What We Are Reading Today: ‘Breathing Space’

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Updated 17 May 2026 22:28
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Breathing Space’

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  • Architect and historian Tim Altenhof brilliantly explores the physiology of breathing and its reciprocal relationship to bodies and buildings, both of which share a common atmosphere

Author: Tim Altenhof

“Breathing Space” is a compelling and wide-ranging analysis of pneumatic phenomena in modern culture. Architect and historian Tim Altenhof brilliantly explores the physiology of breathing and its reciprocal relationship to bodies and buildings, both of which share a common atmosphere.

Because breathing is controlled by the autonomic nervous system and cannot be willfully overridden, it takes place unconsciously and involuntarily—most of the time. However, beginning in the mid-19th century, attitudes toward breathing changed significantly.