maintains silence in a library. Spatial factors
can also change one’s mood and enhance their ability to perform a certain task. This blog explores the impact of
the ‘multi-sensory design approach’ on human behavior, its importance, and how one can inculcate it in their
architectural design.

How does architecture impact human behavior?

“Spaces that trigger emotions alter the behavior of people. Architecture aims at influencing human behavior by
space creations.” –Justus Dahinden

Imagine a room with no windows and a low ceiling or an all-white room without an iota of color? In spaces like
these, it is inevitable for one to feel claustrophobic or even frustrated. Most often people do not realize the role
architecture plays in their day-to-day life and how it shapes the way they think, feel and behave. A well-designed
space considering its users and their activity result in improved productivity whereas poorly designed spaces with
a lack of ventilation or natural light not only affect one's mood but can pose health problems.

Humans and their environment should interact with one another. The location of a space, the anthropometry,
colors, furniture, visuals, the odor of the space, and materials, etc, are some aspects that form the essence of the
space and impacts human behavior. For example, it is common for children’s classrooms to be colorful and
interactive as it is scientifically proven to benefit them by attracting attention and fueling their imagination. If a
sense of vision alone can inculcate such profound character to the space, imagine what all five senses are capable
of doing!

MULTI-SENSORY ARCHITECTURE

We continue perceiving architecture as a visual composition, but this is a dead and distorted way of looking at
architecture. - Juhani Pallasmaa

Architecture for decades has primarily focused on the functionality and aesthetics of a built structure with the
ultimate goal of making the space habitable. A well-designed structure often tries to captivate its user through
visual delights while paying little to no attention to other senses. It is important for architecture to interact with
its user by stimulating different senses to add depth to the user experience. An architectural design should be an
experiential journey making it easier and intriguing for the user to perceive the space. A room that makes you feel
good is more valuable compared to a room that only looks good. One might argue that they go hand in hand but
there is always more than meets the eye. This is where multisensory architecture comes to play.

Our environment is full of different stimuli. When one goes out for a walk in nature, they not only see the pretty
landscape but also hear the birds chirping, smell the surroundings and feel the blissful air. All of these sensory
stimulations enrich the experience in an unbuilt environment. Inculcating this perception of space in the ‘built
form’ can be defined as multisensory architecture.

Various architects have defined multisensory architecture in different ways. Selina Mason, Board Director of LDA
Design says, “Multisensory design brings the person into the foreground of our thinking. It suggests a more
meaning full relationship between ourselves and our environment. It allows us to enjoy the cacophony of urban
life where sensory overload can overwhelm as much as exciting us by offering a counterpoint- the deep-rooted
restorative effect of the natural world, its sounds, smells, texture, and joy to the eye.”

Architects and other designers have significantly done justice to the sense of vision. Use of light and shadow, vivid
materials and textures, usage of colors for targeted purposes, and using other visual delights are some ways to
stimulate the sense of vision. Natural lighting, clear sightlines, and visual transparency in spaces inculcate a sense
of openness and encourage a healthy environment. Changes in floor levels and scale of the space can help
stimulate other senses through visual connection.

Auditory senses

It is very important to create the right audio environment for your work. -Jay Shetty (Podcast- On purpose: 6 ways
to stop getting distracted and start getting focused)

Other than vision, sound plays an important role in making a space favorable. Reverberation, echo, resonance,
and other factors relating to sound help a person perceive the form, shape, and dimensions of the space and
create an immersive experience. Unfortunately, auditory factors in architecture are primarily given importance
only whilst designing spaces like concert halls, auditoriums, dance studios, etc. or to cancel out disturbing noises.
However, today, inculcating auditory senses has become a way of life. People listen to music while working and
meditate on the sounds of nature. Poor sound effects or an imbalanced environmental sound can affect our
health and productivity as well.

Zighizaghi transforms its external space into a dynamic environment where music acts as a vehicle between
nature and visitors. The 16 sided red prisms are installed with loudspeakers that get activated when one interacts
with the legs of the pod.

A proper study of materials to understand their auditory effect is one way through which a designer can consider
the sense of sound. Using various sounds of nature can create a serene environment as well. Natural sound
barriers such as trees can be used to block unwanted noise. As sound is omnidirectional, auditory changes caused
by different ceiling heights can stimulate senses as well. Using pleasant music in semi-public spaces can never go
wrong.

Olfactory senses

It is common for humans to associate space with its smell. You can smell the antiseptic scent with a tad of
bitterness when you think of a hospital whereas the smell of a restaurant or cafe can leave you drooling. Similarly,
nobody likes the room next to an unhygienic dustbin or a toilet. The odor of a particular space forms a distinctive
character that either makes the space inviting or repellent, as it is something that lingers through our senses long
after we have left the place. Olfactory considerations in architecture are limited to managing or avoiding the
malodor. However, very few architects imbue the upside of olfaction while designing. Olfactory senses along with
other stimuli can provide the user with an unforgettable sensory experience. Olfactory senses along with tactile
senses can provide a unique experience to the visually impaired.
The central space containing the olfactory bulb is surrounded by a fabric membrane beyond which lie 1 thousand
balloons (each with a drop of lavender oil) acting as vessels of scent. This scent is diffused into air once the
balloon deflates.

Introducing artificial scents in a space is an effective method, however, the idea of the "sense of smell" must go
beyond it. Every material and finish has its own smell which forms the essence of the space. One can also turn to
biophilia including a well-planned sensory landscape to introduce a natural scent to the space. Some bakeries are
also known to have their oven close to the entrance to lure people in through smell.

Tactile senses:

How often have you bought a fur jacket/pure cotton cloth or even slime toys not just because you found it
aesthetically pleasing but because you loved how it felt against your skin? Or how often have you chosen a couch
over chairs in a restaurant or café? These are simple examples of how tactility influences our selection and
actions.

Tactile experience in architecture is the simplest way to invite people as it probes one to touch or use the
product/space. Even though vision helps tactility, navigation through haptic architecture has proven to be a boon
for the visually impaired. Our skin is capable of reading the texture and temperature of a space. This establishes a
relationship between the body and the space which decides how habitable or inviting the space is. It is important
to consider tactile senses while designing to engage the user and enrich the experience.

Providing good ventilation and sunlight to a room is the easiest way to stimulate the sense of touch. The impact of
a texture is felt as soon as vision falls on it. Using materials and colors that do not radiate heat, providing
comfortable seating, textured materials like wood, exposed bricks, that encourage touching are all simpler ways
to do justice to the sense of touch.

Oral senses

Olfactory senses are known to invoke oral senses as well. Imagine walking past a bakery. You can now smell the
bread which makes you hungry. Bakeries, restaurants, coffee shops, etc, lure us in using olfactory senses in order
to satisfy our oral senses.
The sense of taste has evidently been overlooked in architecture, as introducing the sense of taste might seem
unimaginable in relation to architecture.

Juhani Pallasmaa believes the aural, olfactory, and visual senses are connected. Using colors metaphorically to
invoke a certain character can be sensed by our tongue just as different odors in a space can also be sublimely
recognized by our oral senses. Considering the sense of taste adding external elements such as food vending
machines, coffee machines can all result in making the user interested in the space as well as promote an
opportunity to bond over chit-chat.

“I confront the city with my body; my legs measure the length of the arcade and the width of the square; my gaze
unconsciously projects my body onto the façade of the cathedral, where it roams over the moldings and contours,
sensing the size of recesses and projections; my bodyweight meets the mass of the cathedral door, and my hand
grasps the door pull as I enter the dark void behind. I experience myself in the city, and the city exists through my
embodied experience. The city and my body supplement and define each other. I dwell in the city and the city
dwells in me.”

-Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses

Most activities we perform in our day-to-day life are multisensory. Why should our space be any different? The
sense of smell, sound, touch, and taste in architecture must hold as much significance as vision. As architects and
interior designers, it is our responsibility to consider the relationship between the body and the space to provide
the user with an experience that goes beyond the visual paradigm. Understandably, it is difficult to engage all five
senses (and more) simultaneously, but striving for a perfect balance of 3-4 senses must be our aim.

Source: https://www.equimdesigns.com/post/impact-of-multisensory-design-approach