October 2015 Georgina Burns

ABSTRACT

Phenomenology, in architecture, is the theory of spatial experience through structure or form. An architect who employs this theory manipulates particular structural design elements in such a way that evokes particular emotions and senses of physical space, which ultimately influences the way one experiences the structure. Situated beneath the surface of the island of Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan, the Chichu Art Museum (2000–04), home to artworks by French Impressionist Claude Monet and American artists Walter De Maria and James Turrell, arguably demonstrates the theory of phenomenology, employing it to guide and draw its occupants into the different worlds that the artworks within this structure depict.

This essay sets out to explore Tadao Ando's manipulation of light, geometry and material within this underground art museum and identify how these phenomenological techniques influence one's spatial experience and the how they view the artwork within.

This study has been divided up into three main sections, the first being an introduction the theory of phenomenology within architecture, as well as known phenomenological architects Steven Holl and Peter Zumthor. The second part delves into the work of architect Tadao Ando and his focus on nature and light as described by Kenneth Frampton in Tadao Ando[1], from which it appears that Ando uses light as a means of guiding one throughout a building. The third part of this study will focus on an exploration of phenomenological techniques in the art museum, such as those described in Phillip Jodidio's text Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (2006)[2]; slightly rounded corners and tiny white marble tiles, and how these techniques influence the way one experiences these artworks as though they have been absorbed by them.

Phenomenology, the theory of influencing spatial experience through architectural form, lighting and material, is a theory many architects employ in order to influence the way in which one experiences their work or the meaning one may attach to it. Japanese architect Tadao Ando is prime example of one of said architects. Within his underground structure, the Chichu Art Museum (2000-2004), Ando emphasises and further explains the artworks this museum houses through phenomenological use of directional light and detailed material such a marble tile.

Part One: The theory of phenomenology and those who practice it

As human beings we experience the world around us entirely through our five senses; sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. Our senses allow us to take note of, engage with and make sense of everything around us from places to the faces of the people we meet[3]. Author Thomas Barrie references a quote by Poet Diane Ackerman,

“The senses don’t just make sense of life in bold or subtle acts of clarity, they tear reality apart into vibrant morsels and reassemble them into a meaningful pattern”.[4]

In other words while our senses allow us to understand our world they also, when engaged in certain ways and at certain times, provoke emotion or memory and can allow us to create and attach meaning.

When it comes to architecture, our senses play a very important role; they allow us to experience architectural space and structure, not only visually but on every level; physical and emotional. As Danish architect Steen Eiler Rasmussen once indicated,

“It is not enough to see architecture; you must experience it” [5].

Many architects strive to influence the way in which one experiences architectural space by manipulating particular structural elements of a building, such as lighting or geometric form, in such a way that engages particular senses and conjures up emotion or memory. This particular architectural technique or theory is known as phenomenology.

Throughout history there have been a number of architects who have specialised in the theory of phenomenology, such as Steven Holl and Peter Zumthor.

American architect Steven Holl once stated,

“Phenomenology concerns the study of essence while architectural has the potential to put essences back to existence and revitalise the essential meanings and values to human experience. By weaving form, space, and light, architecture can elevate the experience of everyday life through the various phenomena that emerge from specific sites, programs, and architecture”[6].

Holl, seemingly, believed in the bodily experience one has when taking in or moving through an architectural structure, and in such a way that it became one of the main focuses of his work. Upon discussing the phenomenological nature of Steven Holl’s work, writer Joseph Francis Wong claims Holl’s fascination with spatial experience led to his belief that the “essence” of spatial experience cannot be caught or portrayed through an image, it must be lived or experienced first-hand, one must walk through the space a certain way. Furthermore these two beliefs then led Holl to conceive architecture not just as a medium employed to fulfil certain purpose but something much more. Holl believed architecture as a means to create a link between structural form and people[7]. An example of an architectural work by Steven Holl that displays evidence of Holl’s take on phenomenology is the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art (1992-1998), located in Helsinki, Finland. The Kiasma Museum houses a large winding ramp that acts as the main point of circulation throughout the structure, connecting and allowing access to all of galleries, see Figure 1.This ramp system however is not just a point of access however, as they travel along the ramp occupants are offered multiple points of view of the space they are travelling through, the perspective of the space in front of them changes as they travel along the ramp, as mentioned by writer Scott Drake[8]. By creating this ramp Holl not only provided a means of moving about the museum but allows the occupants to see the structure “in an intriguingway”[9]. In other words this ramp plays an important role in how once experiences the structure, it deliberately acts a path in which a visual journey is provided; seemingly givingthe occupant opportunity to find their own meaning of the space. As Francis Joseph Wong indicated by quoting Steven Holl,

“Such experience, in Holl’s words, not only “sets a new frame from which we interpret what we perceive”, it also “shapes our lives”[10].

Figure 1: Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Ramp system and changing perspectives, 1992-1998, Helsinki, Sweden

Swiss architect and author Peter Zumthor, another big name in phomenolological architecture, once stated in his script Thinking Architecture,

“To me, buildings can have a beautiful silence that I associate with attributes such as composure, self-evidence, durability, presence and integrity, and with warmth and sensuousness as well: a building that is a being itself, being a building, not representing anything, just being”[11]

Zumthor, it would seem, believed in designing a building to create meaning and emphasise spatial experience, much like Steven Holl. Further on the subject of a building and the phenomenological traits aforementioned Zumthor stated,

“The sense that I try to instil into materials is beyond all rules of composition, and their tangibility, smell and acoustic qualities are merely elements of the language were are obliged to use. Sense emerges when I succeed in bringing out the specific meanings of certain materials in my buildings, meanings that can only be perceived in just this way in this one building”[12]..

In other words Zumthor strived to use materials not only because they looked appealing or served a functional purpose but to engage in the bodily senses in such a way that meant something to those who entered. An example of Zumthor’s phenomenological use of material, along with other techniques that influence spatial experience, is present within the Thermal Baths at Vals (1996) in Switzerland. Heavy slabs of textured stone make up the walls of the Thermal Baths, with bright lighting fixtures placed at random intervals that bathe these walls in tones of orange and yellow, more lighting fixtures placed under the water of each bathing pool sends cool reflective tones up to the stone ceiling, slowly shimmering across it. All of these materials and features, seen in Figure 2, seemingly sooths the occupants and the lack of harsh light alongside the echoes created by footsteps bouncing off of the stone walls as the occupant moves about the space creates a sort of existential spatial experience, as explained by Michael Kimmelman in his article ‘The Ascension of Peter Zumthor’[13]. Occupants, when moving about theThermal Baths, are not inhabiting an ordinary spa built for the purpose of relaxing or washing themselves clean but a spa constructed to reflect, recall and emphasize the ritual of bathing. As Peter Zumthor once stated,“It's not about lap pools and slides and gadgets. It is about what happens inside, the bathing, oriented toward the ritual, as if in the Orient. It's about water and stone and light and sound and shadow”[14].

Figure 2: Thermal Baths at Vals, Interior View, 1996, Vals, Switzerland

Part Two: Tadao Ando and phenomenological architecture

While Steven Holl and Peter Zumthor became known practitioners of phenomenological architecture in the western world, in the east another architect was fast becoming another well-known name in the field of phenomenology, Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Born in Osaka, Japan in 1941, Tadao Ando never attended any school in order to gain his skills, Ando was a self-taught architect who first became well-known for the Row House (1976)[15], a box-like concrete structure that seemingly is a different take on a ‘house’, considering the wooden houses that surround this structure. Eventually Ando began to practice and experiment with phenomenology, according to Richard Weston, in practicing phenomenology,

“Tadao Ando draws on the traditional ideas about bodily experience to place a similar emphasis (to that of Steven Holl and Peter Zumthor) on the quality of light and tactility of surfaces”[16]

In other words, in the phenomenological works produced by Tadao Ando, Ando focused on influencing the experience one has when moving about these structures by manipulating light and employing the use of particular material. Examples of Ando’s phenomenological use of lighting are particularly evident within the Church of Light (1988-1989). Located in Ibaraki, Japan the Church of Light is a cubic concrete structure with a section cut out in the walls, in order to let light in..

Figure 3: Church of Light, Interior View, 1988-1989, Ibaraki, Japan

Seen in Figure 3, the section taken out of the wall is in the shape of a very large cross, a sacred symbol in a number of religions, which takes up an entire wall and is seemingly the one of the only sources of light illuminating the dark interior of the chapel. This light source appears to be a focal point while everything else within the interior, such as the dark wooden pews and plain concrete walls, fades into the background, emphasizing the spiritual nature and sacredness of this place of worship to those who enter. As Ando himself once said, describing the Church of Light as,

“A place where he has sought to create a ‘shelter for the spirit’ born of a ‘quest for the relation between light and shadow’”[17].

Therefore ultimately the meaning one may find within the space is influenced by the architect’s hand, a phenomenological trait. Furthermore personal observation of the space leads to the suggestion that this manipulation of light by Ando also makes it seem as though the light is coming from a higher power and guides one towards the altar, towards spirituality.

An example of Tadao Ando’s phenomenological use of material is evident within the Museum of Wood (1993-1994). Located in Hyogo, Japan, Ando constructed this museum in commemoration of forty-five years since the destruction of Japan’s forests during World WarII. Circular in plan and standing at 18 meters high, this structure constructed of wooden pillars and beams with an interior ramp and bridge that cuts through its middle, on display inside are itemsrelated to forest culture[18], see Figure 4. It is Ando’s use of timber to construct what seemingly resembles a temple that is argumentatively phenomenological. According to Francesco Dal Co visitors can,

“Experience both the profound wealth of the forest and, in the powerful space produced by the building, a recreation of the human culture nourished by that wealth”[19].

Figure 4: Museum of Wood, Site View, 1993-1994, Hyogo, Japan

In other words the Museum of Wood is seemingly a perfect representation of what a forest can provide the human race, a solid and aesthetically pleasing temple-like structure, as has been mentioned,

“The building gives the impression of a temple, a place for meditation and contemplation where the "poetic" construction of space and relationships between buildings and landscape, between the manmade and the natural”[20].

The Museum of Wood pays homage to the forest that surrounds it by being of the same material found within said forest, emphasizing to the occupants the reason behind its construction. If the Museum of Wood was constructed primarily of concrete perhaps the occupants would think of and view the structure differently, a concrete structure does not exactly pay homage to an organic forest, therefore it would seem Ando’s use of timber was a deliberate move in regards to how one experiences the occupant.

One of Tadao Ando more recent works, the Chichu Art Museum (2000-2004), is arguably another excellent example of Ando’s exploration of the theory of phenomenology and lighting. Located beneath the surface of the island of Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan this large underground concrete structure consists of long passageways that lead to a number of chambers, with light penetrating the building via deep geometrical cut outs in the earth that form courtyards. Upon observing these passageways and courtyards Tadao Ando’s phenomenological use of light once again is apparent, with slim cut-outs running along the length of entire hallways drawing in light from the courtyards outside as narrow beams, as seen in Figure 5. Personal observation of the space have led to the belief that this particular use of light is a deliberate move by Tadao Ando to make occupants who walk these passageways feel as though the light is leading them somewhere, that the light is a beacon of some sort beckoning them to move forward through the space, see Figure 6 and 7. As explained by writer Naomi Pollock,

“The architect bound the galleries together with a labyrinthine sequence of spaces-- light and dark, open and closed--serving as both passage and destination”[21].

Figure 5: The Chichu Art Museum Courtyard

Further adding to the unique experience provided by the hallways of the Chichu Art museum is the tilted nature of the walls, on this Ando one stated,

“The aim was to give the visitors the feeling that they are going into the earth, perhaps to its very centre”[22].

Figure 6: The Chichu Art Museum, Personal sectional drawing of lighting entry, 2000-2004, Naoshima, Japan

Figure 7: The Chichu Art Museum, Personal diagram of hallway interior, 2000-2004, Naoshima, Japan

In short it would appear that the light and tilted walls of the Chichu Art Museum influences the way in which once treats or experiences the passageway space, a phenomenological trait.

Part Three: Phenomenology and the artworks within the Chichu Art Museum

It is not just clever uses of light in uniquely constructed hallways that make Ando’s Chichu Art Museum and excellent example of phenomenology however, but also the

nature of its chambers. Within these chambers the Chichu Art Museum houses a number of very particular artworks, some by well-known French Impressionist Claude Monet and others by two American artists from California, Walter De Maria and James Turrell, both known for their works based on earth and light”[23].

Figure 8: The Chichu Art Museum, Interior of Claude Monet gallery, 2000-2004, Naoshima, Japan

The Claude Monet chamber, located second farthest away from the entrance to the museum, houses a work named ‘Water Lily Pond’

(1915-1926), a six meter long work by Monet that occupies almost the entire length of the back wall. However it is not just the artwork alone that makes this room interesting, but the particular use of materials and lighting as well. Upon entering the Monet chamber occupants are greeted by the sight of a room with curved corners bathed in natural light filters in through an overhead skylight, and a floor space made up of thousands of tiny white marble tiles, as seen in Figure 8. When asked why he chose this particular material solution for the floor of the Monet chamber Tadao Ando stated,

“By making the cubes as small as possible, a finer texture was obtained that reminded me of the touches of paint in works by Monet”[24].

And on the subject of the curved corners of this space, author Philip Jordidio states that Yuji Akimoto, the museum director, felt,

“That it permitted a view of the works undisturbed by sharp and angles”[25].

Therefore it would seem that Ando chose the specific architectural solutions aforementioned in order to emphasize Claude Monet’s artworks housed within the Monet chamber. By employing these techniques Ando ensures that those who enter this space are consumed by ‘Water Lily Pond’, and everything about the space is an architectural reflection of what is depicted in the painting; the small tiles reflect the small flecks of paint and the natural light let in through the skylight reflects the lighting

Monet tried to capture within the painting, furthermore nothing disturbs the occupant’s view of these works, their spatial experience is all about ‘Water Lily Pond’.

Tadao Ando uses similar material and lighting techniques within the James Turrell Galleries. Located off to the left of the museum these galleries house three different works by artists James Turrell, one in particular is ‘Open Field’ (2000), a lighting piece that requires visitors to walk up a set of stairs in order to view the piece correctly. According to Philip Jordidio,

“‘Open Field’ again gives nothing so much as the impression of being confronted with infinity”[26].

Figure 9: The Chichu Art Museum, Interior of James Turrell gallery, 2000-2004, Naoshima, Japan

Personal observation of this space, displayed in Figure 9, the deep bluish-purple of the screen seems to go on forever, nothing in the square breaks the eyes line of sight. Emphasis on the infinite blue screen is seemingly placed through Ando’s decision to have the gallery walls as plain and as smooth as possible, so nothing draws the eye away from Turrell’s work, even the light surrounding the artwork is very dim. Therefore the space is all about the artwork, Ando influences occupants to look only at ‘Open Field’, ultimately controlling how they behave in the space and how they choose to experience it.

Figure 10: The Chichu Art Museum, Interior of Walter De Maria gallery, 2000-2004, Naoshima, Japan

It can also be suggested that Ando employed phenomenology not just to emphasize the meanings behind the artworks housed within the Chichu Art Museum but to also links between art and architecture. One of the first chambers occupants are given the chance to view within the Chichu Art Museum is the Walter De Maria gallery, home of De Maria’s ‘Time/Timeless/NoTime’ (2004) artwork, refer to Figure 10. Said to be an almost perfect example of collaboration between artist; De Maria, architect; Ando and director; Yuji Akimoto[27], the De Maria gallery, upon personal observation, appears to work with the artwork inside rather than highlight of place it on a pedestal or exhibit it like some sort of showcase. For example, as Figure 10 shows the artwork is surrounded by plain concrete that does not take away from the sphere in the middle. As Philip Jordidio once wrote,

“’Time/Timeless/No Time’ is purely static, but the implied instability of the granite sphere, together with the changing natural light (there is no artificial light in the space) give it constantly changing aspect. The massive sphere is the focal point of the gallery, drawing light and energy to itself like the dark collapsing stars of astronomy”[28].

Therefore it can be suggested that through careful selection of material, light and placement of the artwork in collaboration with De Maria, Ando portrays to the audience the link between art and architecture, attaching and influencing the meaning of the space, a phenomenological trait. As has been mentioned by Jordidio, on the subject of those who visit the De Maria gallery,

“To be reminded nonetheless that history, art, architecture and nature are so deeply linked as to be inseparable”[29].

It is apparent that, upon observation, Tadao Ando employs the theory of phenomenology in his manipulation of light and a particular choice of material. In the case of the Chichu Art Museum Ando’s use of directional light and material make the space within all about the artworks the museum houses, occupants are consumed by them. In some cases such as James Turrell’s ‘Open Field’, Ando is even able to assist in conveying the overall meaning of the artwork, the gallery appears in infinite and this idea is not obstructed by bright walls or flooring but rather emphasised by plain material that fades into the background.

1Kenneth Frampton, Tadao Ando (New York, USA: The Museum of Modern Art, 1991), p. 8-21

2 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006), p. 36-37

3 Thomas Barrie, The Sacred In-Between; The Mediating Roles of Architecture (Oxon, UK: Routledge, 2010)

4 Ibid, p. 14

5 Steen Eiler Rasmussen, Experiencing Architecture (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1959), p. 33

6 Steven Holl, Intertwining (New York, USA: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996), p. 11

7 Joseph Francis Wong, “The script of viscosity: the phenomenal experience in Steven Holl’s museum architecture”, The Journal of Architecture, vol. 17, (2012): p. 273-292, doi: 10.1080/13602365.2012.678646

8 Scott Drake, “The ‘Chiasm’ and the Experience of Space; Steven Holl’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki”,

The Journal of Architectural Education, vol. 59 (2005): p. 53-59, doi: 10.1111/j.1531-314X.2005.00016.x

9 Joseph Francis Wong, “The script of viscosity: the phenomenal experience in Steven Holl’s museum architecture”, The Journal of Architecture, vol. 17 (2012): p. 273-292, doi: 10.1080/13602365.2012.678646

10 Ibid, pg. 276

11 Peter Zumthor, Thinking Architecture (Basel, Switzerland: Birkhä user, 2006), p. 32

12 Ibid, pg. 10

13 Peter Kimmelman, “The Ascension of Peter Zumthor”, New York Times Magazine, march 13 (2011): 32-39, http://search.proquest.com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/docview/857515725?OpenUrlRefId=info:xri/sid:primo

&accountid=14649

14 Ibid.

15 Kenneth Frampton, Tadao Ando (New York, USA: The Museum of Modern Art, 1991)

16 Richard Weston, 100 Ideas that changed Architecture (London, UK: Lawrence King Publishing, 2011), pg. 180

17 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006), pg. 13

18 Francesco Dal Co, Tadao Ando; Complete Works (London, UK: Phaidon Press Limited, 1994), pg. 428

19 Francesco Dal Co, Tadao Ando; Complete Works (London, UK: Phaidon Press Limited, 1994), pg. 428

20 ‘Tadao Ando. Museum of Wood. Mikat from hallway interior, 2000-2004, Naoshima, a-gun Forest’, Floornature, accessed 12 October, 2015, Japan:

http://www.floornature.com/projects-learning/project-tadao-ando-museum-of-wood-mikata-gun-forest- 4816/

21 Naomi R. Pollock, ‘Tadao Ando buries his architecture at the at the Chichu art Museum so only the voids emerge from the earth’, Architectural Record, vol. 193, issue 10 (2005): 116-123, EBSCOhost (accessed 20th October, 2015)

22 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006), pg. 33

23 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006)

24 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006), pg. 36

25 Ibid

26 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006), pg. 36

27 Ibid, pg. 34

28 Phillip Jodidio, Tadao Ando and Naoshima; Art, Architecture and Design (New York, USA: Rizzoli International Publications, 2006), pg. 35

29 Ibid

BIBLIOGRPAHY

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