The polysensory dynamics of ambiance. Exemple of a Japanese garden (Murin-an)

Catherine Szanto

Keywords: Japanese garden, Murin-an, water, soundscape, sonic effect

While ambiance is often felt as something that envelops us, it should not always be considered as spatially homogeneous. While a given garden can be understood as a spatial totality through the experience of its specific, distinctive ambiance, this ambiance can be experienced as dynamically structured as one moves through the space. The aim of this paper is to explore this issue through the analysis of a specific example: the dynamic experience proposed by the visual and sonic features in the garden of Murin-an in Kyoto.