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Natural architecture
The current COVID-19 pandemic has shown us yet again how architects and designers need to constantly reinvent the wheel and bring changes in construction practices with time and circumstances. Where they are working on ’emergency architecture’ re-imagining spaces and temporary structures to be turned into corona isolation camps in a time of crisis, lockdown has given us time to reflect, form, and present our ideas and solutions to combat the era of self-isolation.
Quoted by American psychologist Maslow, “Man is not molded or shaped into humanness. Role of nature is ultimately to help him to actualize his own potentialities.” This regard was reflected in the advancement of the holistic health care movement in 2009, moving away from dependence on pharmaceuticals, and taking an integrative approach to incorporate the mind, body, spirit, and soul. Holistic health care takes into consideration the emotional, economic, physical, social, and spiritual needs of an individual in a manner that requires a biopsychosocial tactic, a method that combines the studies of physiology, psychology, and sociology.
Holism (Holistic) is a theory that the universe and natural organisms are interacting wholes and not just a series of isolated parts. It goes beyond problem-solving to integrate all aspects of the ecosystem.
After the industrial revolution in the 1760s, society gave in to the easiness of machine-based production, despite its depreciating effects on the environment. A rejection of nature became the trend. Designers moved away from vernacular style, making design techniques standardized for any environment, culture, or location.
Postmodernism in the 1960s further challenged the universal style of modernism. The result was a design and architectural style that no longer saw an individual as a machine, but as a part of a complex ecosystem. The acknowledgment of the complexity of an individual and its need for cultural and psychological representation had also been upheld by holistic design expanded upon by the sustainability movement.
Holistic architecture is a humanistic approach that integrates the mind, body, and soul. To accomplish this, concepts of sustainability, energy, and physics, introducing physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being into the built environment are incorporated. Holistic architects begin with a site evaluation and are concerned with the natural energies emitted by the site. The location of the structure is chosen based upon an analysis of these energies, also called an environmental magnetic map, to maintain the natural harmony of the energies of the site. The topography of the site is also analyzed and is used to determine the shape of the structure. It is critical that the structure and landscaping integrate with the natural setting.
Simultaneously, emerged holistic interior design, a practice rooted in physiology, sociology, and psychology with a goal to improve the quality of the indoor built environment and the overall well being of the residents. It is an energy based practice with a focus on clearing, balancing, and maintaining the subtle energy field that helps in the healing of residents’ physical, emotional, and spiritual states. The common practice involves but not limited to Vastu Shastra & Feng Shui with the integration of nature, light, aromatherapy, color therapy, sound management, and sustainability. We are pivoting to a time where we want to dwell in spaces that help us rejuvenate and accentuate our creativity and spiritual journey. Holistic design is the future.
As architects, the dire need of the hour is to address the environmental and medical challenges we are facing and structure a robust community to tackle the pressing issue with construction practices that focus not just on aesthetics and functionality, but overall sustainability.
