The Instrumentality of Gibson's Medium as an Alternative to Space

In his article "The Instrumentality of Gibson's Medium as an Alternative to Space" Raymond Lucas analyzes the alternative to space presented by James J. Gibson and the potential role of narrative in a more holistic process of design. The concept of space exerts a powerful influence on architecture, urban design, and other disciplines concerned with the environment. Many recent critiques have measured space against place, recognizing the deficit in memory and identification within space, but the problems with the concept are more deeply felt. Understanding the medium rather than space offers architects and theorists opportunities to examine the role of the full range of senses, weather, and temporal effects such as the seasonal or daily cycle, and even technological modalities such as surveillance, safety, and connectivity. This shift in understanding allows for a fuller representation of architectural experience. Rather than seeing architecture as firm, solid, and complete, it is possible to represent an architecture of context, conditionality and flux. Architecture is experienced through all of our senses, active and attentive, as well as distracted and passive. Lucas demonstrates aspects of the sensory notation system and its associated narration of space in urban design. Raymond Lucas, "The Instrumentality of Gibson's Medium as an Alternative to Space" page 2 of 13 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 14.3 (2012): Thematic Issue New Work on Landscape and Its Narration. Ed. Sofie Verraest, Bart Keunen, and Katrien Bollen