Experiencing the city of Tunis: A singular and plural in-situ ambient experimentation

This article is an investigation of a pedagogical experience that interests the domain of architectural and urban ambiences. A transversal and interdisciplinary notion, the ambiance is this subtle mixture between the built forms and their interaction with the physical factors generating plural resonances in the space. These resonances, experienced by the users, generate in their turn, affective tones characteristic of these places. In the context of a seminar in a school of architecture, we develop with the students, the experience of in situ, in different urban contexts in Tunis. This experimentation is introduced by an initiation to the ambience domain and its methodological tools. The idea is to immerse oneself in the places to experience their singular atmospheres and characterize their plural atmosphere. In a posture of user, observer and researcher, the student captures the atmosphere of the place but also represents and projects it. The goal is to make the apprentice architects aware of the complexity of the city, its users and their sensitive experience and to insert themselves into an analytical, critical and operational approach aiming to consider the immaterial and emotional aspects of the urban space.