thoughts on design

TLDR : A few musings on design that I aspire towards

Bad architecture is in the end as much a failure of psychology as of design. It is an example expressed through materials of the same tendencies which in other domains will lead us to marry the wrong people, choose inappropriate jobs and book unsuccessful holidays: the tendency not to understand who we are and what will satisfy us.” ― Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness

I’ve been thinking about how to decorate space. Your external environment often ends up being a reflection of your internal environment, and as Alain de Botton puts it, we should aim to “mould the material world towards graceful ends”

This is a personal aesthetic that is individual, but I want to articulate what works for myself

biophilic design

This aesthetic involves integrating nature with the built environment. I could cite studies that show ‘happier’ people, but you don’t need this. Subjectively, one can tell that being surrounded by nature is inherently peaceful.

minimal

Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Minimalism can be described as an art style. I’m referring instead to a personal view where space is utilised effectively to create an illusion of more space. Not emptiness for the sake of emptiness

I like the Japanese use of space.

wood, glass, brick and high ceilings

I’m not a fan of modern architecture and ‘new builds’. I like keeping the external aesthetic of a building intact and congruent with its surroundings.

My favourite materials : Wood, Brick, and enough glass for natural light

High ceilings to create the illusion of space

walkable cities

Having walkable cities tends to create a sense of community. It’s the opposite of urban sprawl

Examples : London, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Florence, Paris, Edinburgh. You can rate your preferences using this tool.

woods >

I would like to live in a large metropolis for part of my life (London, Tokyo, NY) But longer term, forests and mountains have a natural pull on me