A Yellow Box

Breaking the boundaries and thinking outside the box can have interesting results.

Space is often treated like a closed box. The Japanese poets have always spoken of the skyscape and trees and landscape being part of the living space. Designs should celebrate the sky and trees that surround the space. Consider the concept of stress-free architecture. Old Indian village homes had a pot of water at the entrance to wash ones feet and face. How would it be to walk through water as you enter a house?

The Japanese who have a culture of discipline where one rarely disagrees with an elder, keep punching bags in their offices to combat increasing levels of daily stress and long working hours, I would recommend a stress-busting corner in every working and living space. A place to absorb the earth’s energy by walking barefoot on a safe, springy patch of grass. A central space in skyscrapers, where trees can grow and birds can sing and sunshine can pour into the hearts of concrete jungles. I still remember the circular shape of a hospital in Mangalore, with its gardens and flowing water in the middle. ‘No one can get well, if they cannot see the sky, smell the flowers and hear the flowing water,’ said its chairman.

The Belur Halebid sculptures were originally lit up with sunlight falling on strategically placed mirrors. The mirrors are gone, but, light still falls on these works of sublime art. Mirrors can be used to bring gardens into the space. Homes should celebrate light and air. Sunlight can pour into homes and sleep curled up like a warm puppy on the carpet.

Living spaces should have plenty of touchable, soft, stress-reducing objects and textures.