Sunlight on the Side of a Building: Atmospheric Urban Interventions

Erin Cornella // Advisor: William Mangold

Sunlight on the Side of a Building: Atmospheric Urban Interventions

What are you drawn to in the city and why? This thesis applies an interiors lens to the built environment, bringing out qualities of place that foster belonging, create a comfortable and engaging atmosphere, and allow us to feel a sense of attachment. In particular I am interested in spaces that serve as the backdrop to our everyday lives, whether we acknowledge them directly or not. Our experience walking from one place to another through the urban fabric is fluid, even between our typically defined borders of indoor and outdoor. Introducing interventions to sites around Philadelphia with existing atmospheric and social potential demonstrates how inherently simple elements can transform space into place. This thesis draws from theories of urban design, third place, place attachment, and atmosphere to explore what is extraordinary in the mundane.