Warming up to Heat

Heat is a major consideration in architecture and yet it is not much discussed beyond the functional and scientific roles it plays. The human sense of heat is arguably the most important sense we have as it ensures homeostasis. If this thermal balance is not kept, we will literally die. Heat is important in architecture in that it draws together the prospects of climate, energy and human comfort into one thematic concern. This article extends this rather limited view of heat by exploring the phenomenon of heat in the tradition of writers like Yi-fu Tuan and Gaston Bachelard and drawing inspiration from recent work in the emergent field of sensory studies. Situated within a framework of energy, climate, and human response to heat, it shows that heat is much more than just temperature. It argues further that there is an aesthetic of heat, an aesthetic that provides an alternative or complement to the visual. It is suggested that such an aesthetic may contribute to a more sustainable zeitgeist.