Body and Mind Shaped by Built Form: Experiences of Borobudur

Abstract

This thesis takes the form of a pilgrimage to the Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Indonesia to explore the relationship between spiritual practices and physical space, in particular analyses the relationships between space, practice and affect. In this thesis space is identified as an overarching category to include the physical, social and mental environments. Practice indicates repeated engagement by the participant, and lastly, affect signifies the personal capacity to be changed by architecture beyond the momentary interaction. The potency of affective architecture relies on a careful balance between curated architectural methods and the mindful involvement of the practitioner. My experience of a pilgrimage through the temple of Borobudur acts as an architectural laboratory in order to investigate first hand the physical architectonic elements and methods of perception which support and amplify a spiritual encounter. The goal of the thesis is to understand the potential for architecture to encourage or promote spiritual awareness to better understand the physical space of spirituality.