06/04/2022
When it comes to good home design, most people don’t know what it is. They can’t define it, explain it or articulate it. Instead, they feel it. It’s an emotional connection to the space.
As architects, we are attuned to how our physical environment makes us feels and our role is to project ourselves into an imagined space to appreciate how the space works and the emotions it will evoke.
During the design process, if something doesn’t feel right, it creates agitation, irritation and frustration. It can be an emotional process.
To the untrained eye, the design might look complete, but to an architect it doesn’t feel complete until all the unsettling nervous energy eases and we are experiencing a sense of calmness. We are trained to observe the sensory experiences of a space so we can create spaces that influence the mood, behaviour and decisions of its occupants.
When designing, we imagine the spaces and we allow the sensory experiences to come through to help us guide our designs.
⚠️ We can feel the frustration at meal times when there is a lack of bench space in the kitchen.
⚠️ We can sense the awkwardness and social discomfort when the bathroom is too close, or immediately off a living area.
⚠️ We can feel cramped and uneasy when the clutter starts to accumulate around the home due to a lack of storage space.
⚠️ We can feel the stagnant air created due to a lack of window openings or air circulation.
⚠️ We can hear the conversations of our neighbours if the party-walls are of lightweight material.
⚠️ We can hear the sound of the traffic from inside a bedroom which has single glazing next to a busy road.
⚠️ We can visualize the quality of the light within a space
⚠️ We can feel the physical discomfort on a summers evening when a west facing window has no external shading.
⚠️ We can hear the echoing in a large room that is hard to furnish.
We revisit the design a number of times with fresh eyes, quite often rotating the design several ways to see how it would feel when the room is entered in from a different angle.
As architects, if we can eradicate feelings of discomfort within a home during the design process, we know we are creating better quality designs for its occupants. We know small things can trigger arguments, tension and stress but good design can resolve these annoyances. Our goal is to create spaces that people feel good in and we do that by focusing on designing with a human-centred approach.
An essential part of this process is to get to know our clients because we know a one-size fits all approach isn’t going to work. Then, we bring our senses into the design process of every home we create and for me, I know the design is complete when I can exhale and feel a sense of calmness and stillness; it’s when I am at peace with the design.
I believe good home design creates a safe haven for its people and it allows us to relax, recover and recharge so we can tackle the day ahead.
