[Reading Response 1] Spatial Stories by De Certeau

Spatial Stories by De Certeau discusses the difference between tour and map, as well as spaces and places. I believe that these components ultimately form diverse narratives, and influence how an individual interprets an architectural space.

A “map” shows the places of each element in the area and their exact location, illustrating how the surrounding environment looks like. Meanwhile, “tours” is the experience of people exploring space, and is more subjective. When we are navigating through a space, it is impossible to experience the whole space at the same time. Our perception is limited to our field of view. We cannot view the entire picture at the same time. Our experience is fragmented. In order to further understand thel environment, we will continue to move and interact with it. Our interactions with architectural spaces will create our own space and thus a unique experience. These unique fragments of experience and interaction influences how we understand the space eventually. Piecing our perceptions and interpretations in the mind is similar to assembling a time collage which is formed by our experience of different space in the architecture in different time. Everyone will have their own collage and spatial story. Their reading of a spatial environment is distinctive. A child, an adult, a student or a professional will have different stories based on their eye levels, knowledge, instant mood or even past experience.

Tour is based on our personal experience of the space while the map is an accurate document of different places. Although they are both describing the same architecture, different feelings are introduced.  A “tour” is rather subjective and based on emotions, whilst a “map” is objective – representing reality as itself. It is similar to space in story, they are created by movements, although they are truly existing.

Cheung Chun Yu

3036228385