Making Spatial Experience Researchable in Architectural Studies: A Comparative Examination of Phenomenological Approaches

Spatial experience, widely regarded as inherent to architecture, has been addressed through diverse theoretical and methodological strategies in architectural research. This study intends to examine how spatial experience, which cannot be directly observed, is conceptualized and investigated in phenomenologically oriented architectural research. To this end, six selected academic studies were comparatively analyzed according to five criteria: phenomenological grounding, the conceptualization of spatial experience, data-generation tools, analytical process, and theoretical-methodological coherence. The findings show that phenomenology serves different functions across the studies examined. Some studies adopt it as a theoretical orientation or mode of interpretation, whereas others use it as a methodological model that structures data-generation and analytical processes. By tracing the relationships among theoretical grounding, the conceptualization of spatial experience, data generation, and analysis across the six selected studies, the study provides a comparative framework for identifying how phenomenological commitments inform research decisions.