Maison De Rêve
I was contemplating my maison de
rêve for some years now. As I discussed with near and dear ones, many
thoughts brushed off my mind, new ideas, concepts, notions, and opinions; more
than answers, questions emerged.
Why my mind is fixated with a kind of space, style, and symbols?
How is it that I accept some styles suggested by my loved ones while failed
to see some sense in other concepts?
From where the unique thought of my maison
de rêve originates.
These unanswered questions that gave me hypnagogic hallucinations and
sleepless nights. Further, I developed a habit of binge-watching documentaries
and TV shows on architecture, not because it released dopamine in the brain to
exhilarate enthusiasm, rather, out of confusion and curiosity to understand the
unique, ingenious, imaginative styles of people to articulate mine. With this
confused mind, I consulted an engineer cum architect, getting a suggestion from
my friend, to design a dwelling for my retirement. The two questions he raised
were how much space do you need? What is
your budget?
I was apoplectic. The way the engineer responded my requirement was
ridiculous. I cannot visualise a house, particularly a maison de rêve limited to area and estimates. I expected the
architect to ask a few fascinating queries on the space, style, and selections.
Questions like, do you want the house in
modern, traditional, contemporary, or conventional style? like to have the
walls in bricks, stone, stone cladding or regular style? do you prefer a false
ceiling, faux wood beams, textured painting, etc should have been crucial. I
presumed that he would ask some stimulating questions concerning my preferences
and options; in fact, carried some sample pictures to describe my dream home. I
was even set to say that I already christened it, to give a clue to him on my
desire, design, description, and depiction.
As my felicific visit to the engineer became spoiled, felt like blasting
my friend for choosing the engineer for consultation. However, I am thankful to
the engineer for his simple style, not applying any gobbledygook to frustrate
me further. It makes some people happy if an architect builds a house in a
moderate budget. People consider an architect a perfect builder if a particular
project gets over in a shoestring budget. There is a world of issues that need focus
than the conventional considerations of economics and space.
When the architect whom I approached did not consider my aesthetic aspirations,
space specifications, childhood reminiscences, recurrent recollections, current
likes and dislikes, assumed architectural vistas, I was utterly exasperated.
Even to discern the mind of a rural, perhaps the questions asked by the
architect would not suffice. A simple soul living in a squatter, someone
famished for finance will have a few unique thoughts and ideas of a dream home
that would go beyond area and economy. Such needs require exploration and examination
by engaging enquiries. Am I aberrant or outlandish to have personal concerns
about my ideal abode? I doubt the authenticity of the architect; have
reservations whether he could design any meaningful dwelling?
In the course of my life journey, as a person who lived in many
cultures, countries and continents, seen diverse architectural patterns and
styles, I have developed a few exclusive concepts of my retreat. As a grown-up
adult, doing a delicate dance in the middle of midlife, consciously calculating
my individuation process with well-defined wishes, I am sure, the two main
measures by which the architect intends to visualise my dream house are
inadequate. It gave me the impression that good architects are thin on the
ground.
Even though not a big fan of the American tiny-house movement, I desire
to have a simple, affordable, self-reliant lifestyle. However, many unique
specifications adore my dream. An open floor plan, a kind of Tuscan outlook
with an earthy rustic appeal, arched doors and windows, some Spanish terracotta
tiles for the floor, arches and arcades, sheltered walkways, tower-like
protruding chimney, a courtyard or a patio, or courtyard patio to feel the
morning and evening wind, an atrium or a loggia to enjoy the free flow of wind are
all well fixed in my mind. Besides that, some elements of Tudor architecture
also attracts me and dandle in the imagination. Using bricks and natural
stones, timber exposures as if supporting the roof, Mangalore tiles to decorate
the roof, a stone fireplace to feel the warmth in the winter to play guitar or
flute, or listen to some soothing songs or to lie down on the sofa to watch TV,
an oriel window supported by decorative corbels, an attached garage in ranch
home style, are also my fantasy and part of my daydreaming.
I had constant conversations with my friends who built houses recently;
had regular discussions with people who were interested in buildings; organised
seminar talks; convoked a colloquium on art and culture to know the different
viewpoints of various groups, all to broaden my idea on architecture. To find
answers to my queries, argued freely with students of artistic aspirations;
requested friends to interview architects; sharpened my mind by assimilating
ideas and gathering concepts; the more I indulged, the more I stumbled. My
search and sagacity in understanding my architectural aspirations did not bear
fruit and led me more into befuddlement than enlightenment that forced to take
shelter in my comfort zone, psychology, to find a few answers. Depth Psychology salvaged me to in my
perplexity.
My thinking took a significant shift in understanding architecture. From
defining architecture as a space utility from an environmental psychology
perspective, I went on viewing it from the Freudian and Jungian concepts of the
psyche, symbols and the enigma of the unconscious that subdue every encounter.
This new paradigm gave me the following insights: architecture, as it is
understood in constructing simple human habitat, apparently appears to be an
uncomplicated act for an architect, but a complex concern for the cryptic
complexity of every individual’s obscurity that makes it impossible that no
single specification or description can distinctively define any design that
could eventually enchant the exclusivity of every individual. If the intricacy
of individual inclinations originates from the conspicuous conscious mind, it
could be communicated by the client easily and effortlessly to the architect
who can design the space accurately. Every exclusive expression amalgamates
from the arcane bottoms of the unconscious that is unseen, unknown, and
unexplained that makes it difficult for an individual to articulate
unambiguously the fashion and pattern. Since the deep-seated unconscious has a
crucial role in the inimitable individual’s architectural aspirations, the
impenetrable inner depths of the individual psyche need to be infiltrated and
for that, information on depth psychology is inevitable and indispensable. Depth
psychology penetrates the profoundness of psychic symbols to assist architects
and clients to capture the aesthetic allure that which arises from the sui
generis psyche and the unfathomable unconscious and attempts to comprehend this
complexity capitalising preternatural procedures of psychological presumptions.
Real osmosis!
My outlook on architecture took a giant leap and
crispy convictions cropped up. I examine every piece of architecture not from a
conventional concept of customary construction rather a reflection of an inner
psyche through concealed symbols. When I see a building, its art, aesthetics,
colour combinations, delicate designs, elegant environment in which it stands,
matching materials used, the utility of spaces, all that attract me, give new
dimensions to my perception, understanding, and admiration. **************************
Janetius, S.T. (2020). Architectural Psychology:
Space, Psyche, Enigma & Symbol, Mishil & Js Publishers, Thrissur,
ISBN: 978-1974307715
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