Invisible Architecture: Minimalist and Phenomenological Approaches
Interior design was discussed for a long time through walls, objects, and colors. Various design trends guided and shaped interior architecture. Every interior designer made delicate touches to the spirit of spaces through their own school and understanding of art. However, today, the most powerful layer of design manifests itself in the "invisible." It's not about how much you fill a space, but how meaningfully it feels, taking precedence.
Every space has its own unique spirit. This spirit is often perceived not with the eyes, but with intuition. Senses are at the forefront. Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, known as "The Architect of the Senses," states that architecture is not just form, but atmosphere. According to Zumthor, a good space carries an intensity that is felt when entered but is difficult to describe. Peter Zumthor is an architect known for his minimalist and phenomenological approach, focusing on material quality, sensory experience, and atmosphere. So much so that he continues his work in Switzerland in his "small office."
In his book "The Architect's Breath," İhsan Bilgin describes Peter Zumthor's working method as follows:
"...if the [designer] directs their attention to the situation itself, if they draw their inspiration from the uniqueness of the situation, if they know how to pay attention to every sunrise, every cross-section of a tree, every evening state of a human, if they are open to looking, listening, smelling, tasting, touching, if they haven't put these on autopilot, if they are aware that once they open themselves to specific situations, there is nothing, no moment, that is repeated, then it is within this state of openness that they claim to produce." (Mimarın Soluğu, p.43.)
Well-Designed Scent is the Hidden Subject of Invisible Architecture
Based on İhsan Bilgin's accounts, one of the most powerful tools for this intensity is scent. Because scent is the invisible surface of a space. Walls draw boundaries, light provides direction. Scent, however, permeates the space. It infiltrates the senses from within, describing the environment. A room scent or a scented candle can be seen as an architectural intervention. But because it is invisible, it often goes unnoticed. For this reason, a well-designed scent is a perfect reflection of a design felt without being noticed. Of course, it is also important not to forget the design aspects, thought-oriented approaches, and promises of the objects used for this purpose.
At this point, if we need to elaborate on the concept of "phenomenological approach," it can be said that it is about an individual understanding and interpreting events from their own subjective perspective. This approach is related to how each individual perceives the external world in their unique way. The individual does not understand external reality, but rather the perception that external reality creates within them, makes sense of it, and views the external world through their own window. The response given to events and situations is not directed at reality. It is a situation directed at the perception of reality. In other words, this approach can also be expressed as "phenomenological design."
