Team Blog Series: Architecture and Emotion - By Mariam Shonia

Team Blog Series - Here you will explore blogs prepared by our team members about the topics, news, and stories that moved and influenced them.

Today our blog was prepared by Mariam Shonia, Architect at MUA Architecture & Placemaking. 

Architecture, as a work of art, is part of material culture. It contributes to the formation of culture and the creation of history.  At the same time, architectural works echo human thought and emotional state.“

The essence and significance of architecture are best expressed in the words of the Austrian architect Adolf Loos: “Architecture evokes emotions in a person. Therefore, the mission of an architect is to strengthen these emotions. "

Therefore, the goal of the architect is to evoke the feelings of the viewer through various techniques, space arrangements or visual effects. To achieve it the architect uses various methods, such as: shape, color, or lighting.

background, based on the tragic history of the Jews. The main goal of the architect was to reflect their pain and emotions.

The layout of the architectural plans is strict and rectangular with zigzag shapes. The composition follows the entire length and intersects the shapes with a single continuous line of so-called void, which is a symbol of emptiness.

The facade of the building is lined with asymmetrical, sloping, narrow windows. These shapes  give more to both the exterior and the interior a more dramatic visual. In order to reach the emotional state of the visitors and to share the pain of the Jews with them, the author uses tilted lines and surfaces as the main architectural element.

For example, sloping floors and columns in the interior make it difficult to orient and hinders the movement of the visitor.  All this leads to a feeling of helplessness and insecurity. As for the use of narrow windows, in this way the architect creates contrasting lighting, which gives more expressiveness to the interior.

To enhance this emotional background, Libeskind allocates one space in which metal plates are placed on the floor. They depict the faces of people in pain. Upon entering this space, the viewer gets the feeling that he is becoming part of that story.

Created by Daniel Libeskind, this museum is a clear example of how architecture can affect a person’s feelings and emotional state.