Da–Sein Dwellings: An exploration into the meaningful aspects of home and its relationship to human needs

Dahlia, Tarazi; Sara, Rachel; Rice, Louis

Abstract

The act of dwelling is a primal creation of meaningful place and something that every human strives to achieve (Seamon and Mugerauer, 1985), and as such the home ''is very charged with meaning because it is closely involved with the most intimate aspects of our lives'' (Ballantyne, 2002:17). However architectural analysis so often overlooks the human experience of the home in favour of exploration of space standards, architectural aesthetics and tectonics. This essay interrogates the meaning of home in architecture underpinned by Heidegger's ontological study of being-in-the-world; ‘da-sein’ which encompasses the symbiotic relationship between being and the world (Seamon and Mugerauer, 1985). The essay builds on the work of thinkers such as Bachelard and Jolas (2014) alongside the psychological concept of human needs (Deci and Ryan, 2009) to suggest other ways to understand the home. It reflects on a series of interviews with residents with a variety of different home types who identify with their homes as a reflection of their identity and a receptacle for their memories. The discussion expresses the relationship between the human need for ‘self-actualisation’ and individual experiences of the home and establishes the relationship between our happiness with our home and our general well-being.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: Architectural Humanities Research Association ‘Housing and the City'
• Start Date: Nov 19, 2020
• End Date: Nov 19, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jan 29, 2024
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11641318