We all crave balance in our lives? No?
Do you ever walk in to a building and feel like the energy is stagnant? Or maybe a room feels cluttered, overwhelming and you cannot wait to escape? Then the energy, life force or Chi (as it is known) may not be flowing as it should and feels stagnant. What can we do? Well, that is where we can look to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui. A principal that dates back to 4000 BC. Wow, now that is old you say, but it can still be very applicable today.
The Feng Shui ideology aims to bring harmony and balance to the environment we live in. The goal, to align invisible energy forces (known as qi, articulated as ‘chi”) that bind universe, earth, nature and humanity together. Pronounced Feng Shuay the words literally translate to Feng – wind and Shui – water, earths “flowing” elements. It is essentially the art of creating positive energy flow with respect to space and the five “natural” elements :-
Fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.
All distinguished by their own shape, color and texture.
By utilizing these forces one can generate or redirect energy positively.
It is a very complex idea, but lets look at some of the simpler ways it is used in architecture.
Feng shui principles strive to increase our health and well being, by examining how energy flows through a room, house, building or garden.
These ideas play a vital role in the design process. It defines our relationship with nature and natures affinity with us. Thus, harming one will ultimately harm the other.
Feng shui and architecture are inter-related, maintaining the ecological balance between design, humans and nature.
Hlevel architecture were fortunate to be able to work on the Feng shui / Bauhaus remodel. The client was very well versed in Feng shui principles and ideology.
We worked very closely with her, as she helped guide us through the whole process. It was very important to her that the exterior and interior was truly designed around Feng shui principles and a positive energy flow. For example:- water flowing toward the front door will bring luck and financial prosperity to the owner. The north facing front door was painted black, as it represents good fortune and is a protective, solid energy.
In addition, all of the furniture and interior design had to be arranged to strict guidelines.
At Hlevel we learned a great deal on the subject via our generous client and we now have the tools and a design consultant in her, to provide this service to other projects as required.
This is a great informative article by Archdaily https://www.archdaily.com/893322/7-projects-inspired-by-feng-shui-principles It lists 7 remarkable designs that have utilized Feng Shui.
This is the tip of the iceberg. The subject is intricate and can take numerous years to understand, let alone master. This is why people can dedicate their whole lives to its perfection.
Therefore, this article reviews the basics, but where can one go from here? Anywhere your chi takes you surely?
Goodbye for now and until our next post, where you can look forward to an in depth look at FEMA and the improvements one can make to the home, in response to our changing climate.
