Dialogue between opposites

Abstract

The value of architecture lies in our sensory perception, our experience of the space. If the space creates an awareness of the present through the sensory exchange between our body, mind, and the architecture, then it is committed to memory as a place. The perception of a space cannot be controlled by the architect, it is subjective. The architect can control the idea or philosophy of the design as well as the formal aspects such as structure, materiality, spatial organization and proportion. Through these formal aspects the architect strives to make the intention physical. Successful architecture should facilitate this sensory exchange or communication on many scales. It should speak directly to us through it's immediate physical manifestation and spatial experience as well as through it's ability to make a grander connection to it's situation. As stated in Questions of Perception- Phenomenology of Architecture, "Architecture, more fully than other art forms, engages the immediacy of our sensory perceptions. The passage of time; light, shadow, and transparency; color phenomena, texture, material, and detail all participate in the complete experience of architecture."The essence of a library is a place for introspection and study or even meditation. Therefore silence is a significant aspect of this project in regard to producing a structure that is quiet and subtle in its forms and spaces.