_ Space Memory Identity _


space
1. a continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied
2. the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move.

memory
1. the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.
2. something remembered from the past

identity
1. the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
2. a close similarity or affinity
Can the study of a single street capture the place-making and identity formation of the population of an entire city?

A space surrounded by anonymous houses and populated by people are sites of memories and identities. The empty spaces, the no-man's land, are the true spaces of memory - a vanishing memory. Memory creates the site. There are different ways of keeping memory, of building memory, of losing memory. To build up a (new) identity, you not only have to remember, but also to forget.


Urban experiences are diverse and dynamic, changing often with advances in technology, shifts in capital investment, and migrations of people. They are shaped by power and wealth, as well as ingenuity and labor. Urbanity is layered with cultural and social histories, and the demands of day-to-day living. Getting from place to place puts a city dweller in contact with a stimulating variety of people and material conditions. At the same time, these experiences can be exhausting and tend to render the urbanite anonymous within the crowd.


Like the boundary between public and private spaces, urban experience is not fixed. The intensity of urban encounter may magnify our sense of these spaces, or cause us to miss them altogether. Cities are malleable, pliable, and constantly changing, and as such the experience we have of urban spaces is always a negotiation between various powers and influences.

_ Safety _ 

I saw this sign on a recent site visit - signage for safety on a construction site. 

Simple and crisp. 

And instantly reminded me of another one which I had taken years ago.  The image is blurred but the caption is so witty! 

Aapka dimaag sabse badhiya suraksha saadhan hai! Jaroor istamal karen! 

Your brain is the best safety instrument! Absolutely use it! 

_ Glenn Murcutt _ 


'Simplicity is the other side of complexity' - Glenn Murcutt, 2017 

Simplicity in design calms us and somehow inspires us, not only in architecture but also in other forms of design. But what does simplicity mean? Or better yet, what does simplicity not mean? Simplicity is not to be confused with simpleness. I'm not advocating for nursery rhymes over symphonies. No, simplicity is quite different from simpleness.

Simplicity is effortless composition, an orderliness with lyrical qualities — like in a great painting that has only enough brushstrokes to convey the idea, in which the painter uses just the right amount of color, making it impossible to imagine another stroke or another color without its ruining the composition. Great design, whether in paintings or architecture, shares this quality. 

Often architecture is formed by intersecting geometries, but seldom are the geometries orchestrated in such a lyrical way as the two gently sloping roofs of this Centre.

 (Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Museum, photo by Payal Patel 2017) 

Beautiful architecture is not confined to the indoors, but should extend to outdoor living spaces, too, completing the idea and creating a holistic design.

(Simpson's Lee House,  photo by Payal Patel 2017) 

The beauty of this outdoor space lies in its simplicity: a simple, clean edge and geometry along with a rhythm of concrete bowls and bold-color furniture.

(Fredricks/ White House,  photo by Payal Patel 2017)  

Simplicity, tranquility and calm were the design qualities which came to my mind when I visited buildings designed by Glenn Murcutt. 

And with these qualities I did like to plunge into the new year! 

Happy 2018!! 

_ Originality _ 

On similar lines, I. M. Pei, American Architect had said "I'd rather be good than original "


Flipping through a "foreign" Architecture magazine with glossy pictures, I was struck by the resemblance of a building in Dallas to one that I had recently seen in Bangalore. The proportions, the curtain glazing, the column cladding, the detailing of the entrance; everything was remarkably similar. This started me thinking about this whole business of "borrowed inspiration" in Architecture.


It would be unrealistic to expect every Architect in the world to continuously produce original and innovative work. Of interest would be the lineage of the copy. The sequence of copying…..


So where does the sequence start ? Would the latest "inspired building" be the last? Each of these buildings in various cities obviously serve a purpose and they quite possibly serve it well. Is one better than the other ? Does it matter if it’s a copy of a copy ? Suppose you had a document that you valued. To preserve it, you take two photocopies of it. Suppose the copies are so good that you cannot make out which is the copy and which is the original. Do you now have three valuable documents ? Or has the document lost value in the act of copying ?


Regardless of the above conundrum, the fact remains that our cities are dotted with such buildings. Builders’ brochures generally describe these as "world class" buildings. One cannot deny that some of them add interest and perhaps make the city a more exciting place. Few of us have the privilege of travelling around the world and perceiving these connections. So lets just sit back and enjoy it when your local builder gives you "world class" buildings. Originality is perhaps over rated anyway.

_ The Colours of Motion _ 

The Colors of Motion is a site that explores the use of color in movies by using a script to determine the average color of each frame. The colors from the frames are displayed sequentially in a strangely mesmerizing scrolling page of subtly shifting hues. Or, as prints if you prefer. I’m partial to this white Christmas one.

_ Architecture and Emotions _ 

Just think of some of the ways architecture can manipulate your own experience. In this book, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design, US author Charles Montgomery points out that some environments predictably affect our moods.The fact is that environments do affect us, regardless of whether by design or by accident. In 2008, researchers in the UK found that a ten-minute walk down a South London main street increased psychotic symptoms significantly.With some quick research, I found that the healthier a person is, the more a good environment will affect them positively and the less a bad one will affect them negatively. Mentally ill patients show about 65 times more negative reactivity to bad environments than controls and all these reactions translate directly into symptoms.The same patients have about half the positive responsiveness. That’s fewer smiles, less laughter and a reported drop in feeling the “fun of life”.But that’s not all. The potential for architecture is richer still. The ease with which architecture can embrace sublime aesthetics makes it great for generating awe.Psychiatrists have found that awe reduces the prevalence and severity of mood disorders. Could sublime architecture even potentially save lives?The psychological effects of architecture are difficult to prove, but difficulty doesn’t dilute the value of a building that hits the right notes and creates a sense of awe. Each building type has different functions, and for each there’s an imperative to use the building to help create an optimal mood, desire or sense of coherence, security or meaning.

_ House and Home _


Is there a difference between a house and home? Can I as ' the architect' influence the difference one way or another? 


According to Oxford Dictionary:
house (n):  

building for human habitation, especially one that consists of a ground floor and one or more upper storeys.


home (n): 

a The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household

b : The family or social unit occupying a permanent residence.

Not much help there!

A house is a type of building where you put your stuff, and home is where you live your life.

As an architect who designs houses, modern houses in particular, I don’t think that I can make your house be a home but I do think I can make it a lot harder for your house to become a home.

For me, home is about creating memories and shared experiences with your family. These things can happen in a house, an auto rickshaw, a restaurant – on a bench in park – wherever you happen to be. I don’t think it has to do with your “stuff” even though your belongings do contribute to a space being yours. 

Most 'modern' houses photographs dont show any signs of "stuff". Some evidence of human beings living in that space. Stuff which has meaning to the owner and why he/ she cares enough to move it around with them from space to space.. This stuff has emotional connection. Where is all the stuff in a modern house? So does this mean you have to have stuff in order to have a home? 

I know that people who have things going on don’t maintain a perfect photo ready home. Too often modern houses appear sterile, inhuman – certainly not child friendly – and devoid of personality despite the fact that modern homes were originally supposed to make life easier to live.

I think I have convinced myself that an architect can’t create a home, that is a job is for the occupants to take on and complete. As for the consideration that a modern house is more difficult to be a modern home, I will need to think on that a little longer …