ResidualAmbiances–AnIllustrationofUrbanHeritageasaSentientExperience

ValérieMace

UniversityoftheArtsLondon,UnitedKingdom,v.mace@lcc.arts.ac.uk

Abstract.Oururbanheritageincorporatesmanyinstancesofabandonedbuildings awaiting rescue, where residual fragments of past occupanciesprovideastage foran immersive journey into theambianceof the interioracross past and present thresholds. Accordingly, this project illustrates aunique perceptual encounter between the abandoned interior of PoplarBaths in Londonand theauthor,while subsequently, theemotiveaffectofthesentientexperienceissynthesisedintoaperformedscenographicnarra-tive. The interest of theproject lies in its ability to articulate how sentientexperiencesactivateadeepempatheticconnectionbetweenbodyandspaceinthecontextofurbanheritage.

Keywords:urbanheritage,sentient,experience,emotion,body,space

ResidualAmbiances‘Allbuildingsare,moreorless,psychologicalentities-projections,even.Theyareexpressionsofideas,skeletonsonwhichwehangnotionsofself,society,status,heritage,value…Buildingsarenotmerelythere,ascoordinatesofspaceandtime;buildingslivemostpowerfullyinthemindandweconstantlyprocessthem,assimi-lateanddigestthem,reimaginethem’(Littlefield,2007).

IntroductionLittlefieldtellsusthatbuildingsaremuchmorethanacompositionofconstructionmaterials,volumesandforms.Hehighlightsthesignificanceoftheinterdependencebetweenbodyandspace,thewayweprojectourselvesontothespacesweoccupyandtheiraffective influenceonthemind.Thus,perceptionsemerge inthecontextofbody-spaceencounters.PhenomenologistMerleau-Ponty(1945)andProfessorofPhilosophyMorris (2004) draw attention to the sentient nature of bodily percep-tions.Theyalsoemphasisethedynamicnatureofperceptionsastheyarise ‘withinmovement that crosses body andworld’ (Morris, 2004). Accordingly, as wemovethroughspace,weareinconstantdialoguewithourenvironmentandthisdialogueis undeniably sentient.Our experience of space is governed by sensory bodily en-gagements,and,asthefeelingofabuildingunravelsitselftothesentientbody,ourexperiencesare shaped,at least inpart,by thesubjectiveworld. Indeed,we learnlessaboutwhatspacesmeantouswhentheyareobservedfromapurelyobjectiveperspective. We may know construction materials, we may be familiar with theinteriorlayout.Althoughthisinformationisuseful,itlacksthemeaningfuldimensionthatarisesfromperceptions.Itdoesn’ttelluswhatitfeelsliketobeinthespaceor

what thespacemayrevealabout itself. ‘Buildingsspeak -andontopicswhichcanreadily be discerned. They speak of democracy or aristocracy, openness or arro-gance,welcomeorthreat,asympathyforthefutureorahankeringforthepast’(deBotton,2006).Inordertohearbuildingswemustreachoutthroughthemorecom-plexworldof subjectivityandactively immerseourselves into theirambiance, intothe richness of perceptual narratives associated with experiences, emotions andimagination.Accordingly, thisproject ispresentedasasentient jouney thatarticu-lates perceptions of subjective experiences, and invites a deep emotional engage-mentwiththeambianceofurbanheritageacrosspastandpresentthresholds.

ProjectSitePoplarBaths is locatedonEast IndiaDockRoad in theBoroughofTowerHamlets,London.Thesiteofpublicbathssince1852,thecurrentbuildingdatesfrom1933.Itwasusedasaswimmingpool,publicbathsandvapourbaths,andtransformedintoatheatre,dancehall,cinemaandexhibitionhallinWinterwhenthemainpoolwasflooredover.ThebuildingsustainedsubstantialbombdamageduringWorldWarIIandremainedcloseduntil1947.Followingextensiverepairsitreopenedtorenewedpopularity,however,lackoffundingcombinedwithchangesintheareaandleisurepursuitsresultedinthefacilitiespermanentlyclosingin1988.

Figure1.ViewofthebuildingfromEastIndiaDockRoad

The abandoned building fell into disrepair, its original interior badly damagedthroughacombinationofneglectandhuman intrusions.Consideredat risk, itwaslistedasGradeIIbyEnglishHeritagein20011whilemorerecently,itwasannouncedthat itwouldberestoredintoa leisurecomplex.Therefore,asitevisit, initiatedbythe course team of the MA Interior Design at the University of Westminster inLondon,wasanopportunity toexperience thebuilding in itsabandonedconditionbefore it was transformed. The visit was conducted with only limited previousknowledgeofthebuildinganditshistoryinordertomaintainaspontaneousagencybetween body and space, and to experience a genuine emotional response to its

1.https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1334939

ambiance.Therefore,thesitevisitbecameaconduitforasentientenquiryintothedynamicatmosphericinterplaybetweenbody,spaceandtime.

At first glance, the interiorpresents itself to theobjectivemindasa successionofroomsandcorridorswithblisteringpaint,debrisofglassandfallenplaster,dirt,dustandrustedmetal.Ithasclearlybeenneglected,evenabused,assomeofthedamageand graffiti would suggest, for a number of years. Dreary peeling wallpaper andcheapimitationwoodlaminatesshowthatpreviousattemptsatrenovationhaven’tbeenkindtotheinterioreither.Yet,amongstthedecayanddirt,orpossiblybecauseofit,thesensitivityofthemindtothepervasiveambianceseemstointensify.Detailspresentthemselves.Thebuilding’sremainingoriginalArtDecofeatures-anelegantbevelled ceiling, slate blue tiles, black and chrome edging,mosaic floor tiles - areprogressivelyrevealedasthebodymovesthroughtheinterior,anditbecomespos-sibletoimaginewhatitmusthavebeenlikeinitsheyday.Inimagination,theinteri-or becomes imbuedwith diffused notions of past occupancies - excited groups ofchildrenpouringthroughtheentrance,peopleenjoyingafewmomentsofrestora-tive care in thevapourbaths, joyful coupleseager towarmupon thedance floorduringthecoldwinterevenings.Suddenly,adimlylitpassageopensupontoalargerectangularvolumeframedbyaseriesofstrikinghyperbolicarchesflankedbycas-cadingwindows.Thisunexpectedrevelationusedtobethemainswimmingpool.

Figure2.Viewoftheabandonedswimmingpool

In sharp contrast to the dark and dusty corridors, it appearsmajestic andserene,bathedinsoothingsunlight.Evendecayhasitsownkindofbeauty.Walkingatthebottomofaswimmingpoolfeelsoddandit’salmostasifonecan imagineghost like figuresofswimmersmoving throughthewater.Thetemporality of the situation, the residual qualities that emanate from thespace and its features, induce sensory perceptions that resonate acrossspaceandtimeasimaginationreachesintothedepthofconsciousness.

SentientExperienceAs residues of the past embodied by architectural features, objects, dust and air,

merge with present conditions, the subjective world fluctuates across space andtime. Diffused reflections, akin to a form of atmospheric resonance, an echoethrough space and, in this instance, also time, emanate from the perceived ambi-anceoftheinterior.Wecanthereforeconsiderthattheinteriorretainstracesfromitspreviousoccupants.‘All inhabitedspacesbecomeloadedwithbiologicaldebris-thedustofflakingskin,thehair,theexhaledair,thehumidity,heatandbodilyfluidsthatgetleftbehindbygenerationsofoccupantscanonlycombinetoformapeculi-arlyhumantrace.Andthisisatrace,onewhichfadesgentlyovertime,thatissurelydetectablebyothersfromthespecies’(Littlefield,2007).Theensuingresidualambi-ancesfacilitatetheformationofmental imagesofthebuilding’spast,notfantasiesbut imagined reconstructions, as themindbecomes emotionally connected to thebuilding.Morris (2004) alsoexplains that ‘[t]hedynamicsofperception […] are in-trinsic to the situation of perception, and can differ across individuals, habits andsocial settings’,which suggests that theoutcomeof the sentientexperience isde-pendentonthemind’sownrecollectionsandsubjectivity.‘Abuilding’svoicecanbevery potent, but it is ultimately the inner voice you are hearing - your own voice’(Tavenor,2007citedinLittlefield,2007).Experiencingtheambianceofabuildingistherefore unique to the person, event and time. Hence, the rationale of Malpas(1999)onthemultiplicityofnarrativesalsoapplieshere,notonlytoexperiencesbutalsoemotions,and the sentientnarrative structure recorded in thisproject isonlyonepossiblevariation.

Sofarinthejourney,theambiancethatemanatedfromthedecayandneglectintheabandonedinteriorprovokedanfeelingofrelativedespondency.Thiswashoweverfollowedby a feeling of optimism, brought about by the sudden revelationof themain swimming pool. The next episode in the sentient journey illustrates furtherlayersofemotionalencounterswith the space.The site visitwasorganisedwithagroupofstudentsand,afterventuring intothedepththebuilding, Isuddenlyreal-isedthatIwasalone.Iquicklyretracedmystepsandcameacrossasetofstairs,andtomy left, a badly damaged corridor entirely coveredwith a dark, seemingly bot-tomless,poolofwater.NotaspaceIwantedtoexplorethoughIdidn’tknowwhichway to go to rejoin the group. The uncertainty of the situation was temporarilyalleviatedwhenIheardthevoicesofwhatIassumedtobethepeopleIcamewith.However,thisfeelingwasquicklyfollowedbyasenseofdreadwhenIrealisedthatthe voiceswere irrationally reverberating across the tiled surfacesof the staircaseand,moreworryingly,corridor.Theyseemedtobecomingfromdifferentdirectionsallatonce.Ifelttrulylostandsensedachillinthebuilding’sambiance.Werethosethevoicesof thegrouporwas thebuildingplaying tricksonme?Then, clarityab-ruptlyreturned.Withasenseofrelief,Iwasabletolocatethesourceofthevoiceswithabsolutecertainty.

Interestingly,andalthoughtheeventonly lastedforabriefmoment,withthisam-biguousandunsettlingexperiencecamethe realisation that thebuilding itselfwaslost. The juxtaposition of residual ambianceswith the reality of the abandonmentanddecay createdadisplacement in the structureof theperceptualnarratives. Inconsciousness,thedisplacementofthesentientexperiencethroughtimeconnectedpresentandpast,realandimaginary.Sartre(1948)tellusthat‘[t]hetwoworlds,realandimaginary,arecomposedofthesameobjects,onlythegroupingandinterpreta-

tionsoftheseobjectsvaries.Whatdefinestheimaginaryworldandalsotheworldoftherealisanattitudetoconsciousness’(citedinPallasmaa,2011).Itisthereforeinconsciousness that the affect of residual ambiances occurred. Space andbodybe-came intertwinedthroughperceptualnarrativesandcorrespondingemotionalpro-jections.Inthisinstance,theexperiencesthatoccurredduringthesitevisitinstilledanempatheticconnectiontowardstheinteriorand,asempathy‘isonlypossibleontheassumptionthatwealreadygrasptheexistenceofthosewithwhomweempa-thise’(Malpas,1999),anabilitytoperceivethroughthebuildingitself.

ScenographyFollowingthevisit,theemotionalinterplaybetweenbody,spaceandtimewasmadeintoaoneminutefilm.Setinastudio,theperformancetitled‘LostTimes-ResidualAmbiances’2was initiallymappedacrossaseriesofdiagrammaticdrawingsto illus-tratethesequenceandtempoofmovement.

Figure3.Slidesfromtheperformance

Theperformerworeanoriginal1930’swoman’sdinnerjacketwithabadlydamagedliningasan imageof theoncebeautifulbutdecaying interior. Thus theperformerbecamethebuilding.Theinteriorofthepresentwasrepresentedbyaprojectionofoneof the roomson thewall of the studioand the interiorof thepastbya chaircoveredwith awhite sheet. The chair suggestswaitingwhile the sheet eliminatestracesofany former identity.Theperformer,sittingonthechair, slowlystandsupandstartswalkingaimlesslyacrosstheroom.Thebuildingislost,damaged,neglect-ed. Themood is downcast. Suddenly, the sound of voices permeates the interior,echoing across its surfaces, and, in hope, the performer tries to locate its source,twistingand turning franticallyacross the room.Thesoundstopsabruptlyand theperformer slowsdown. Themood shiftsback todowncast. The scenography is re-peatedacrossfourrecurringsequencestosuggestthepassageoftimewhileinthefilm,imagesofthedamagedinteriorfadeinandoutatirregularintervalstointensifythefeelingofuncertaintygeneratedbyfluctuationsinatmosphericresonance.Final-ly, theperformer returns toasittingposition to remindus that thebuilding is stillwaiting.

2.https://vimeo.com/161299058

ConclusionThisprojecttellsastory.Thestoryofaperceptualjourneyframedasasentientandemotionalencounterbetween theabandoned interiorofPoplarBathsand theau-thor.Itispersonalandsubjective,anartisticrenditionofanevent.Nonetheless,asthe journey through the interior progressively reveals an environment that reso-nateswithresiduesof itspast, thesentientexperiencehighlights the interdepend-encebetweenbodyandspace,subjectandobject,asitmanifestsitselfinconscious-ness and, in the convergent ambiances of the imagined and the real, produces adeep emotional engagement. These events highlight the significant potency of abuilding’sambiance inthecontextofurbanheritage,andpointstopossibilities forconsidering‘theperceivedspaceasweexperienceitbeforeobjectifyingit’(Morris,2004), an interesting proposition when contemplating building transformations.Hence,asacomplementtothetraditionalobjectivesitevisit,itisworthtakingtimetoalsoexploreabuildingfromtheperspectiveofsubjectiveencounters,openingthemind to sentient narratives perceived through residual ambiances. Time cannotstand still and transformationsareoftenmuchneeded,however, it ispertinent toretainadegreeofsensitivitytotheoriginalambianceofabuildinginordertonur-tureinterrelateddynamicsbetweenbodyandspace,andenrichthesubjectiveexpe-riencesoffutureoccupants.

ReferencesDeBotton,A.(2006)TheArchitectureofHappiness,2007ed.London,PenguinLittlefield,D.&Lewis,S.(2007)ArchitecturalVoices.ListeningtoOldBuildings,Chichester,JohnWiley&SonsMalpas,J.E.(1999)PlaceandExperience.APhilosophicalTopography,2007ed.Cambridge,CambridgeUniversityPressMerleau-Ponty,M.(1945)PhenomenologyofPerception,2012ed.Abingdon,Oxon,RoutledgeMorris,D.(2004)TheSenseofSpace,Albany,StateUniversityofNewYorkPressSartre,J.P.(1948)ThePsychologyofImagination,inPallasmaa,J.(2011)TheEmbodiedImage.ImaginationandImageryinArchitectureChichester,JohnWiley&SonsLtd,p.33

AuthorsValérieMaceisCourseLeaderandSeniorLecturerinSpatialDesignattheUniversityof the Arts London, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Grounded inarchitectural spaces, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside whileretaining an interior perspective, her work centres on sensing, am-biance/atmosphere,andwaystoenrichsubjectiveexperiences.