Architectural computation of spatial dynamics

In the current era, digital technology is ubiquitous throughout diverse aspects of architecture. This omnipresent condition undermines spatial discourse despite engaging with ample discussion concerning formal approaches. The research acknowledges that space and form in architectural experience are inextricably intertwined and should therefore be considered as such. In order to frame the discursive context, the thesis traces the development of an architectural understanding of experiential space through interrelations of aesthetic (bodily), spatial, and formal (geometric and topological) dynamics. The architectural understanding builds upon the conception of experiential space as field structures; the conception involves the three aforementioned dynamics and is conceptually interlinked with computational discourse in architecture. The research proposes systematic inquiries into aesthetic aspects of experiential space through a mixed-research strategy: designing a computational framework for spatial information construction and perceptual comparative analyses of the information. The computational framework in the thesis maps and visualises structural changes of experiential space as dynamic field structures, rendering abstract spatial information more tangible. Three study cases are presented showcasing the operations and behaviours of the computational framework. For each study case, the mapping results are also analysed in comparison to the existing body of architectural literature, including diverse written accounts of architectural experience based on phenomenological approaches. The comparative analyses of the study cases suggest that some qualitative descriptions of architectural spatial aesthetics can be constructed through digital computation, where resulting digital spatial information can be visually communicated. The thesis also discusses potentials and implications of the computational approach introduced in the thesis, particularly in relation to digital spatial information, digital media as cognitive extension, and digital tectonics.