ABSTRACT
Contemporary architectural creations indicate the importance of experiential richness and fulfillment of substantial and variable human needs from diverse aspects. New building designs readjust and reshape the environment while evolving with the core design intention of offering various unique experiences. This article explores concepts of aesthetic experience as the essence of architectural creation, from the intuitive formation of architectural space in the design process to the final built work defined by an architectural promenade. Between imagination and perception, it elaborates on two opposing design approaches dealing with the redefinition of aesthetic experience. The concept of estrangement regards the notion of alterity towards the environment and the uniqueness and peculiarity of the architectural experience. Whereas the second concept designates the notion of unity in its totality, from its correspondence to the environment to its unique spatial qualities. These opposing conceptual approaches indicate distinct design intentions while considering architectural experience as the genesis of the design approach.
