Thermal Delight in Architecture

by Lisa Heschong

Our thermal environment is as rich in cultural associations as our visual, acoustic, olfactory, and tactile environments. This book explores the potential for using thermal qualities as an expressive element in building design. Until quite recently, building technology and design has favored high-energy-consuming mechanical methods of neutralizing the thermal environment. It has not responded to the various ways that people use, remember, and care about the thermal environment and how they associate their thermal sense with their other senses. The hearth fire, the sauna, the Roman and Japanese baths, and the Islamic garden are discussed as archetypes of thermal delight about which rituals have developed—reinforcing bonds of affection and ceremony forged in the thermal experience. Not only is thermal symbolism now obsolete but the modern emphasis on central heating systems and air conditioning and hermetically sealed buildings has actually damaged our thermal coping and sensing mechanisms. This book for the solar age could help change all that and open up for us a new dimension of architectural experience. As the cost of energy continues to skyrocket, alternatives to the use of mechanical force must be developed to meet our thermal needs. A major alternative is the use of passive solar energy, and the book will provide those interested in solar design with a reservoir of ideas.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction, Design, Urbanism

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 1979

Reviews

[Clay Zdobylak · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to indulge in a short and pleasant survey of the ways humans alter buildings and spaces to create physically and spiritually important space, then here's your book.
The book points a finger at something many of us may miss, despite being unaware we don't possess it: a sacred relationship to some space, and the feeling of being a creature in the world

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting topic and argument made by the author. While I don’t fully agree with it, it definitely made me evaluate the I experience temperature on a daily basis. The book also contains a lot of very interesting cultural anecdotes relating to each chapter. It’s very obvious the author was passionate about her work.

I felt the last chapter contained several tangents that, while somewhat related to the overall argument, went a bit long. I found this chapter to be incredibly difficult to get through, while the others were engaging throughout.

Still, it is always fun to read the work of an author who is passionate about her work. The aforementioned cultural anecdotes make it an engaging experience, allowing the reader to learn about other cultures and also understand connections between customs and thermal qualities in his own culture.

I recommend reading this book. It’s a quick and engaging read on a topic that we all subconsciously experience, yet is rarely talked about.

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convenience isn’t always worth it!! Makes you very aware of the sensory experiences you have/associate with spaces and the societal rituals we sacrifice in the name of ‘comfort’. I wish I had read this in school.

[Jon Zellweger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a theory that to transition from fossil fuels and minimize the average global temperature rise, modern 1st world societies are going to have to adjust the standards for comfort we have grown accustomed to. Folks are gonna have to be a little colder or a bit sweaty more often. So, coming across this slim volume, I was curious to see what arguments our author had to offer. In 74 pages, they do not disappoint. Heschong most salient point is made in their second chapter, Delight: we take pleasure in a range of sensorial inputs, so why do we hermetically maintain our interior environments between 68º and 72º at 40% humidity? Gourmet meals are prepared to give a range of flavors to refresh the palate and reawaken tastebuds. “…[S]tudies have shown blue to be the most restful color, [but] I doubt anyone would put forth an argument for a monochromatic world. And yet a steady-state thermal environment is the prevailing standard…” The balance of the book traces the myriad of thermal negotiations that have enhanced human lives and the connection to our living world, our families and the communities we live in. Stretching beyond pragmatics, the chapter entitled Sacredness cuts a cultural cross-section to show how embedded the metaphysical is woven into how we keep our spaces warm or cool. This is not a technical manual, but an appeal to the phenomenological benefits to our mind/body. A quick read for any lay person to offer a new vantage point and reframe their relationship to the unconditioned world.

[Joe Patridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Lisa Heschong does a good job at exploring how we as humans perceive and take in different thermal conditions in our day to day lives. Going into natural ways of thermal control and sacred ways thermal elements are used in the world, it brings some great perspective to just how well the world around us controls temperature, without the aid of air conditioning or electric heating units. While she does tend to repeat some information to a pulp, all in all it was overall some pretty good knowledge.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, Thermal Delight in Architecture. For another class in one of my studios here at UTSA. At first I was only assigned the first chapter, “Necessity.” But I wanted to continue reading it because I knew how essential—quote unquote—this book is considered. The first maybe three-fifths of the book was basically a review for me, so keep that in mind. As a first comment, I really do like this book. I feel like now everything it says to me is very basic and surface level, but I think that’s because I read this during the beginning of my second year, so I’ve had all that time up until now to really sit on it. Now that I’m in my last year, I can reflect on it differently. I started with the preface and the information on the back of the book. I thought it was a very needed introduction, because it talks about her main idea: how temperature is a needed aspect in architecture, comparing it to historical examples like the hearth or a courtyard. Now, temperature—especially in the U.S., but also around the world—is mostly handled mechanically. We can just set the optimal temperature and keep it there. But I think the preface did more for me than I expected. I thought it was very fun to read because usually these types of introductions are kind of boring, but this one actually made the ideas interesting.

Then the first chapter, “Necessity.” I imagine each of the chapter titles means something important, and for me “necessity” refers to the idea that temperature is required for life. You need heat, you need the sun, you need certain environmental conditions. To me, this chapter was the least interesting and the least architectural, because it mostly gives an overview of how different animal groups control their temperature. I think it’s fun, but maybe in a different context it would have interested me more. It wasn’t groundbreaking for me. There are still a couple of interesting tidbits. For example, hearing exactly why birds migrate, and how animals evolved to deal with temperature—like the example of a lizard basking in the sun and how it needs to do that. It also explains the difference between warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals. As the chapter continues, it gradually moves closer to humans, starting with fish and other animals and then eventually focusing on people. The latter part of the chapter talks about human thermal acclimation, like clothing and shelter. It mentions Eskimos, cottages, and how humans are basically the only species that can actively change their thermal environment to this degree. As it moves forward, I really liked the last few pages where it starts talking about fire. To me, that part feels like a turning point where the chapter actually becomes interesting. There’s a specific quote that stuck with me about how with the control of fire, people can generate heat at will. I’m not sure why that line stuck with me, but it did. The chapter then continues into the modern period, talking about air conditioning and modern methods of controlling temperature. For me, this is where the idea stuck the most since I first read the book a few years ago: that temperature has the ability to be much more than just something necessary. It can be sensual or sensory—like the texture of materials, the color of spaces, or the overall atmosphere of a building. Temperature can be part of that experience, and it should be different and varied rather than constant.

The next chapter is “Delight.” I imagine it’s called that because it dives into how temperature is more than just necessity, and instead something people can actually enjoy. At the beginning she talks about our “secret sixth sense” being thermalsense. I thought that was an interesting idea. I’m not sure if I completely agree that it’s literally a sixth sense, but it definitely made me think about temperature in a different way. It also talks about air conditioning and how it creates a kind of controlled or stale environment. I liked the idea that having temperature differences within a building can actually be beneficial. For example, if a house has hot areas, cool areas, shaded spaces, or sunny spaces, it gives people more options. You can move around the building depending on what your body needs at that moment. For some people that might seem like a nuisance, but there’s actually pleasure in that variation. For example, when you’re outside all day and it’s extremely hot, and then you go inside a cool house or a shaded gazebo, there’s a real delight in that moment of relief. Another part I liked was when she talks about how thermal experiences can help create memories. Something like eating cold ice cream on a hot summer day—the temperature is part of the memory itself. It becomes tied to the experience. She also talks about winter environments and how turning on a heater or fireplace creates associations. We associate warmth with things like blankets, fireplaces, or certain spaces, and those objects become meaningful because of the thermal comfort they provide. I liked this a lot. It really cements the idea that temperature can shape experiences. Being on a porch, sitting in a gazebo, or spending time in a courtyard can feel completely different depending on temperature conditions. Those differences can actually enhance a building or a house and elevate the experience of being there.

The next section is “Affection.” To me, this chapter feels like an expansion of the ideas in the previous chapter. I think it’s called affection because temperature not only enhances experiences but can also create emotional attachments. Temperature can help cement certain memories or feelings so strongly that they become associated with a place or object. The chapter gives an example of a teapot. When you use a teapot, it becomes warm, and it produces tea that you enjoy. Over time, that warmth becomes associated with comfort and with the act of drinking tea. So when you see the teapot later, you almost imagine its warmth and the taste of the tea. It’s like the object carries a memory or an aura. Another example that helped me understand this idea is more personal. For instance, my dog. When he sits with me or on my lap, there’s a natural body warmth that feels cozy. That warmth becomes part of the emotional experience of being with him. The chapter also discusses how we need identifiable sources of warmth or coolness in order to connect emotionally to them. For example, if heat comes from something hidden—like a mechanical system in the ceiling—we don’t really think about it or attach meaning to it. But if it comes from something visible, like a fireplace or a stove, it becomes more meaningful. The chapter also expands on the idea that people tend to gather around thermal environments. For example, a campfire or a hearth often becomes a social space. People naturally gather there, sit close together, and talk. It gives an example of homes in California where the fireplace or chimney becomes a central gathering place. Across many cultures, thermal elements—especially fire—often become places where people socialize. Overall I really liked this chapter. Not as much as the previous one, but I still thought it was very interesting.

The final part is “Sacredness.” This chapter expands on earlier ideas even further. Instead of just focusing on temperature as memory or comfort, it talks about how heat and fire have been used historically in religious or sacred contexts. It gives examples such as saunas, baths, and ritual spaces in different cultures. I noticed it focuses a lot on Roman culture and bathhouses. This part was probably my least favorite. Sometimes it felt a bit all over the place, and it was harder to pinpoint exactly where the main argument was going. I could understand the general idea—that temperature and fire have religious or symbolic meaning—but sometimes it felt difficult to connect all the examples back to the central idea. I think the main point was already made in the first few pages, and after that it just continued expanding on it for a long time. But overall, I really liked the book. I had already read the first two and a half chapters years ago, so going back to it now was nice. Now that I’m more developed in architecture, it helped reinforce some of the ideas the book talks about. For the last two chapters, I feel like I would need to sit with them longer. They introduce some more complex ideas that I understand while reading, but I’d want more time to really internalize them. Overall though, I really liked the book. 8.5 / 10.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Lisa Heschong is an architect and building scientist who has for decades designed and consulted on solar design, energy efficiency, daylighting, and the effects of the built environment on people. This slim book appreciates the sensory richness of, for example, porch swings; inglenooks; kotatsu; Persian gardens with their fountains, deep shade, and fragrant flowers; streets and squares of Mediterranean towns; and even igloos. What these details and places share is an attunement to climate and to human comfort that is anything but neutral.

Using examples from architectural history, literature, and world culture, Heschong makes the case that thermal qualities are an important aspect of how we experience and remember spaces. She suggests that thermal delight be elevated to similar status as qualities of light and shadow, in the design palette of architects. Her examples are organized on a continuum from hearth (warm, cozy spaces in cold climates) to oasis (cool, refreshing places in hot climates).

The first chapter presents interesting physiology of animals and humans: how we have evolved to stay warm when it’s cold out; how we cool ourselves when it’s hot and/or humid. I was reading this while camping in Alaska in their 40-degree summer, which made me extra conscious of how well layers work to trap heat.

Heschong researched and wrote this book in the mid-1970s at the height of the first wave of passive and active solar design. During the previous few decades, the emphasis had been on increasingly sophisticated mechanical ventilation systems that could maintain steady temperature and humidity in a building year-round. That was—and still is—considered the gold standard of human comfort. Despite, or possibly because of, her training and professional experience, at the heart of her investigations is this contention:

“The thermal environment also has the potential for such sensuality, cultural roles, and symbolism that need not, indeed should not, be designed out of existence in the name of a thermally neutral world.” (p.17)

In the nearly 40 years since this book was published, research into how spaces affect human health, productivity, learning, and general well-being has quantitatively proven much of what Heschong offered with her qualitative examples and engaging prose. I recommend this book to anyone who is curious about the many variables that go into designing our built environment, as well as reviving simple elements to save energy and improve our lives. The porch swing is a good start.

[Jungsoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thermal regulation is like oxygen: despite its necessity, we don't notice its presence and preciousness until we begin to gasp for air. Humans prefer a narrow range of temperature, but technology makes us comfortable, even during scorching summers and bleak winters. And we have already achieved the Holy Grail: reliably cooling or heating a large space with just a fingertip on the thermostat. Given that temperature in building has already been conquered, one might question whether thermal regulation in architecture is still a relevant topic today.

In this short read from the 1970s—a blend of architecture, anthropology, and a little bit of biology, Heschong claims that we're missing out much by living and working in "thermal monotony," which is, according to Heschong, comparable to subsisting on the same food every single meal. To delineate the deprivations and to highlight the potentials of thermal regulation in designing space, Heschong uses two approaches. First she examines various characteristics of our thermal perception—briefly on the biological mechanism, our sensitivity and capabilities, how different sensory modalities could alter the perception, etc. Then the most of the book is on exploring humanity's tightly woven relationship with temperature, in the context of architecture. Exploring different cultures over time and distinctive architectural techniques over various climates, she shares how humanity has been leveraging clever designs to regulate temperature and also how thermal conditions affect the way we perceive and utilize space.

Most people today wouldn’t be able to point out the mechanisms of heating and cooling systems in their offices and houses. Thermal regulation has become unobtrusive, and, in turn, we’ve lost the intuitive connections and opted in for a standardized monotony. Another loss is on sustainability since about half of the energy consumption today in a typical house is spent on heating and cooling. Even if thermal quality were not a significant design element, we may need to rethink about temperature regulation. After reading this book, you might notice your heightened awareness of thermal qualities throughout your daily life.

[Erika RS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heschong's claims that the aesthetic aspect of thermal properties of buildings have been sadly neglected due to our almost full control over the temperature of our indoor spaces. We lose something by always being in a highly tuned environment. Heschong sets out to describe the aesthetic importance of temperature by appeal to architects, authors, and cultural traditions.

Thermal regulation is necessary for life. Humans can only live with a reasonably small range of temperatures. As Heschong puts it, "Buildings, even in the conventional ways we now build them, can be viewed as a way to modify a landscape to create more favorable microclimates."

Yet once that basic need is met, thermal regulation takes on an aesthetic aspect. Take sitting around a fire as an example. Part of the delightfulness of such as exercise is from the contrast between the warm (perhaps almost too warm) fire and the cooler space beyond. Heschong gives many other examples, all of which lead to the conclusion that, despite common building practices, our buildings are more delightful when they are not uniformly heated and cooled.

It's an interesting thesis and has some intuitive appeal, but overall, as a lay person, I was left with a "so what" feeling.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for an architecture class, and it was quick, nice read. It was quite interesting how the author placed meaning behind what I previously considered trivial aspects of thermal perceptions, transforming these details through cultural, historical, and scientific perspectives.

[Cristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will never think the same about your pursuit of thermal comfort again— inside or outside. This book will change your perspective, read it and learn to be more observant (and more comfortable).

[Found Object · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concept of "thermal place" is wonderful.

[Naya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It reads more like a long essay proving her argument for the importance of thermal experiences in architecture, which is really great because she doesn't use useless fluff to try to pad her assertions. I like how she divided her argument into three sections and the way she fleshed them out with both abstract examples and situations likely to be personal to the reader. It was straightforward but not dry, and I definitely came away feeling like I have a new appreciation for the thermal aspect of architecture. Heschong did a very good job of convincing me to care about this facet of spaces. I really liked this read! (even if it was for school 3)

[Matt Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telling the history and development of thermal control. How these environments direct our lives individually and our lives together. There is often community amongst warm and cool places and shared experiences. Mostly history so could have been a little more relatable for my interest.

Borrowed and recommended by Chris Hazel. I thought it was funny that I regularly was search for a place at work on my breaks to read that wasn't too cold.

[Stefan Szczelkun · Rating 5 out of 5]

After years at school of architecture this book changed my whole view of what architecture was.
Rather than (simply) the play of light and shade on form etc Architecture is more fundamentaly a thermal art. And the thermal sense wasn't even one of the five senses!
Which led to my SENSE THINK ACT book...
Thermal Delight in architecture is crucial reading for anyone interested in architecture.

[David Heritage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heschong's writing on the thermal experience is both profound and enlightening. The links draws to religion and ideas prevalent since the dawn of man are deeply interesting and relevant for any forward thinking designers. If you work in any design field I strongly recommend this book, only a couple of hours long and well worth the read for the inspiration it will give you and insight into designing for the climate crisis.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short easy read with examples of the culture of thermal comfort, focussing on European hearths and Islamic gardens. Some of her conclusions seemed pretty tenuous but you're left with a greater appreciation of the architecture of thermal comfort.

[Hannah Fredricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

not enjoyable reading, but solid and previously unconsidered ideas throughout

[Ethan Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy to digest

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heschong's musings romanticize the human struggle for comfort.

[Natalie Chavez · Rating 4 out of 5]

😍 assigned reading

[flor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most powerful experiences are those involving all of the senses at once

New word Finnish word I love, Löyly, steam which rises from the stones

[meshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Drawing a parallel to the concept of the soul that animates the physical body of the person, the fire, then, is the animating spirit for the body of the house”

[Tahiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Kimberly Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully odd little book best enjoyed in front of a roaring fire during a snowstorm. Reminded me in some ways of The Psychoanalysis of Fire and was happy to see her quote Bachelard. I feel like she missed a great opportunity to mention The Air-Conditioned Nightmare by Henry Miller; perhaps she didn’t know of it. Down with steady-state thermodynamics!

[Drew Starnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool perspective on biological and psychological influences of architecture

[Chicory · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good little book of architecture from a thermal perspective. It also had interesting details of folklore and culture. So if you're interested in all of that, you may give this a read.

Long(er) review: here.

[Selmoore Codfish · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very quick read. Before air conditioning and central heating, people were much more aware of how temperature changes in the home affected their activity choices. Several examples are discussed from how people around the world live in the local climate.
I didn't give the top rating because the book sometimes sounded repetitive, and had no images in the 1979 version. However, the descriptions of some spurred me to want to see it, so I googled quite a few things.

[Carol Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating take on an often overlooked aspect of architecture. Must be taken with a grain of salt if you live in truly hot areas of the country. Her disdain for people who leave their air-conditioned home to drive in their air-conditioned car to their air-conditioned office is the disdain of someone who has never lived through 100 degree summers.

[Nikko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. It outlines the necessity of thermal environments when designing buildings by relating thermal qualities to human relationships. A rather quick read but is full of details regarding thermal environments in human culture and animal kingdom alike.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about anthropology, natural sciences, or architecture.