ABSTRACT
This chapter explores resonances between architectural practice and architectural education, and the philosophy and practices of embodied thinking, particularly Focusing and Thinking at the Edge. It speaks from the author’s experience of weaving embodied thinking practices into his teaching of architecture, and in particular, landscape architecture, at the Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, during 2014–2018. In our knowledge-centric culture, we often emphasise rational orderliness and clarity at the expense of the somatic, tangible aspects of thought. In Eugene Gendlin’s philosophy, “the more” is pivotal: beneath initial formulations is a vast richness. By embracing “the more,” environmental design students came to appreciate the value of their own experiences, affording them a resilient and original source for their individual and collaborative voice, enabling them to seek new insights and transcend boundaries. The play of Focusing in architectural practice shows how Focusing makes profound contributions beyond the verbal and the personal.
