The Handshake of The Building

First published in 1996, Juhani Pallasmaa’s short, precise text exhorted architecture to venture beyond the dominance of vision and to re-engage the full sensorium: touch, sound, weight, atmosphere. It became formative reading for generations of architects, often included in foundation course reading lists.

Hearing the Eyes of the Skin marks the launch of a new audiobook edition of that text, produced by Thin Ice. The event brings Pallasmaa into conversation with Steven Holl and Peter McKeith, thinkers and practitioners whose work has consistently taken material, perception and lived experience seriously. Beyond the audiobook launch, it is a shared moment of listening, reflection and discussion, prompted by a book that continues to reward close attention.

Arcitile’s decision to support the event is straightforward. Our work sits close to materials, to hands, to bodies in space. Our sense of how something feels underfoot or to the hand, how light moves across a surface, how sound is sharpened in a space often shapes resolutions on site.

Many people in the construction workforce are dyslexic or neurodiverse, and the shift from page to voice feels like a generous and practical way of widening access to an important architectural text.

The event is made possible through the collective support of its co-supporters. izé have long championed thoughtful architectural discourse and careful making. Solus are hosting the evening and providing the setting for the evening, continuing their commitment to creating space for conversation within the sector. Dodds and Shute bring their deep understanding of craft, specification and delivery to the mix. 

It is fitting that an event celebrating an architecture informed by tactile experience, sound, and atmosphere is supported by partners who champion the finer details of material reality.