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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.
Contact: John Salat at freeingwinds@earthlink.net
or call 949-235-4847
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Last revised 2013
copyright (c), John Salat All rights reserved