A DESIGN TALE MANIFESTING ‘DETAILS’ OF A HUMAN BRAIN. A STORY ABOUT HOW TO INTERPRET AND FRAME PERCEPTIONS IN SPATIAL DESIGN
“Whenever we open our eyes, we never see what’s there, we only ever see what we used to see in the past” [1]Pondering over this eye opening statement by the neuroscientist Dr. Beau Lotto, one can say that human brain comes with a preset memory and knowledge passed on over generations about how to make meaning and sense out of things. In essence, we are just a result of our experiences. Ohttps://www.behance.net/gallery/111914451/Paper-D-Talesur memory hence becomes an essential part of our existence and the start point of all our perceptions. Hence, one can only imagine the significance yet necessity of examining and learning all the experiences that a human body witnesses.
“Development never truly ends, as our brains evolved to evolve...we are adapted to adapt, to continually redefine normality, transforming ones space of possibility with new assumptions according to the continual process of trial and error”- Beau Lotto, Deviate: The science of seeing differently
Dr. Lotto’s theory stating that human perceptions are ever evolving and ever growing in flux with their surroundings, directs us towards concluding that human brain possesses an immense potential of being molded in numerous various forms and perceptions. And, that is how brain makes meaning. Human brain and body reacts differently when faced with different surroundings and environments based on its preconceived notions.
This does not only make human experience the priority in every aspect of our existence but also states the very fact that human values are non-negotiable. As Steve Jobs once said, “The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.” Of course, if apple could achieve sky-high success with that philosophy, imagine what wonders will it do when employed as foundation for crafting human habitats.
Since quite long, be it caves from Stone Age or modular repetitive housing blocks of 21st century, human habitats have been primarily conceived as shelters for the forever-rising population. What started as the need of the hour in industrial revolution is still somehow a design practice. The act of cramming individuals to accommodate maximum capacity in mirrored house plans is now the culture of this fast-paced society. Moreover, with the rise of functionality in the last decades, program of the space have been dominating the decision-making criterion in design process. Even after knowing, the fact that we spend more than half of our lives in man made indoors, aspects like human behavior pattern and psychology are not given a priority while sculpting them.
As Ilse Crawford mentioned, “we spend 87% of our lives inside buildings. How they are designed really affects how we feel, how we behave”.[2] Spaces being the three-dimensional experience of our emotions, plays the most significant role in shaping our lifestyles. They strongly affect our perceptions while we occupy them.
While debating over the relevance of tangible and intangible impacts of spatial design, it would be unjust not to revisit the words of Le Corbusier, (particularly those found in his text ‘Towards a New Architecture’, 1927).
“You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces. That is construction. Ingenuity is at work.
But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good. I am happy and I say: ‘This is beautiful. ‘That is architecture. Art enters in.
My house is practical. I thank you as I might thank Railway engineers, or the telephone service. You have not touched my heart.
But suppose that walls rise towards heaven in such a way that I am moved. I perceive your intentions… you have established certain relationships which have aroused my emotions. This is Architecture.” [3]
It is fascinating how this profound comparison between the conscious and subconscious influences of spatial elements, was a result of a brain, which was suffering from a genetic brain disorder. “In recent years, several authors and physicians have described the father of modernism, Le Corbusier (1887-1965), the Swiss-French architect, as autistic. Writers, such as the critic and psychiatrist Anthony Daniels, and the biographer Nicholas Fox Weber, have concluded that the Swiss-French architect met the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They’ve chronicled his impaired social communications, repetitive behaviors, abnormal fixations (including a fascination with concrete), and apparent absence of interest in others.” [4]
Wondering about this, makes one question the long clung slogan of “form follows function” and replacing it with a much more apt motto of ‘form follows brain function’ instead. Satisfy the subconscious being the ultimate goal. In the words of Ilse, “prioritizing people, putting the human experience at the beginning of the design process”. [5]
Ilse Crawford, a British Interior and furniture designer, is known for her humanitarian approach in design. Being curious about what makes people more comfortable in spaces has driven her in researching anthropology, behavioral science and so on. In the essence, all about people’s well being, how things feel and smell along with how they look. In her book “Sensual home” she has went through human senses what is specifically known as “environmental psychology”.
Interiors, for a very long time have been considered as a visual art rather than a body centered art. From being regarded as a slightly sillier side of design, it is now getting the deserving attention, respect and depth. Something like selecting the appropriate material for a specific interior, might sound fun and easy, but instead requires a deep understanding of human sensory reflexes and stimuli. While some spaces add up to your anxiety, others provoke a sense of serenity, and you can’t seem to know why. ”Its all about well being. They don’t know why they feel the way they feel, but it’s all been orchestrated” says Ilse crawford in her Netflix documentary, Abstract. Since where we live, defines a lot about how we live, therefore, spatial design becomes the quill for the stories of our lives.
Looking at the magnitude of impact that spatial designs have on our lives, it is our responsibility, as designers to probe a little deeper on our design decisions and re evaluate the potentials of various design elements.
The initial phase of any design process is the recognition of a problematic condition and the decision to find a solution to it. Questioning your surroundings is considered as the first step of growth in any aspect of human life. Whereas, asking the right questions, is a skill driven by inner curiosities. As the saying goes, a problem well stated is the problem half solved. The shaping of the question hence, is part of the answer.
Interrogation therefore, becomes the first step in sculpting an eclectic and experiential design. Inquiring about the user’s personality, choices, body language, lifestyle, and so on guides you towards a major question to be answered, that is, “what to make the user feel in the space”. In essence, what kind of character should the space must possess, what kind of vibe should it radiate, what kind of body movement should it promote. All this is answered by what kind of character, vibe and body movement the user possesses. As the American designer Kelly wearstler states, “your interior your home is a reflection of who you are as a person”.[6] Another skill that a space designer must possess is to Empathies. Moreover, Ilse Crawford describes, “Empathy as the corner stone of design”, for the fact that it is the ability of being aware and sensitive towards the feelings and experiences of the person in front.
Just like once the chef knows about the taste buds of the diner, then by using the right set of spices and ingredients the desired platter could be curated. In the similar manner, after keen analysis of user profile and design purpose, one can orchestrate the required user experience by means of the right permutation and combination of various design elements. “Architectural cues can provide reinforcement to the desired behaviors that we would like to see enacted in specific place types,” says environmental psychologist and interior designer Migette Kaup.[7]
“Part of the problem is that much of the work in the field is very psychological [or] behavioural, is that it doesn’t easily translate into specific design recommendations,” says Alan Hedge, a professor at Cornell University’s Department of Design and Environmental Analysis. [8]
Many designers have achieved interior comfort by having a more sensitive approach to the spaces. As the Danish architect Bjarke Ingels quotes, “good design is careful, bad design is careless”.
Various parameters when carefully used in a specific manner can guarantee comfort in interior spaces. Pattern, texture, light quality, color, furniture, being few of them. Furthermore, strategically tying these elements in the right sequence, by the use of various design principles like balance, symmetry, proportions, hierarchy and rhythm can generate the desired experience as well as harmony in the space. Comfort ranges from the aesthetics of the space, the aroma of the environment, the breeze that enters through the window, and the temperature felt when entering, to its accessibility and application of technologies or passive strategies to facilitate and improve the quality of life of the inhabitant. How is the space visually perceived when inhabiting it?
For instance, dimmer light increases creativity, whereas brighter light improves analytical thinking. Ceiling height improves abstract and relational thinking, and lower ceilings do the opposite. A view of generative landscapes improves generativity, whereas mild exertion temporarily improves memory and attention.― Beau Lotto, Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently
From researches, it’s been proven that natural light stimulates production and recovery. Colors, on the other hand, have a very simple logic behind them, the warmer the color is, the more compact space becomes. They can also evoke feelings of comfort or stimulate communication. Unlike light and color, which affect us subconsciously, materials or textures are something, which tangibly leave a mark on us in the form of memory. Things that touch our skin are meant to give us a tactile memory. We associate with certain materials in reference to the context where we witnessed them in past. We see wood in forests and with reference to trees, it hence tend to give us the similar warmth of nature subconsciously when used as flooring in our man made indoors. Moreover, materials also pertains the quality of relativity. They behave different in different context. The same material in yellow light might reflect some other ambiance other than white. As their surrounding material changes their character and purpose in the space changes. Ilse describes this as, “we understand materials best by contrast. Rough feels more rough when kept with smooth”[9]. Hence, its a common practice to establish a mood board, or what Kelly wearstler refer to as “vibe trays” [10] at the initial stage of design which reflects the targeted ambiance of the space with the aid of combination of certain textures.
There can’t be more emphasis made on the irreplaceable role of sequencing. The series in which all these elements are laid, the pattern in which they come together is what gives meaning to the entire storyline. The order in which each element will reveals itself to the human body or vice versa, the order in which human body discovers each element in the space is the tying thread of the entire narrative called “the design tale”.
From the above introspection, it is easy to draw a conclusion that the path of a great design is customization, uniqueness and exclusivity. But it is also true that not all people move the same way in space or have the same body dimensions, and not everyone feels comfortable in the same amount of light or favors the same temperatures. As Kelly wearstler very well mentions in one of her master classes that, “A good design is democratic in nature- accessible to everyone”.[11] It is essential to consider a holistic and multidisciplinary approach when designing spaces focused on well-being and the in-depth observation and analysis of each body and mind’ is key to achieving a successful project.
“At the end of the day, design is quite complex, and so are the individuals inhabiting these spaces. “Does architecture matter? Absolutely. Can it insulate people from the political circumstances around them? No” affirms Adrian Lahoud, Dean of the school of architecture at the Royal College of Art.”[12]