Exposition

The Forgotten Sense : How materials evoke tactility (2025)

Mae Alderliesten
Ega Huurdeman

About this exposition

Thesis of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, 2022 MA Interior Architecture (INSIDE) The most valued value of architecture, houses, interiors today is on an aesthetic level: we appreciate what we see. That can be the shape of a building or the material used. What is missing in the discourse on (interior) architecture are the other senses while they might have more impact on the users.  I find myself adding this extra step in the process of designing a space based on the user experience. While we now look at the space with hygiene and durability in mind, I wonder how to bring along this sensations into the experience of space. And how this step can provide a comforting, healing or stimulating environment.  With a series of sense enhancing objects I would like to reintroduce tactility to spaces where there is a demand for tactility through texture, touch and sensations. Choice of materials will influence how a space is experienced which in turn could affect how users deal with their emotions. As a designer, I feel the urge to address this emphasis of material choice and in this way contribute to a sensorially fulfilling experience for the user and add this extra layer of comfort/support through an exploration of materials and textures. 
typeresearch exposition
keywordssenses, tactility, sense enhancing, materiality, Master Interior Architecture (INSIDE)
date12/10/2022
published21/05/2025
last modified21/05/2025
statuspublished
share statusprivate
affiliationThesis of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
copyrightMae Alderliesten
licenseAll rights reserved
languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1759844/1759843
published inRoyal Academy of Art, The Hague
portal issue0. Publications 2022


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