Illinx of postmodern thought

The Modern condition is that of disconnect; of the individual and the material, the body and the mind. This disassociation can be seen with specific reference to the loss of the 'craftsman', and the loss of a phenomenological connection to material reality . Historically, water as a material is laden with spiritual connotations as a giver of life. Within modern society water has lost a connection to it's 'magical essence', it is but a fluid from a tap to a drain. Water exemplifies the disconnect between the post-modern body and mind.This thesis proposes an Architectural Illinx which addresses this disassociation through the phenomenology of water. The Illinx, is defined by Callois is a form of play which temporarily disrupts perception and creates moments where the individual may question their mental pre-conditions and ostensibly their society. The Illinx is an instillation spanning five pedestrian blocks along Sparks street in Ottawa's downtown core. Moments are created and transformed through the propensity of water. Water as a material will transform itself from space to space until its final decent into the earth.This thesis explores how architecture might create an emotional connection between the body and mind, through a phenomenological approach to materiality. This intimacy, which relies on the experience of the human body and mind as one, constitute a framework for an emotional experience of Architecture.