Tranquil Architechtural Design
fusing
Zen Design/Wabi Sabi/Feng Shui

 

Creating Living Architecture

Creating materials, textures, and space within Wabi Sabi is sacred art within itself. Zen Architects will fuse Wabi-sabi/Feng Shui applications into an zenergy blend. These systems may originate from the eastern globe, yet the genre needs not follow eastern culture. In fact, the principles may apply with all worldly materials and methods to trace with any theme, yet still be Wabi-Sabi. Some examples of blending east into west is the Bungalow folk craftsman style, Frank Lloyd Wright "Prairie" and Greene & Greene "Gamble" . Successfully and timelessly these craftsman styles of architecture bridge East/West coherently. Some deeper examples of Wabi Sabi eclectic approaches as follow:

Textiles: Great resource for textiles or tapestries can come from 3rd World countries. Most 3rd world items are hand made rather than machine made. The energy transmitted through hand made items are lively. The imperfections with irregularities adds to a relaxed feeling. Examples include paper (Shoji screens), hemp plant, grass, silk, cotton and natural pigments, all add to the indigenous themes.

Materials/Textures/Colors: Where new materials can't appear old, chemical treated patinas may be applied as finishes for all metals. Color bleed acid etched concrete is a great substitute for finish floor. Sand blasting or wired brush for metal or wood also accelerates weathered look appearance. Grass wallpaper or wall paper infused with art/ calligraphy adds bold interest.

Art/Murals: Contemporary art that is minimalist by nature often works with Wabi-sabi. Calligraphy and Sumi wet-brush paintings enrich the rooms. A lighted or accented alcove known as "tokonoma" becomes a great showcase for flaunting art, textiles, cermaics, flower pot or sculpture. By obtaining original art work rather machined copied vitalizes a space as containing an aura feel. Kinesiology testing Scientifically demonstrates original art as compared to a machined copy to same art image has far more benefits for our well being. Hand crafted murals designed for particular walls also contribute personally for room space. Seeking indigenous and folk art pieces add eccentricity, and floods energy to the room.

Artwork painted by John Salat.
Decorations & Accessories: Statues, hand crafted items and fixtures facilitate balance to stagnant spots of rooms. Even displaying non-practical senseless items such as old hand warn tools, farm implements and ancient music instruments add balance to space. Also, hand crafted plumbing/electrical fixtures complement rooms well through using wood carved sinks/tubs right down to decorative metal art switch plates that all align to craftsmanship feel. The final touches of "Ikebana" flower arrangements draws forth the existence of nature, especially when complemented with potted crude ceramic containers known as "Raku."

Furniture/Framing/Hardware: Roughen exposed ceiling framing, hand made or sometimes custom furniture personalizes a room. Wood furniture with integrated network of joiners, fingers, pegs, exposed wood pegs and other custom fittings give a sense of Wabi Sabi. The exposed crude and hammered metal hardware and surfaces gives sense of rustic feel. Often, examples of these surfaces are over-warned/hand polished antiques passed through time and have bruised exposed patinas that wear naturally caused by man and nature. Eclectically, mixing antiques with modern pieces celebrates all of time.

Gong designed and construction by John Salat

Indoor Lights/Shadows: The Japanese word "Sabi" in Wabi Sabi refers to Shadowy world of solitude/quietness. The darkness empties to spur mystery while dimness evokes spirit to dwell and eventually clear all distractions to everyday life. The ascetic hermits sometimes visited dark caves within the deep mountains as to acquire abstinence. Rooms too can have a soft quite corners with bright transitory light spaces. Accenting with low voltage lighting or using Shoji screens to diffuse light mysteriously though borrow from adjacent space while accenting the shadowy contrast spaces. According the oriental values, the nexus between light and darkness collide to create both form and substance so to rise life. Spatial conception and expression is lively addressed with light and shadow combinations. From sedated/meditative to active/brilliance for tasking, all spaces create a pleasant pallet of balanced with transitionary to Yin/Yang.

Outdoor Gardens: Gardens add refuge and serenity that sets a mind truly free and clear. Creating a seamless harmonious flow of hardscapes/softscapes adds interest through meandering pathways. Originally, Zen monks strolled these garden pathways that lead to tea rooms as to conquer spiritual synchronicity and kinaesthetically generate peace and calm. These trails through the gardens create a feeling of a stroll to desolate mountains where almost forgetting and refinding ones soul. The gardens represent a microcosm of the Universe where scale did not matter to transcend the macrocosm. The miniature trees (Bonsai for example) allowed mediators to loose themselves in spacelessness. These spaces were metaphors for the Universe which allows the serer to disappear. From meditators view, evanescing evokes a hypnosis trance like effect for contemplation. Using organic materials such as Bamboo as softscape helps relax areas. Using real stone (Not Cultured) for stepping stones/ retaining walls adds fittingly atmosphere with nature. As for concrete, segregated edges and rounded serpentine corners breaks up the stiffness. Dry gravel streams and raked sand seemingly braced against protruding rocks emulates water eddies bouncing off like oceans or natural streams causing an wonderful fluid-like medium. Water polished pebble stones placed longitudinally helps suggest directions of stream flow. Some examples are arid climates which offer contemporary desert themes. Scarce vegetation using wispy brush braced by indigenous decomposed red granite and rocks suggest Zen like atmosphere. For additional information on Zen Gardens, click Gardens.

Acquisitions: Where one find these materials and things is quite simple. Using indigenous materials is honest, authentic, and by best most cost effective. Strolling along deserted beaches for drift wood or hiking through rural areas is one method to having fun and seeking abandoned treasures. For eclectic look, shop at world import retailers, flea markets, antiques stores, scrape metal reclamation centers and other salvage yards for materials. Building demolition's such as barns, bridges, industrial buildings are a plus for raw construction building/furniture materials. Also any other utility rigging or industrious antique products can be found at reclamation yards. Hopefully these products all have natural patinas or blemishes, just need to be cleaned, sealed or treated for safe indoor use. In all, these materials represent the Green Building concept for environmental conservation through revived or recycled products.

Synergizing Humans with Environments: Energetically, no two humans are alike to reactions with the same environment. Yet we all strive for individual harmony of "Chi." In creating favourable environments to align with our bio/physical, a simple solution is attained. This technique is called applied Energy Kinesiology. Colors, textures, geometry and other physical/chemical influences have direct impacts to each individual. Pre diagnostics effectively maps appropriate sculptures and materials within architectural design, including incompatible chemical toxins. A procedure involving muscle testing can be quickly and easily accomplished. This simple procedure works through immediate feedback within mechanism of the nervous system and skeletal muscles. Examination is done without equipment or medical visits rather completed on site quickly using straight-arm resist test. By testing colors, textures, shapes, material substances, and even sleeping directional orientations, one can ascertain the most effective design methods prior to construction. The rewards is finding health, vitality with well-being for our home or work place, see Architect/Client Relationship.

More on:  Wabi-Sabi

Contact: John Salat at freeingwinds@earthlink.net or call 949-235-4847
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