IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section A
Abstract
This paper investigates the potential of architecture to transcend visual dominance and adopt a multi-sensory approach to spatial design. Juhani Pallasma notes in Architecture of the Seven Senses, “The architecture of our time is turning into the retinal art of the eye.” Architecture has long prioritized vision through a phenomenon known as ocular centrism which privileges spatial interpretation through distance, depth, color, and light. Heilig’s sensory hierarchy states, 70% of our attention is focused on vision. This visual emphasis reduces the experience of the world to a series of images that shape our perception of reality. Our ongoing research critiques the ocular-centric tendencies of contemporary architecture and proposes sensory-driven interventions to deepen spatial experiences. The work of Carme Ollé, a Barcelona-based photographer with only 10% vision, influenced this project through her evocative imagery that challenges conventional perceptions of the world. Ollé’s photographs inspired the development of our project narrative. Navigating Barcelona with impaired vision, the research explores everyday urban sensory encounters to speculate on how touch, sound, and scent can redefine our connection to the built environment. Through the program of a new design school, the proposal curates a sequence that rediscovers sensory potential, punctuated with moments of ‘nothingness’—spaces for calm reflection within the amplified activity zones. Through parasitic design strategies and immersive spaces, this thesis reimagines architecture as a medium for multisensory exploration and explores representational techniques to convey design through non-visual media. Ultimately, it reflects architecture’s role in shaping environments that give form and structure to our sensory experiences.
Asfar Begum Ameerdeen is a fifth-year architecture undergraduate student at the American University of Sharjah, U.A.E. Her research and designs are based on a unique vision for the urban infrastructure of the future, considering the emotional and spiritual needs of the residents. Her motive is to balance humanity, the city, and the environment by incorporating experimental ideas, the philosophy of equity architecture, and a keen adherence to context and conditions.
Afreen Saheed, a fifth-year architecture student at the American University of Sharjah, is passionate about designing spaces that resonate with people’s lives and stories. Her work focuses on creating environments that prioritize human experiences, promote a sense of belonging, and bring communities closer together. She is particularly drawn to experiential design, crafting environments that engage the senses and leave lasting impressions. Afreen sees architecture as a way to build meaningful relationships between individuals, communities, and the spaces they call their own.
Educated at the University of Virginia and Princeton University Michael Hughes is a Professor of Architecture at the American University of Sharjah. His academic work is focused on small, unremarkable, and often forgotten places adjacent to the lives of underserved people. Located in the boundary between architecture, urbanism, and landscape his projects seek to create experiential delight out of small-scale design opportunities that augment existing infrastructures, provide pragmatic functions, promote play, and exhibit a social and environmental conscience.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Wednesday 9th July, 2025