Connection - Conclusion
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Statement Concepts inspirations connection introduction sundial windmill waterwheel a planted tree footbridges dragon the path conclusion vocabulary Precedents Site Programme Scratch Pad |
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An understanding of phenomenology gives us the tools to understand the
world around us and connect us to our surroundings using no other intermediaries
but the observations of our five senses. Each of us has that ability.
Our technology has provided us with magical advances and capacities, but
it cannot replace the human experience of a sunrise or a sunset.
Taking the time to see what surrounds us and then asking the question whether
what we see makes us feel good or not, is vital in recognising what good
design can do or where repairs need to be done in order to bring a place
to life.
The more I learn about towns and buildings, the more I feel the same thing to be true. It is true that many of the historic styles of building have some quality in common -- they have it not because they are old, but because man has, over and over again, approached the secret which is at the heart of architecture. In fact, the principles which make a building good, are simple and direct -- they follow directly from the nature of human beings, and the laws of nature -- and any person who penetrates these laws will, as he does so, come closer and closer to this great tradition, in which man has sought for the same thing, over and over again, and come always to the same conclusions. (Alexander, pg. 527) Accepting sustainable practices ‘because they are good for you’ does not appeal to how people feel. Connecting to a place and being aware of the world makes us more sensitive to the health of the environment. Phenomenological experiences give us the ability to enjoy what nature offers and reconnect us to natural cycles. Letting natural phenomena appeal to the imagination engages us in a place. Places that are alive harness the energy of natural events and human nature to comfort and inspire us. The challenge is not in knowing how to design in this way, but in creating opportunities for this type of design to be expressed in spite of mass-media control of our visual spectrum and the sensory pollution of commercialism. In the end it is up to each person to decide what he/she wants, but the choice can only be made when the options are available to inform that decision. I believe that when given the experience of connectedness, we have the chance to feel the continuum of our lives in the world.
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