Design Concept..

The Design Concept is always changing, so that it can be defined better and seen in the space, making the design a successful one.

It is always challenging to apply the design concept as well as the theories into the space, the design is critted and changed to make the design the best that it can possibly be. It always helps to get others ideas on your designs and ideas..

My concept has not changed drastically but it has been clearly defined now as Structured Nature.
My theories are heavily influenced by Nature, but this is a very broad term, so in an attempt to narrow it down, the link between Nature and the interpretation of Eastern Design need to be defined.

Nature has organic shapes, but everything can be broken down into a simple structure. In a way I see this as a type of therapy, seeing something and then breaking it down into a simple structure so that it can be understood, this approach is taken when trying to understand anything even the most complicated situation or object.

So, I came up with the sketches seen below to visually explain what I mean by everything being able to be broken down into simple structures and shapes.

New Logo

After being super indecisive about a logo.. I designed this new one :)

The meaning is still the same, Zentai is Japanese for the word Whole. The colours that I have incorporated into the new logo are the neutral grey tones, but the purple and pink because of a theory used in the design of my space on Colour Therapy.

The grey or silver colour represents female energy, rebirth and emotional stability, among other important aspects. The purple is said to heal melancholy, hysteria and bring spiritual insights and renewal. The pink is to represent a more feminine aspect because the retreat is for woman, pink is also said to bring you in to contact with your feelings as well as healing grief and sadness.

Lighting Inspiration..

Amazing lighting designs by Issey Miyake!

Check out the article here: http://www.homecrux.com/2013/02/15/3922/gorgeous-origami-lamp-shades-made-from-recycled-plastic-instead-of-paper.html

Going Green??

Wellness Warehouse - Cape Town

The Wellness Warehouse is located on Kloof Street in Cape Town, for any of you lucky people who happen to be there go and check it out ;)

This is a brand that offers all kinds of wellness products and in essence offer a kind of lifestyle not only the kind of products that they have to sell physically. What really interests me personally is how 'Green' and 'Eco-Friendly' all products have gone, but the more 'Green' a product is, the more expensive it seems to be and the more exclusive the lifestyle seems to be.

In an ideal world, everyone should care for each other, whether you know the person or not, this includes animals and the very precious resources that the planet offers us. If everyone looked after each other and the planet and didn't want to make as much money as possible, then this kind of 'healthy lifestyle' would be more obtainable to everyone, because what is really important - how much money you can make or how you have made an impact in life??

This shop has a great feeling about it, clean, exclusive and upmarket, which is fabulous, but is this really where being Green is going??

Us as consumers always are influenced by the global trends and everyone has seemed to jump on the green bandwagon, what does it really mean to go Green for you? Is just buying organic food enough, or is it challenging the wrapping and the containers that that organic food comes in? 

Don't get me wrong, this is a fabulous shop, but just using it to challenge whoever reads my blog, what does going green mean to you - or do you think it is just a phase?

Discussing more theories..

 Restorative Garden Design

This theory deals with the design of a garden and its importance on the healing process. Throughout history there is evidence to show that gardens have been used as spaces to heal and promote wellness.

Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

This theory was developed by Rodger Ulrich. 

The Theory of Restorative Garden Design takes into consideration that specific gardens should be designed for different situations. This theory is also linked to Wilsons theory of Biophilia, which describes that there is a subconscious link and bond between humans and other living species 

The Restorative Garden Design theory is based on research done into the behavioral sciences of human beings, focusing on health care related fields are important stress managing environments not only needed by the patients but by the staff and family members. 

Gardens in health care situations offer; social support, sense of control, space for physical movement and exercise and access to nature and other positive distractions.

Taking into consideration Dr. Bill Hettler’s Dimensions of Wellness theory, there are 6 aspects that affect wellness of a human, namely, physical, social, environmental, emotional, spiritual and intellectual, as seen in the figure below. All aspects of healing should be dealt with in a design that deals with healing for humans.

This theory is based on the link between humans and other living species such as animals and plants, as the world becomes more and more built up, there is a struggle to try and preserve as well as incorporate nature into our everyday lives. Small changes such as plants and fresh air make such a difference to our immediate environment. 

Taking my own advice, I moved my desk to look out my window, and bought some plants to brighten up my otherwise very industrial styled flat. This has had a positive influence on the feeling I get when working at my desk, that could be the change or the view and plants.. or maybe a combination of both!

Discussing the Design Theories..

Healing Spaces: Elements of Environmental Design That Make an Impact on Health and Buildings that Heal.

The first design theory that influenced my design for the wholeness retreat is the theory of healing spaces and creating a space that can heal.

The aim of this is to create a space that can heal the patients, not only the therapies offered heal the patients. The space itself will form part of the healing process.

Ales Stark explains the healing process as:

A healing structure can be understood as a holographic projection of the larger cosmos and of its laws.

This means that healing cannot be seen on its own, it is a complete balance of many factors, it can be related to many modern day laws of physics such as the field theory and the chaos theory.

To read more on this, follow this link: http://www.alexstark.com/pdfs/Buildings%20that%20Heal.pdf

This theory is very interesting as it encompasses lots of different ideas and view on sites and buildings. This theory attempts to explain the energy of the building, some people would call it the atmosphere or the vibe of the building. This is something that we cannot see but it definitely has an influence on the space.

There are many factors that influence the building, namely;

• Site Evaluation and Planning
• Topography and Orientation
• The Healing Power of Gardens
• Architecture and Building Form and Interior Design and Energy Flow
• Personal Space
• The Sensory Environment
• Complexity of the Environment
• Ventilation, Light and Views
• Land Energy and Earth Healing
• The Building Practices and Rituals

All these factors have to be considered when designing a space, these topics are considered when designing a building practically in terms of sun and orientation, but the history of the site needs to be taken into consideration. These topics have been looked at in the regard of the energy and the spirit of the land. 

Considering the spirit of the land is where the theory of Feng Shui is linked to this theory.

Feng shui is a long and complicated Japanese theory on living and organizing their lives and the buildings, it is very interesting, so to read up more on the Feng Shui theory follow this link: http://fengshui.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/u/fengshui101.htm 

Choosing the Name..

Choosing the name for a business or a service is one of the biggest defining parts in the design process. The name needs to relate to the functions of the space and in a way reflects what the ideals of the company is. 

As a wellness retreat, I looked at a name that reflects something I want to find myself, as well as the clients want to feel that will use my retreat, the feeling of being WHOLE or COMPLETE within yourself as a human being. To find INNER PEACE as such.

I always have been drawn to Japanese Design and their ways of life, they seem to have a peacefulness in everything they do. I then started looking at Japanese words for complete and whole and came up with the word Zentai, which is Japanese for Whole. Then coming up with a new way of defining my wellness retreat, as a Wholeness Retreat because that more accurately describes what I am aiming to achieve with this retreat.

Take a look at the logo that I designed.. Let me know what you think of it :)

The overall design of my new space I want to include an element of Japanese design, but take it in a whole new light. For example, just spit-balling here, the Japanese have a tea ceremony, which is a relaxing practice that involves the making and brewing of the tea. To bring this into my design, the group therapy that can be held can be based on this ceremony and have all the clients in the group share making and brewing the tea as a therapy to bring people closer. Would you do that as a therapy?

Defining the Identity..

Defining exactly what the identity of that space is and selecting specific functions enable the design to be focused and it makes it way easier to design a space when you have exactly what the concept and the identity of the business or service is.

Starting off, personally I want to create a 'wellness retreat' to help people in some way not to just create a wellness centre that provides a pampering service.

I have always been intruiged by mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, manic depressive disorder, anorexia and bulimia, amongst others, so I thought it was fitting that I design a wellness center to help people who have to live with these sorts of illnesses. 

To narrow it down I chose to just target woman, ranging mostly from 14-60 years of age, I think because it hits home for me personally to want to try and help woman with these illnesses. 

This is fitting because in and around Port Elizabeth there are no 'wellness retreats' that are just for woman - this already gives me a certain design direction that I can stick to.

The therapies that I want to include in the design are going to mainly be 'natural' therapies, such as animal and art assisted therapies, touch therapy (Ayurvedic Massage) and exercise based therapies such as meditation, yoga and kick boxing. Group therapy sessions will also be held at the space for people who aren't there but wish to use it as a support system.

A nutritionist as well as a psychiatrist will be on site and they will have to be on call. 

A mind map to show the thought process behind the decisions made.

Takashi Sugimoto - Japanese Interior Designer

TAKASHI SUGIMOTO

An interior space designer Takashi Sugimoto actively handles various designs of restaurants, hotels and bars both domestically and overseas. He works all over the world. Sugimoto owns a vacation home on Ubud, Bali, in Indonesia. It consists of two villas and a tea room. Originally it was owned by the hotel next to it but Sugimoto purchased it since he liked the traditional Balinese building and surrounding nature environment. He is also fond of the Balinese lifestyle which reminds him of Japanese agricultural village a few decades ago. After he purchased it, he renovated on his own gradually.
What stands out the most is the wooden panel where the traditional south-east Asian patterns like flowers and leaves are sculptured. This woodcarving detail adds some nuance to the space. Sugimoto often applies things that local people produced in his designs. He thinks the old material being newly reborn in a different space is good. Sugimoto learned its spirit in the old, plain Japanese tea room where scrap wood was utilized. In this Balinese tea room, he considered how the light falls and how the greens are seen. He expressed the connection with nature through fretwork panel.
Sugimoto says that the Japanese commer-cialized modern society and design can learn something from the ritual spirit of serving and drinking Japanese tea where it is customary for one simply exist in a small space while feeling the essence of the four seasons. Some designers who support Japan's creation are aware that the sophisticated and plain culture which Japan transmits, in other words, the tea ceremony culture will be the driving power to pull the 21st century design.

http://www.imhome-style.com/en/no37/

If you want to read more about this amazing designer, click on this link :)

 http://www.superpotato.jp/en/concept

The atmosphere created by the materials and textures used within the space is what I feel is a good reflection of what 'Inner Peace' would look like. 

This is the kind of atmosphere that I want to create within my Wellness Retreat. 

These spaces don't only look good and create a sense of calm - I want the building and interior space to heal, not only the therapies do the healing of the body, mind and spirit.