Using the elements of air and water allows for spaciousness and flow

Elements in ar . chi . tec . ture part 4

Water and Air | Reflection and Movement

Have you ever been outside on a windy day where the entire canopy of trees is moving? Pollen, leaves, birds, even clouds rising and falling with the currants as if pushed by thick liquid. Growing up in Northern California, close to the coast, I witnessed the Pacific churn with similar dynamism, yet from its surface. Forests of sea kelp connected to the ocean floor move dramatically by the water as if in a storm. The plants as well as all the sea creatures are suspended in one large moving wave.

Different, yet very alike

Though very different, water and air remind me of one another. They move, erode, push, pull, and fill. They can clear or cleanse a space. Stale air vanishes after windows are opened. We feel alive and refreshed after plunging into cool water. Water and wind take up space yet if they are no longer present, they still leave a memory, an imprint of what was and the effect they had. It is perhaps more in their absence where their impact is felt. Consequently, harmony can be attained by integrating and including these elements in our space.

Water is present in our homes though at times elusive. Having a fountain or pool is an obvious expression of water but sometimes a color or image can evoke a similar mood or sensation; easy, cool, and refreshing. In The Secret Knowledge of Water, the naturalist and scientist Craig Childs, roams the southwestern states and into the deserts of Northern Mexico studying water. Seemingly void of water, the desert if fact has a great deal. Hidden in shaded springs, dormant in cactus, deep in sandy washes, or in secluded pools, water can be found, thoughtfully perhaps painstakingly, everywhere. It’s the memory of water that is most notable when looking out over the desert and mesa. One can see the impact of ancient seas and thunderous rivers. Where do you see the presence or memory of water in your landscape?

Childs ability to locate water in the desert reminds me of how important water is regardless of quantity. There is value in its presence. It is important for life. Even the smallest cache can transform the surrounding micro-climate. Introducing watery concepts counterbalances the very solid structure of a framed building. With glass or mirrors, concrete, polished surfaces, soft edges and patterns, movement and reflectivity are introduced and an oasis if you will, springs forth. Most often made of a material generated from earth, wood, stone or metal, residential and commercial spaces feel comfortable when water-inspired elements are integrated. Like animals, humans naturally gravitate towards water and all it sustains. A space void of it will feel unsettled, uncomfortable even.

As it reflects our experience

Water’s nature is to move, reflect, cleanse, and saturate. It’s cooling, it’s dreamy, and it’s penetrating. It can be as gentle as a light autumn rain and it can surge with the power of fifty-foot seas. It carves valleys into mountains and it permeates through the earth, mixing with minerals to build cavernous subterranean spaces. Water is present in the earth, flows over it, and moves above it. The commonality isn’t wetness but mobility. From heavy clouds, to rain, to rivers, to seas, even deep within the earth, water is omnipresent. Like air, it’s on the move.

In contrast with the hard-cold qualities of glass or polished stone, water can also be inviting. It’s not always a block of ice. You can dive into water and be held, suspended in space. Think of a soft bed with cool linens or a wall saturated in blue or sheer curtains that move like sails. A large mirror expanding a small space, to a glass door or window reflecting the outside world within, the qualities of water can be integrated in many ways. They can also be integrated through the pattern and color of a substrate. For example, in our kitchen we specifically chose large ceramic and concrete tiles for one wall and the floor that reminded us of water moving on sand and the light playing on the ocean’s surface. The latter example is bright blue with a white pinwheel pattern. The floor tile looks like sand washed away by a stream. Not only does is look and feel beautiful, it reminds us of cool moving water. Are you beginning to recognize how the water element may appear around you or, in some cases, not at all?

Where there is stagnancy, move

Air like water also moves. Its very nature is about expansion and contraction. The rise and fall of temperature and pressure create wind. Stillness is relative, as nothing is void of movement. To ensure that the air element is balanced, incorporate heavy earth-like items that have weight and substance as well as fluid water-like items that melt into the structure and décor. The goal is to create a space where air can rise and fall easily and naturally. In short, unobstructed.

Some spaces benefit from having amble flow to keep things and people moving. There may be aspects of a room where an excess of weight and heaviness dominates, which can be stagnating. Excessively dark, no natural light, a hodge-podge of furniture, too many objects hung on the walls or ceiling are a few examples that immediately come to mind. This can be addressed with editing, color palette, layout, and light. In contrast, a large room with high ceilings and significantly empty may feel exposed, one may feel restless. Mobility is more conducive in expansive spaces. Vast, light filled spaces with a lot of air qualities are great for auditoriums, airports, concert halls, galleries, or museums. These are places where the movement of people, ideas, or music is essential and purposeful.

A guest room, the garage, a conference room, or a dance studio are a few examples of rooms/spaces that benefit from flow. These are places that thrive with an open floor plan, a feeling of space, or where people feel at ease coming and going. For example, a guest room or garage is a non-permanent place. Guests come and go. Cars move in and out. Movement is natural. The identity of the space is to have a steady flow, in and out.

So how do we balance expansion and contraction as it relates to physical space? First be aware of how the space makes you feel. Second, notice if that is aligned with how you want to live in your home versus be in the world. Knowing how a space works for you is key. Private and public space can be approached with different design principles, as the identities differ. High ceilings can handle heavy, chunky, dark furniture. Thick rugs, large wooden antiques, wainscoting, using stone or concrete on the floor, are also options. Give the space something to hold, a large statement chandelier is also a great option. I wish I could do something like this, though I do not have high ceilings. When a space needs a breath of fresh air, editing excess clutter, using a lighter palette, incorporating mirrors for reflection, hanging art or photography that pull you deep inside them, will create more room for movement. Don’t know where to start, begin by opening your windows, observe and move in your space - create a current.

Make it happen

Feeling stagnant or claustrophobic? Want to love coming home to your space?

When you look around, do you feel like you are living in your space or someone else’s?
What do you love, where do you avoid going? Learn how to embody and implement these principles into your life.