The Eyes of the Skin

Explore the relationship between architecture and the sensory experience with the fourth edition of this groundbreaking work.

First published in 1996, The Eyes of the Skin is a classic of architectural theory. It asks the far-reaching question why, when there are five senses, is one single sense―sight―so predominant in architectural culture and design? With the ascendancy of the digital and the all-pervasive use of the image electronically, the subject is all the more pressing and topical since the first edition’s publication. Juhani Pallasmaa argues that the suppression of the other four sensory realms has led to the overall impoverishment of our built environment, often diminishing the emphasis on the spatial experience of a building and architecture’s ability to inspire, engage and be wholly life enhancing.

For a student listening to this text for the first time, The Eyes of the Skin is a revelation. It provides a fresh, compelling insight into architectural culture which continues to inspire more than a quarter-century after its initial publication.

The fourth edition of The Eyes of the Skin also features:

The Eyes of the Skin is a must-hear for all architecture students, who will find its insights transformative.

This augmented spoken-word version was originally developed for neurodivergent audiences who may be challenged by the written word. However, as the project developed, it became clear that audiences such as those for whom English is a second language, those with visual challenges and others for whom the spoken word is preferred to the written word would also appreciate such a translation.

This audio version is narrated by significant architects and creative practitioners and those narrations are augmented by an evocative soundscape designed to amplify particular elements of the narrative through reimagining the Sami people’s tradition of ‘yoiking’, simultaneously providing a cultural reference to the author’s biography.