Thermal Worlds: Redefining Spatial Thresholds With Temperature in the Geothermal Landscape

Abstract

Space is typically demarcated by its physical boundaries. The solidity of wall, ceiling and floor define architectural interiors. Space in the landscape, though structurally similar, is bounded by larger-scale material conditions, such as tree canopies, horizon, sky, and ground. How can architectural space be defined without architectural materials? As a proposal for the use of temperature as a space-making material for design, this design research project draws from philosophy and phenomenology to understand the body as an instrument for sensory experience. Architectural case studies are used to redefine the notion of physical, visually perceived space and ways intangible experiences are at the forefront of a design. It investigates how the manipulation of geothermal water can unlock the performative, ephemeral, and experiential characteristics of temperature as a material for redefining spatial thresholds within the geothermal landscape of Iceland.