Room to think
The discourse of this project is contemplation. Contemplation is long and carefully thinking about something, to be lost in thoughts. Research in several disciplines support claims that contemplation can have a positive impact on human health and that designed environments can help reduce stress in our everyday lives. Contemplation has been practiced for a long time and all over the world. When looking at buildings throughout history, one can find intentions to evoke contemplation and create connections between the individual and society, nature or god. There may not be a universal recipe for a contemplative space, but one can definitely find some ingredients that are used in many of these spaces around the world. Three of these ingredients are interiority, increasing or reducing visual, tactile or aural qualities and the relationship between natural and built space.
Interiority or inwardly focused space, creates a kind of disconnection to the outer world and its constantly distracting stimuli, and can remove people from their daily routines. If we look at contemplative spaces located in a city, most of them are lacking transparent windows. This cloister garden, enclosed by the church building, has no connection to the city around it.
Many contemplative spaces intentionally increase or reduce certain visual, tactile or aural qualities to connect the visitor with the natural world. For instance many buildings have natural light filtered in a certain way or through a certain window to amplify the effect of the natural light. This room by Finnbogi Petursson is placed by a lake and catches the light reflections from the water.
The relationship and the balance between natural and built space is meant to enhance the connection between the human and the cosmos. The build space can be used to frame the natural space. Like the horizon between two buildings or the sky through a roof window. This Skyspace by James Turrell has an opening in the ceiling. LED lights color the ceiling around the opening and affect the appearance of the sky.