Resetting the Normal

            As society has evolved, it is hard not to notice the many changes that occur over time. One of the most influential and most impactful change is that of technology. It has been around for decades now, becoming a larger part of everyday life as it ages. Not an hour goes by without using in in some way. We have become overwhelmingly distracted by technology that it has started to affect other aspects of our lives.

            The idea of technology becoming a larger part of our lives and taking away from other parts of life can be applied to many things. The main aspect focused on today is applying this concept to architecture. In Juhani Pallasmaa’s The Eyes of the Skin, he says this: “The built environment, ‘has become an art of the printed image fixed by the hurried eye of the camera... The gaze itself flattens into a picture and losses its plasticity. Instead of experiencing our being in the world, we behold it from outside as spectators of images projected on the surface of the retina.’” (Pallasmaa). So much time is spent looking at pictures on phones, computers, and TVs that the interaction between people and a building gets lost. Furthermore, the buildings people do interact with daily are often ignored. By focusing on the next funny video that comes across the screen, the beauty of built design is missed completely.

         It is easy to look at pictures and think that a particular place looks beautiful and wish of seeing it in person. Take the colosseum for example, everyone dreams of seeing it. But how can someone truly relish in the design of a place such as the colosseum, without first learning how to appreciate the architecture and design that they see in day-to-day life. Most people want to see it just to say they have been there, get a picture, and post about it. But there is so much more to the structure than just that. Standing in a place with such deep history and significance—recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the World—reveals that there is far more to its story than first meets the eye.

            After reading The Eyes of the Skin, it is clear that before seeing such a significant place, people need to look around home. Start by putting the phone away and looking around. Analyzing the space and why it was designed the way it was. Every decision was made with purpose. By using design elements and principles throughout a building, the designers can subtly make you feel a certain way. At home the feeling is likely calm, peaceful, and at rest, like it should be. At a cathedral with tall ceilings and massive stained-glass windows, you likely feel small, humbled, and in awe, a mindset you should probably be in if attending church. Every little detail is chosen to all work together to make a structure that you can interact with.

            These details are all around us, we just choose to ignore them. As nice as it is to have pictures of moments like visiting the colosseum, take a minute before pulling out a camera. Analyze the space, the materials, the details of such a wonderful place. Don’t just do it with the Wonders of the World, do it with every building you interact with. Picture turning a door handle as the handshake between a person and architecture and the very first feeling of being welcomed into a new space.

References:

Pallasmaa, J. (2012). The eyes of the skin: Architecture and the senses (3rd ed.).