ORCID
- Mathew Emmett: 0000-0001-9283-873X
Abstract
This paper examines St Sebastian: Plague Memory, a multi-channel audiovisual installation that redefines architecture through sensory and immersive media. Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project unfolds in two phases: first, transforming the interior of the Museo dell’Arte Classica in Rome into an experiential environment that fosters resilience and communal healing, and later evolving into a façade projection for La Notte dei Musei.Footnote1 Drawing on Mallgrave’s (Citation2013) concept of the body as a neurological experience, the installation transcends traditional physical boundaries, establishing a dynamic spatial framework shaped by embodied interactions. By positioning installations as a form of architecture, this paper argues that ephemeral, sensory encounters can effectively address societal challenges through non-material engagement, offering a contemplative framework during crises. Employing an interdisciplinary approach that integrates embodied cognition (Mallgrave, Citation2013) and affect theory (Brennan, Citation2014), this study illustrates how architecture emerges as a co-created perceptual field, formed and sustained through the dynamic interplay between architectural environments, bodily experience, mediated stimuli, and spatial consciousness.
Publication Date
2024-12-02
Publication Title
Interiors: Design, Architecture, Culture
ISSN
2041-9112
Recommended Citation
Emmett, M. (2024) 'Space of resilience: architecture, communication, and immersive experience in “St Sebastian: Plague Memory”', Interiors: Design, Architecture, Culture, . Available at: 10.1080/20419112.2024.2431434" >https://doi.org/10.1080/20419112.2024.2431434