Hello friends, we all know that Perspective has a Latin root, meaning "look
through" or "perceive". All the meanings of perspective have
something to do with looking and observing. Observing however,
is more of conscious looking and time and again we designers have been taught
to observe and not just ‘look’ or ‘see’.
Today morning I was trying to capture through my lenses some
exotic birds that visit our locality these days. Small 3 inch green warblers
drank from the sahjan flowers dipping their beaks in and an equally small pair
of shiny metallic turquoise blue & black birds kept jumping from branch to
branch and wouldn’t sit still to get photographed. The squirrel sprang about
making its queer squeaky noise and exotic colourful butterflies hovered above the flowers! The shiny
blues, the bright yellows and oranges, brown and white spots were the adornments
of the butterflies.
I am very sure that these exotic creatures kept visiting our
surroundings always. But it is only now, when we have slowed down enough to ‘stand
and stare’ and observe, that we are able to see them and enjoy their beauty! To
enjoy the beauty of nature we do need to slow down and have patience.
My recent browsing through the ocean of internet threw up a
new concept of SLOW. ‘Slow’ is an acronym for Sustainable, Local, Organic, and Whole. Well that
is a beautiful way of phrasing it I thought! So I wanted to share with you
this perspective of slow living!
The
phrase “slow movement” was coined by Carl Honoré in his 2004 book, In
Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed. So I learnt today
that “Slow living is a lifestyle which is going back to a simpler and mindful
approach to life.”
Well,
we can Design Homes with slow living in mind and make space for a life
that emphasises on “being in the moment” and create a space for the things that
transport us into a portal of pleasure and happiness. The interiors of our
homes have much to do about our mental and emotional health. Now with this
global pandemic affecting our lives, we have been advised to stay at home for our
own welfare and the welfare of our fellow humans. We are spending our days
inside our homes and how well our homes are designed will definitely have an
impact on our physical as well as mental health. However, do not fret over a creased bed linen, a chipped bowl or a fading
curtain – not everything has to be fast, polished or showroom-perfect.
What
we need are: (1) Maximum natural light
and ventilation. (2) A decluttered home to remove distractions and improve our
productivity. (3)Some plants in living areas to improve air quality,
relaxation, inspiration, and focus. (4) Balanced natural elements (fire, earth,
water and space and air) for more interest and depth (5) Energy flow pathways with
no roadblocks from one productive area
to another and (6) Balanced use of ‘Colours’
in our spaces.
In this
manner we can build a home that reflects our life, rather than passing fashions
and trends. With small adjustments our homes
can transform from a source of stress or isolation to a sanctuary for calm and
comfort. These tips are also enumerated in our ancient science of ‘Sthaptya Shilpa
and Vastu Shashtra’ in Atharva Veda where the designs are intended to integrate
architecture with nature.
Oh! How the thought process flows in myriad directions.. have I deviated from watching nature to designing our homes ? J Maybe! But I am just sharing my thoughts with you as it keeps flowing. In the images attached with this post are some pictures I clicked of the sky and the nature as reflected on the Car windows visible from my balcony J So starting from observing the nature and reflections of the sky and trees I end up pondering about the interiors of our homes.. J Hope you enjoy my musings..
Dr Anindita Roy, Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi
Reflections- a different perspective
Reviewed by CREATIVE WRITER
on
April 11, 2020
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