Vision and Responsiveness : The Problem of Experience in the Architectures of the East and the West

시각(視覺)과 감응(感應) : 동서양건축에서의 경험의 문제

Perception of architectural experience is different in different culture. This paper aims to identify how the experience of architecture is understood to be different in Eastern and Western culture. The discussion is based on the idea that the Western architecture placed more emphasis on visual perception, while the Eastern, on mutual responsiveness between man and built environment. The fact that the Western culture is more visually oriented than other culture, and therefore visual aspect of architecture, too, is considered to be very important, is already widely agreed among scholars. But, then, what had been considered to be important in the architectural experience in the East? It is the degree and quality of mutual responsiveness between man and architectural environment. This fact influenced much on the making of architecture of course, and the same fact played the key role in making the Eastern architecture different from that of the West. We are so used to the way of architecture of the West, that the quality of responsiveness is unknown if not forgotten. However, it is not the quality that was useful only in traditional society of the East, but necessary in our modem period as well. The quality for responsiveness, therefore, should be rediscovered and restored as the prime value and quality of architecture in the future architecture.