Materiality, Space and Experience aims to introduce students to the sensory, spatial and material dimensions of architecture. The module explores how environments are perceived,inhabited and understood through the interaction of body, space and materiality, encouraging students to develop an awareness of architecture as both a physical and experiential condition.Through observation, experimentation and making, students investigate how spatial qualities,material properties and environmental conditions contribute to the character and meaning of architectural environments. The module concentrates on four interconnected aspects: • Understanding space: To explore how spatial organisation, scale, movement and enclosure influence human experience. • Understanding materiality: To investigate the physical, sensory and expressive qualities of materials. • Understanding experience: To examine how perception, atmosphere and environmental conditions shape the relationship between people and architecture. • Understanding through making: To develop exploratory approaches to learning through material, spatial and experiential investigations.
A Identify and describe fundamental spatial, material and environmental qualities of architectural environments. B Analyse how space, materiality and sensory perception influence human experience and behaviour. C Apply basic methods of material and spatial investigation through observation, experimentation and making. D Communicate spatial, material and experiential qualities through appropriate visual, physical and verbal forms. E Reflect on the role of materiality, space and experience in architectural thinking and their relevance to future architectural study and practice.
The module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars incorporating workshops and studio-based activities. Lectures introduce key concepts related to space, materiality, perception and architectural experience, providing students with a foundation for understanding how architecture is encountered through the senses, the body and the environment. Drawing upon examples from architecture, art and the built environment,lectures encourage students to examine the relationships between material qualities, spatial conditions and human experience. Seminars and studio-based activities promote active learning through observation, material investigations, spatial experiments and hands-on activities. Students are encouraged to explore how materials, light, scale, texture and environmental conditions influence the perception and character of architectural spaces. Through hands-on experimentation and critical reflection, students develop an understanding of architecture as both a physical and experiential phenomenon. Students receive formative feedback throughout the module through interim studio tutorials, workshop discussions, peer review activities and tutor-led studio reviews. These opportunities enable students to refine their material investigations and spatial studies prior to submission of the Material and Spatial Investigation Portfolio, fostering spatial awareness, material literacy and the foundational skills required for further architectural study.