Spatial Storytelling I
- Paige Penberthy
- Sep 29
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 1
How can spaces communicate without relying on objects, texts, etc.?
A deep research of spatial principles (Abstraction, Context, Promenade, Simultaneity, Stopping Points) and How they can be applied to create communicative space.
Architectural space is more than mere structure. It is a vessel of narrative. Walls, corridors, and thresholds shape the movement of our bodies, just as plot guides the arc of a story. A well-designed space whispers its history through texture and light, inviting its occupants to become both characters and authors. Each room holds intention, each shadow, a secret waiting to be discovered. In this way, architecture doesn't just house stories—it becomes one.
The following project aims to discover and identify the ways in which space tells stories through our bodily experience of it.
Method to the Madness
Research!
This research was inspired, in part, by the 8 years I spent without a sense of smell or taste and how my perception of my environment completely changed after regaining them. In the Spring of 2022 I sat, working my desk, as the smell of freshly cut grass wafted into the studio and changed my life and the way I approached design for good. In that moment, after smelling absolutely nothing for years, I felt, somehow at the same time, transported to the springs of my childhood and completely connected and immersed in the environment I was in. Since then, I've been interested in designing for experience - how I can create spaces that connect people, places, and ideas in deep and meaningful ways.
Some key theorists and designers which shaped this project are Juhani Pallasmaa, Steven Holl, Daniel Libeskind. Below are links to a few of their works which I highly recommend anyone to check out:
I also had the opportunity to interview designers who specialize in spatial storytelling. Alejandra Calderon, a designer at Kossmanndejong spoke with me about the importance of layered experiences and hierarchy within communicative spaces.
Spatial Interventions
I tested my research through designing physical spaces with the goal of communicating feelings or concepts. Click here to see some examples of this process.
Outcome
I began a sort of archive for spatial storytelling. A collection of magazines containing the in-depth research about the spatial principles I found myself the most immersed in exploring. This collection is ever growing as my research continues. There's plenty more to discover.
Explore the series below -
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