I’m a naturalist. I tend to lean more towards the organic side of things. I enjoy the variations of organic form. They are not ostentatious or contrived. They instill harmony in ones surrounding. Purity of form is the highest developed Art. This is what every artist hopes to achieve. Seeing beauty in pure form is not easy. Many people do not understand it. It might scare them. Others feel it immediately and it is praised. I have presented designs to approval committees and they have always liked and approved my design concepts. This is true even when I am pushing the limit on code issues. I bring up the various interpretations of the codes and show how what I am proposing will benefit all parties. This brings people together. Approvals are always better when everyone sees the bigger picture.
Harmonizing within the design and community is the greatest achievement. Expressions of movement and natural processes evokes a more natural flowing life. Space is not dead; it is part of your every day experiences. It adds or detracts from enriching your life energy. Design can invoke the intuitive and creative choices in you. That surge of fancy expands your soul. It up lifts you. When you really see the rational analysis of a harmonic companion, one that expresses the synthesis of nature, you appreciate where you are at and have the added advantage of knowing the difference of being in other environments. Culture, Reason, and imagination can then be expanded. This has an additive affect. The appreciation of life expands. The spaces that achieve this, as in World Heritage Sites, are sought after. People flock to them.
Buildings are a function of nature or they would not stand up. The structure follows the laws of nature. We live in this environment. It is our civilization. Privacy, protection, sunlight, and landscaping are all incorporated into a design. How that is accomplished directs all decisions in the design process and the final outcome and longevity of a project. Nature is flexible over time. Can the building do the same thing? How much enjoyment will the spaces designed bring? Nature is spontaneous. Is the design creative? Can the playfulness of the design process expose itself? Does the space designed make people happy? If we follow the laws of nature will it really increase the power of the mind? Will the participants feel it? Will it result in their interactions with others to expand their life’s enjoyment? I know many of the elements I fight for with my clients do. They thank me for maintaining my position on specific issues. They say it did make all the difference once they saw and experienced it. These do not have to be expensive items. But they can enliven a space way beyond the norm. The power of the mind, the movement created by special design all respond as an integrated puzzle. It’s like looking at the geologic striations, the laying of time in rocks, bring the historical knowledge to life. You can see it. You can feel it. It becomes your experience! That is why many people love the concept of transitional spaces. You feel the difference from a community space all the way down to your private person space. You feel the difference from inside to out. Many modern designs use glazed walls to express or open up the interior to the exterior. The use of space can open up to be more usable and expressive enriching life. It brings opportunity for a variety of uses and is flexibly at the same time. Wow! Who would of thought?
Who would not want to be involved designing with all these parameters. What client would pass up on these opportunities? As a designer, all these design issues coalesce simultaneously in my mind as I sleep. My mind does this all by itself. I do not need to coax it. It is an internal process. All I have to do is narrow the vision to come up with how nature would resolve the intricate issues. All my life experiences give my mind all those tools to do its job. All I have to do is ferret the information and create the art that flows from it. Since I stay on top of rules and their intent this simplifies the process. Since I continually study all aspects of my business, art, and the humanities those resources have continued to expand. I love to exploit the opportunities of existing sites. I define what the picturesque composition would look and feel like on a property in relation to what is going on now, and in the future. Can nature provide the answer to the forms? What kind of experiences are we creating? How many experiences can we include within the development? Based on budgets, how many senses can I integrate into the design? What historical, cultural research, and development concepts can be used? I want to open up all the senses in each design. This expands the mind. I want everyone to come out of any project I have been involved with having an optimistic view on life. A good design should be like a "breath of fresh air"!
