KOLA: January 2012

From Bartlett School of Architecture :

"Space, as experienced emotionally, is not isotropic. Through processes of mental projection
and association that are deeply rooted in the collective unconscious and the individual psyche,
different attributes of space, both within nature and in man-made environments, are invested with
psychological connotations that are not intrinsic to them but have a profound effect on us.

We can be deeply moved by space. Different psychoanalytical theories propose various analogies
between the structure of the psyche and the structure of space, but associations are not stable.
They vary from individual to individual and they are open to interpretation and creative license:
it may well be the case that dark underground spaces release unconscious fears in most people while
bright elevated spaces are more likely to trigger feelings of relief and elation, but it is up to us as
designers to challenge conventional associations and archetypal symbolism, play with them, reverse
them if we wish, as Hitchcock does, and invent our own.

Architecture is therefore immersed in a spatial milieu that is not psychological neutral but loaded
a-priori with emotional content. To the contextual "emotional landscape" of the physical
environment in which they are set, individual buildings add, intentionally or not, their own
'psychospace'. Strangely, architects are usually reluctant to engage with the psychological dimension
of space and seldom design buildings with the deliberate intention of provoking and manipulating
emotions, while poets, writers and artists, particularly theatre and film directors, will unashamedly
spin narratives aiming to resonate, intellectually and emotionally, with the reader and the audience,
Actors provoke emotional responses: can a building, in this sense, "act"? Can it seem to be plotting
some action? Can it project it's own sense of being, its personality, agenda, ambition? Can it play
with you? Can it mess up your mind, send you off on the wrong track? Does it enhance your feelings
or reject them, rather than remaining indifferent and leaving you indifferent? Is this the next
mutation in the evolution of architecture, a sentient extension of biomorphism into the fascinating
realm of artificial intelligence and personality? These are some of the questions psychospace subject
matter encourages you to ask.

The brief is to design an environment that induces a strong psychological reaction: agoraphobia,
claustrophobia, fear, panic, anger, aggression, irritation, impatience, surprise, wonder, curiosity,
amusement, suspense, desire, delight, happiness, wellbeing, love, tenderness, ecstasy, etc...
You are to use dramatically the whole palette of physical means that are at your disposal
as designers in order to affect the observer's senses and mind: sight, sound, touch, etc...
Your design can concentrate on one emotion or play on a range of complementary or contrasting
emotions. The psychological intent can be outrageously explicit or subliminal, as long as the project
does not exhibit emotional complacency. It should not be numbing and insipid, as most buildings
are. It should be singular, intellectually stimulating and create a new emotional landscape within the
city. It should be, as Baudrillard calls it, a "Monster". It should fire things up, capitalise on the fact
that the observer's mind lies "on the edge of chaos", in a fluid state of expectation, prepared to
experience emotions never felt before, willing to be disturbed.

You are free to define your own programme. It could be anything, as big or small as you want,
functionally as complex or simple as you may wish, as architectural - in the conventional sense - or
non-architectural as you may desire. The field trip will be to Barcelona. Within the city, you can
choose whatever site you want, to suit your chosen functional programme, your design purpose and
dramatic intent. We will go there early in term 1, so that you can immediately get a feel for the pulse
of the city; it is close enough for you to return there later on, if you so wish, to fine tune your
perception and sharpen your aim.

At the very beginning of the year, you will be expected to come up with an initial design for a
device/installation/event/performance that explores an emotion (or a range of emotions) and
provokes a strong reaction from the observer, an instinctive response. You have to touch the nerves,
get a knee-jerk response: tears, laughter, fright, repulsion, aggression, sexual interest, curiosity,
whatever. After this initial teaser, you will move on to the main design project, which will be a
mutation of the original proposition, exploring further the psychological realm touched upon in the
initial experiment or exploring new ground, as you wish.

The ultimate aim of this brief is to challenge you to reconcile the "reality principle" of developing a
finely tuned project with the "pleasure principle" of giving free reign to your unconscious desires in
conceiving a singular vision of an emotionally striking psychospace."