We can all read the language of spaces. It is natural, easy and happens without thinking about it. It's a language of our bodies and senses.
We are always in some sort of a space (not quite the same as tila in Finnish, better translations welcome!). All spaces also "happen" at a certain time. In a way, we are the spaces we are in. Winston Churchill said "First we create our buildings, then our buildings create us".
I consider both natural environments and built environments to be important to include in this understanding. We should remember that between 75-95% of all communication is non-verbal, and our environments are affecting us in powerful ways.
The dimensions of space (tila) as a phenomenon are: social, physical and virtual. The social aspect is probably the most important, so spaces should be created with understanding the behaviours that the space encourages/discourages. Form is intensified meaning that human beings read subconsciously. So be aware of the meanings inbuilt in your surroundings. If the meaning supports you and what you want to achieve and become, you've got a powerful friend on your side. If the opposite is true, something is constantly working against you and tiring you out.
This starts to sound pretty much like Feng Shui. And I believe our western Environmental Psychology is close to the fundamental teaching of feng shui, if you look beyond the evil spirits and "how to be rich" -type of teachings. But who am I to dismiss evil spirits, maybe I am just beginning to understand the "invisible world" ;-)
The "invisible world" is also what I have been learning in my Design studies (International Design Business Management for Professionals). In a way, designing messages, or meanings into forms (e.g. a cider bottle) is the essence of any design act. Design can be made in a way that seeks to serve "what wants to be" or in a "hero" mentality. Serving what wants to be is a selfless act, where the designer(s) carefully studies and engages the real users and other stakeholders in the process, fully letting go of "what should be" (culture) and being extremely sensitive to what wants to happen in this space, for these people, at this time, serving these aspirations.
The hero designers (that the media seem to love) use a different approach, which may result into a great item, but quite often their designs are "monuments", because the meaning inbuilt is "someone has done the thinking for you, now admire it".
A good design (as I understand) gives a meaningful form that serves the intended OR desired behaviours BUT leaves room for change. IDEO, the world's most famous product design company for example believes that spaces certainly are a factor of innovation, but the fewer rules the better. Let people create their own spaces rather than give them a focus group-influenced compromise design from the real estate or IT department.
I could go on and on about this subject - which was noticeable also on Friday. Apologies for cramming our time together with a lot of information. I had a great learning experience preparing, giving and now documenting this talk. I enjoyed the discussion that according to my memory covered at least: the social aspect of spaces, being in the flow or not (and helped/not by the physical surroundings), spaces as "tipping points", space being a participant in a group setting, space being one of the teachers in Montessori -thinking, helping people open up to other people, innovative and creative virtual spaces, timing of meetings, locations being important, more inspiring corporate offices, the psychosis-inducing environments, environments that are good for us, education...
The conversation was intriguing, and I would like to hear about your insights (oivallukset). Please contact me or let's speak at the next Forum.
The books that I referred to, were:
Talojen kieli by Kaj Nyman, Rakennusalan kustantajat 1998
• this book is a very thought provoking book based on the author's Doctoral Thesis. He takes the view of the built environment and architects. Very readable and lots of drawings. I got it from the library.
In the Bubble. Designing in a Complex World by John Thackara. The MIT Press 2006.
• equally thought provoking, but Thackara covers many kinds of design: products, spaces, services, education, business etc. Read this, if you want to understand how design thinking and practices relate to your life, the environment and the global challenges we are facing. No drawings at all, but well written! I ordered it from Amazon.
Thank you!
Anna Sperryn
"annasperryn@yahoo.com"
Posts
Vow... thank you Anna for your presentation, and a great written summary of what happened at our meeting.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few citations that I noted during our discussion:
"Space is a phenomenon."
"Form is information."
"After having the children I was so sensitive that I could hear the buildings talk."
"How to change a room to facilitate a change in the behaviour? Pay attention to small things, you can change a lot in any space."
"Culture is tyranny against what wants to be."
"Form is intensified meaning."
"Innovation happens in the fringe. Stay away from the headquarters."
"Loss of sense of time and space induces psychosis."
I need to tell you what our 8-year-old son Pyry said - he was standing in our backyard, staring at the trees, and whispered (to himself, I just happened to hear him): "Seems that there's something missing from the world. We can't see it... but still, there it is." I think he was referring to the "invisible world" Anna mentioned? Anna became sensitive after having children; perhaps Pyry is sensitive due to being a child.
Best wishes, Pekka
Anna offered us a lot to think about, and Pekka made an important reference to children. With many grandchildren, I have discovered that organizing space to minimize problems and maximize opprotunties for all can rarely, if ever, be successful for everyone every time. Each child creates new space while exploring limits and each adult, as well a brothers, sisters and cousins, can interpret the exploration in different ways.
ReplyDeleteSuccess comes when there is continual flexibitly in use and interpetation of the meanings of space. Every additional grandchild has provided me with addition ideas for what might be the best way to organize space for the next one. But as the next came and others grew older, I became more aware of how the space around me will always be partially invisible.
Is this any different from the realities of space in business related space? Maybe in one way: family partipants of all ages will often speak up (using their own languages) but maybe there isn't enough emphasis in a business context for what Marshall Rosenberg calls 'nonviolent communication'when there are multiple contradictory ways of interpreting the use of space. This is a concept I got from Anna Oksanen last week and from an article by Martha Lasley that she sent me yesterday. Maybe this brings us to Anna's example of the 'active negative silent' concept in the HS article. Hopefully we will hear from forum participants about examples of how companies have created space to discuss and explore ways to improve space options, even if there are always also space option limits.