ARCHITECTURE THROUGH COGNITIVE MAPPING

Capturing and defining the experienced atmosphere

Ebu Bayram (4762150)

Heritage and Architecture Graduation Studio – ‘Adapting 20C Heritage’
“A denser village”
I INTRODUCTION
Behind every architectural design, there is a hidden research process that has led to why that building
eventually became that building. In order to realize a good design process, research is of great
importance. Nowadays, many architects take a passive attitude regarding the analysis phase of the
design process, partly due to the lack of awareness. Architects often run into the lamp in the research
process by choosing a certain research method without knowing the purpose and the methods well.
The research method dictates the course of the project and how the research question is formed, thus
it is extremely important for the architect to be aware of the problems he is facing and adopting his
methodology accordingly, as Ray Lucas substantiates, knowledge of the method is essential which
assembles the activities such as collected data, analysis and the presentation of results 1. Needless to
say, research and design are intertwined, however not always equally important. When the design
stagnates, architects need to sort to research to find a solution to the problem, while at the same time
the design process opens doors for the research process in finding the right research method.
I was inspired trough the discussion on the multiple research methods whereby people will gain their
own inspiration in architectural research, which leads to a better focus and quality of the design
project. Additionally, the learning of the various research methods has shown that there is no singular
approach, but instead, various methods in dealing with architectural problems.
For me, the methodology of spatial narratives is the most interesting method for my heritage
graduation studios, in understanding the relationship between people and the urban environment.

The studio of Adapting 20C Heritage concerns the problem of densification of the new land of
the Flevopolder in the Netherlands. Our project encompasses the neighbourhood De Werven and the
centre, in the district of Almere-Haven, the first nucleus of Almere. The Flevopolder was initially meant
to house the overspill from Amsterdam in the 60s and 70s, throughout the years it has been
appreciated and remembered for its cozy village atmosphere and containing the historic identity of
Almere, but it has also suffered from increasing degradation, building vacancy and an ageing
population. The government has decided in 2018, as part of the project 1 million homes before 2030,
that there need to be built 60.000 more houses in Almere-Haven (Centrum and De Werven). The initial
homes were meant to house families of various numbers. Currently many houses are semi-vacant due
most of the family members either moved out or died, this is problematic for both the current home
owners and people that are struggling to find a suitable accommodation. My research question of
graduation is how it is possible to make De Werven in Almere-Haven more dense in inhabitants and
buildings (if necessary) without losing the current village atmosphere, and how is this actualized.

II RESEARCH-METHODOLOGICAL DISCUSSION
According to philosopher Franz Brentano (1838-1917), architecture speaks trough the silence of
perceptual phenomena, in order to appreciate it both intellectual and spiritual, or in other words,
thought and feeling, we need to comprehend the motivations behind it. Because although our
sensations get engaged by the physical phenomena of architecture, the true generative force lies in
the motivation behind it2. While the neighborhoods in Almere-Haven were constructed without any
specific context due that the Flevo polder was initially a vacant land, the neighborhoods were
constructed with a specific design in mind. The neighborhood De Werven was designed following the
Cauliflower structure, a structure that groups the houses around a ‘courtyard’ that is inaccessible by
cars. Joop van Stigt, the architect of De Werven, created the so called ‘buurtjes’, small complex
neighborhoods that varied in size and layout.
In De Werven prevails a village atmosphere mostly due to the so called ‘buurtjes’, low rising
buildings, spacious houses and public spaces. To successfully transform the neighborhood without
losing the ‘spirit of the place’ we need to understand the place. Philosopher Tonino Griffero argues
that in order to better understand urban atmospheres we need to find methods to define atmospheric

1
Charles, R. Research Methods for Architecutre, BIS Publishers BV, 2016. p. 7-8
2
Holl, S., Pallasmaa, J. & Pérez-Gomez, A. Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, William Stout Publishers, 2007. p. 40-41
descriptions which will designate this broad concept in a precise way. One of the methods to achieve
this is by creating mental maps, a representation of one’s cognitive understanding 3, which captures
and defines the experienced atmosphere. Conducting surveys, case-studies of architectural aspects
from similar projects from the same period which I will compare to De Werven, walking in the
neighborhood, observing the activities of the citizens and drawing out mental maps of the residential
area’s help me to achieve a deeper understanding of the current village atmosphere. So, by means of
mapping I chose to find an answer to the dilemma of keeping the current village atmosphere while
increasing the population and the buildings (if necessary).

Mapping gives the opportunity to schematic capture the praxeology of the inhabitants of De
Werven. Praxeology gives a better comprehension in contrast to the usage of public spaces. Mapping
also gives the observer the chance to feel and experience the area first hand, because in respect to
phenomenology, the connection between humans and architecture is not solely restricted to visual
connection alone, but instead all the senses contribute to the total experience. Peter Zumthor
underlines the importance of all the senses in mentioning some examples of his youth; he recalls for
example that he still remembers the sound from the rocks under his feet, the glance of the waxed
oaken stairs, the heavy front door.4 So, throughout experiencing and mapping out the impressions and
observations, the architect can achieve a deeper understanding of the cultural values which results in
a better preservation of the heritage.

III RESEARCH-METHODOLOGICAL REFLECTION

Cognitive mapping, or ‘mental mapping’ was first used by the psychologist Edward C. Tolman (1886-
1959) in his research to the directional senses of rats, he further discussed the representation of
spatial knowledge in the human brain. It was later described and utilized in architectural contexts.
Roger M. Downs and David Stea describe mental mapping as a process composed of a series of
psychological transformation by which one squires, saves, recalls and decodes information about the
relative locations and attributes of the phenomena in one’s day to day spatial environment 5. Cognitive
mapping based on the experience of the citizens was first introduced by Kevin Lynch (1918-1984) who
suggested, in his book The Image of the City that the design and planning of urban spaces should be
based on the experience of the people who dwell in them. He focused on the elements of the
environment which the people used to navigate and remember the city. He outlined five main
characteristics for the urban environment: paths, edges, nodes, districts and landmarks. He adds that
the image of a physical reality may differ according the circumstances of the one viewing it, the
expressway could be seen as a path for the driver and an edge for the pedestrian 6. Based on the work
of Lynch was what Fredric Jameson called ‘an aesthetic of cognitive mapping’ wherein he suggests
that cognitive mapping can raise political consciousness 7.
Another method for mental mapping which is utilized is by Stalker, a collective of architects
and researchers affiliated to the Roma Tre University from the mid-1990s, is using participative tools
to create a collective imaginary for a place. They developed the method of walking collectively to
‘accurate territories’, they walk in the void spaces of the city and then use this knowledge and
experience to address urban and territorial problems8. Rafi Segal and Eyal Weizman published a book
wherein Israeli architects, writers, photographers, journalists and film makers comment on the spatial
dimension of the Israeli occupation, mapping how the specific architectural strategies have been
utilized to seize territory and hold power. It included precise locations, size and spatial form, whereby
the map revealed a conclusion which showed that it was designed specifically to achieve certain

3
Charley, J. The Routledge Companion on Architecture, Literature and The City, Routledge, 2018. p. 270
4
Zumthor, P. Thinking Architecture, Birkhäuser, 2010. p. 7.
5
Downs, Roger M. Approaches to, and Problems in the Measurement of Geographical Space Perception, Department of Geography, 1967.
6
Lynch, Kevin A. The Image of the City, MIT Press, 1960. p. 46-90
7
Jameson, F. Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, Duke University Press, 1989. p. 89
8
Awan, N., Schneider, T. & Till, J. Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2011. p. 200
strategical goals9. Although the Israeli occupation is an extreme example, it has shown that
architecture is never an isolated nor neutral profession.

As Christopher Alexander, an architect, mentioned in his book The Nature of Order, that a
complete replacement of the current planning philosophy needs to be realized, because the current
manner is fundamentally antihuman, an example he gives is that in today’s major cities the existence
of pavements have drastically decreased while the number of cars have almost doubled 10. Currently
enjoys De Werven a village atmosphere but in the past years, large public spaces became vacant or
have no real function for the people, an increase of ‘scheefwonen’, one or two persons in a six-
chamber dwelling and an increase of cars which resulted in more parking spaces to house the
excessive cars. In order to make De Werven denser without losing its characteristic atmosphere there
needs to a human-oriented urban environment approach. My research focuses on creating maps
based on the patterns of the people’s day-to-day behavior and reactions to the already existing
environment, which will be contrasted to a personal devised list of characteristics for the urban
environment. This will fundamentally help in redesigning and understanding how the citizens
experience the neighborhood, like how James Corner said in The Agency of Mapping: Speculation,
Critique and Invention, that mapping is not only a link between research and design, but also the
design itself11. By utilizing the method of mapping and observing the praxeology the essence of the
neighborhood can be objectified which will give new insights in how to preserve it while redesigning
De Werven.

IV POSITIONING
During my first few visits to the project site in Almere Haven, especially De Werven, I was immediately
impressed by the village atmosphere that was present there by means of the large public spaces and
the buildings that are not more than 3-story. With these feelings I noticed that the lecture on spatial
narratives could give me more direction to a more successful research, so perhaps also a successful
final design in my graduation project. The different ways of research which can enhance the spatiality
with different narratives behind it was the strongest factor in this lecture. The addition to this by Klaske
Havik in the lecture is very well articulated, namely that architects must learn to communicate through
their own imagination and that human characters such as intensity and affection are also present in
the architectural world.
In my opinion, it is very important for an architect not only to be able to think, but also to be
able to feel during the research phase. Feeling, or perhaps being in the shoes of others, can give a lot
more richness to information which will enhance the capacity of knowledge about that environment for
a successfully purpose.

Juhani Pallasmaa suggests in his book The Eyes of the Skin, that a strikingly factor in
experiencing spatial enveloping is the persecution of a sharp, focused vision. This aspect is hardly
mentioned in the architects´ discussions, while the architects very often have an interest in specific
visions and perspectivist representations during the design process. Perhaps photography in
architectural images would serve as a focused gestalt, but according to Pallasmaa the most important
thing about the quality of architectural reality is the peripheral vision of the architect. In his opinion, this
will span the space while still receiving plenty of stimuli from the same space, making the architects
themselves the ones who are at the center of the place for an optimal observation. He goes on to add
that the peripheral vision integrates us into the space, while a focused vision that only focuses on one
aspect, pushes us out of the space and thus makes us only a spectator 12.
Another example that comes up with its own interpretation in which I can see my ideas flowing
if suitable is the way of Guy Debord (1931-1994), a social theorist and member of the group The

9
Awan, N., Schneider, T. & Till, J. Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2011. p. 88-89
10
Gieseking, J. & Mangold, W. The People, Place, and Space Reader, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2014. p. 27-28
11
Cosgrove, D. Mappings, Reaktion Books Ltd, 1999. p. 250-252
12
Pallasmaa, J. The Eyes of the Skin, John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2005. p. 10-13
Situationists. According to Debord, events, what his group calls 'dérives', are an experimental method
that can better criticize or shock our daily experience of the environment. This can be achieved
through unplanned tours of urban environments that will be based on misreading maps or responding
to psychological signals. This way can evoke feelings in the environment in which the people can
embrace the situation and reinterpret the environment in their heads in a creative way13. This makes it
very logical to understand the relationship between mapping and the heritage studio where in my case
there is already a ready-made built environment in Almere Haven where different atmospheres have
been taking place for over 40 years which can be understand in a better way by using this method.

A cognitive mapping can be supported by various ways and increase awareness in an

environment. For example, the researcher's/ architect's senses play a very important role in this, with
of course, local, but also spatial research that adheres to several important aspects. A spatial
research can always be done without any knowledge in mind, as Guy Debord suggests, but what we
have seen with Kevin Lynch, for example, is that it is based on the experience of the citizens in which
he, as a professional, focused on elements that were used in the environment by the people to
remember a space, for which he suggested five main characteristics.
It is indeed important to have a few focus points that can then be investigated, and each can
be checked off per observation, such as Lynch's five main characteristics that are supported by
Pallasmaa's ideas, in which he talks about the peripheral vision. It can be a good method to determine
important characteristics and aspects in advance for analysis and then to observe the space with a
peripheral vision.
There are many more methods worth trying, such as Debord's suggestion, but that does not
seem to be such an effective method for De Werven due to the village atmosphere that reins there. In
order to achieve this, it is crucial to look at it from the perspective of the inhabitants.

13
Gieseking, J. & Mangold, W. The People, Place, and Space Reader, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2014. p. 65-67
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Awan, N., Schneider, T. & Till, J. Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture, Taylor & Francis
Ltd, 2011. p. 88-89

Awan, N., Schneider, T. & Till, J. Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture, Taylor & Francis
Ltd, 2011. p. 200

Charles, R. Research Methods for Architecutre, BIS Publishers BV, 2016. p. 7-8

Charley, J. The Routledge Companion on Architecture, Literature and The City, Routledge, 2018. p.
270

Cosgrove, D. Mappings, Reaktion Books Ltd, 1999. p. 250-252

Downs, Roger M. Approaches to, and Problems in the Measurement of Geographical Space
Perception, Department of Geography, 1967.

Gieseking, J. & Mangold, W. The People, Place, and Space Reader, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2014. p.
27-28

Gieseking, J. & Mangold, W. The People, Place, and Space Reader, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2014. p.
65-67

Holl, S., Pallasmaa, J. & Pérez-Gomez, A. Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture,

William Stout Publishers, 2007. p. 40-41

Jameson, F. Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, Duke University Press, 1989.
p. 89

Lynch, Kevin A. The Image of the City, MIT Press, 1960. p. 46-90

Pallasmaa, J. The Eyes of the Skin, John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2005. p. 10-13

Zumthor, P. Thinking Architecture, Birkhäuser, 2010. p. 7.