Paul Goldberger's Why Architecture Matters

“Architecture begins to matter when it goes beyond protecting us from elements, when it begins to say something about the world—when it begins to take on the qualities of art.” (Goldberger) Architecture has elements that make it very significant in our daily lives; it surrounds us. Form, time, space, perception, and aesthetics are factors that help prove the importance of architecture. Chapter four of Paul Goldberger’s Why Architecture Matters discusses the concept of space. The everyday experience of being in an architectural space is sometimes viewed as the main reason why architecture matters. Buildings are designed and created to make great use of space. Memorable architectural experiences are good examples of how space has a huge impact
Paul Goldberger stated, “Interior space will almost always provoke a greater emotional response than the building’s façade.” An individual would better understand the concept of the architectural design by experiencing, feeling, and seeing the space from within. Through this, space creates an emotional aspect within a person. Since different people experience the space, no two people perceive a certain space the same way. A person’s perception varies based on the impact and impression given by the space. Each and every individual who enters the space would have their own opinion on the emotional element their surroundings stipulate. Space can make you feel small, big, restricted, confortable, welcome, isolated, warm, cold, and so on. Although everyone experiences spatial impressions, not everyone is consciously grasped by it. It creates various emotions that only you can interpret. Royal Ontario museum’s space can be interpreted in several ways. Some people feel awkward and restricted with the space the irregular form creates. They find the crystal structure a way to waste of space. However, some people find its unusual space quite interesting. The massing of the structure allows the natural light to come in making the space look larger than it is. Adding to that, the light that comes from the window creates an “ascending” feeling; at the same time provides an overlooking view of the street. Frank Ching’s Architecture, Form, Space & Order thoroughly explained how placing windows in the corners established to capture a desirable view or brighten a darker corner of the