Corporeal Experience: A Haptic Way of Knowing

Contemporary architectural discourse suggests we consider the influence of a variety of senses on our understanding of space. This article discusses literature that explores the character and significance of spatial perceptions gained by movement, touch, and other sensibilities, which are known ashaptic senses. Case studies of ranchers in rural Montana investigated how people accumulated their place-based experiences. This population demonstrated a strong tendency to rely on geographic contact and movement in space to inform them about the places in which they lived and worked. The article concludes by discussing the implications of considering haptic sensibilities in design education.