Toward a corporal architecture building about the body

Throughout history the human body has formed the subject, defined the scale and proportion, and inspired the tectonic and symbolic language of architecture. While modern methods sought to codify the body for the purposes of standardized measurement, ergonomics, and the development of building codes, the implications derived from this approach have resulted in limited and standardized procedures for designing space in relation to the body. Recent advances in materials science, portable computing, and sensing technologies have opened up several possibilities for a deeper level of engagement and interaction between the body and its environment. As wireless communications continue to blur the boundaries between personal and global space, new dialogues are emerging that implicate both intimate material interfaces and wider organizational frameworks. Introducing the notion of ‘wearable space’, parallels between fashion and architecture are drawn as a means of re-examining the relationship between the body, clothing and architecture; the first, second and third skin of the body respectively.