BUILDINGS THAT FEEL GOOD
Recent ideas about Organic Architecture

The following article by Rob about his design philosophy was published in SYNERGY magazine Vol. 1 July/Aug 2007

How is it that some buildings, mainly older ones feel good while others, including most modern buildings do not?

Ever since architecture school in the 60's I have been fascinated by the prospect of making new buildings feel good. I have tried to conduct my design practice in a way that is conducive to that end but it has been a mysterious and illusive quest with only modest success. I may have learned a few tricks over the years but have been restrained not only by economic realities but also by the prevalent twentieth century belief that buildings exist objectively, completely independent of our thoughts, feelings or emotions. Although one can playfully refer to a magical connectivity in art and architecture, it is not generally considered to be real and therefore dismissed as romantic. To overcome this restraining influence would require a different understanding of reality.

Of course there have always been alternative understandings of reality and one that has kept my interest is the Ancient Chinese philosophy of the Tao, the Great Flow of Life. Particularly appropriate to architecture is study of Chi energy in the natural landscape and the man made environment known as Feng Shui. It has been in continuous practice for thousands of years.

I have also been influenced by the distinguished architect / mathematician Chris Alexander who made a very successful career promoting buildings that feel good. His famous 1970's book A Pattern Language recognized certain tried and true patterns in the built environment around the world which help to induce a user friendly atmosphere. He emphasizes that such buildings are ones that have evolved rather than having been planned.

I am currently inspired by Chris Alexander's dazzlingly profound new masterpiece series of books, The Nature of Order. In them he explains in great detail how user friendly buildings feel good. It is because they have more life. To support this thesis he refers to the modern scientific theory, that all matter/space whether it be organic or inorganic contains varying degrees of life according to the degree of organization or structure. Energy can be created when parts of the organization are arranged in such a way as to support each other to enhance the structure of the whole, thereby making it more than the sum of the parts. (Synergy) Witness a good hockey team.

He claims that life in a building comes about through a step by step generative process starting always from the order that already exists and transforming it in a way that enhances the order by making it more vital and more whole. Any transformation that does not feel right or does not relate well to its situation is adapted before proceeding to the next step. " Any part of the world we build will have more life if it is created by structure enhancing transformation and will have less life if it is created by structure destroying transformation". It seems most modern environments are the latter while traditional buildings almost always contain processes which, like nature itself, depend on structure enhancing smooth unfolding at every stage.

He elaborates the explanation of how the degree of life in a building affects our feelings by referring to another theoretical component of modern science, that all matter / space contains some degree of self. I take this to mean that the life force of the universe manifests itself moment by moment in all things including us. "Great art and architecture moves us," he says, " because it embodies the living process and thereby reflects and enhances our innermost sense of who we are."

I find it easy to embrace this kind of understanding of our selves extending out into the environment when experiencing the sense of belonging in Canadian wilderness but it is more difficult to apply it to most of our modern man made environment. Previous societies have understood this phenomena and produced soulful architecture that contributes to and reflects a harmonious relationship with their environment. A lot of recent buildings, however have no feeling of being connected because the predominant sense of self is separate from the environment whether natural or man made. Consequently many buildings, I suspect, contribute to the insecurity and alienation in contemporary society, no matter how fancifully they are wrapped.

In a way Alexander is explaining what I have been trying to do in our homestead and in my design practice , which is creating what I call Organic Architecture. With our own place, maybe because Laurie and I have put so much of ourselves into it, we have been able to adopt the timeless way of building and the overall arrangement of the homestead does have a good feeling that visitors remark on. The house has evolved slowly and many parts of it have been built twice or even three times over to finally make them feel right and compliment the whole.

It is however, very difficult to do this in a commercial context because time is money and all of the roles in conventional building industry are clearly segregated and break the smooth unfolding of the building at every stage. Nevertheless, I continue attempting to merge design and construction by bringing the builder into the process as early as possible and integrating design adaptations on site as the building grows. Models and full size mock ups are helpful because they convey the vibrational feel as well as the image of the design and can easily and cheaply be adapted. I encourage feed back from all concerned as frequently as possible so that any mistakes in the concept can be corrected, allowing the design to unfold as smoothly as possible into construction and the on going life of the building. Though rarely up to Chris Alexander's standards of great architecture in any one building, we have had at least partial success in making some buildings feel good.

Many people in Campbell River will be familiar with The Royal Coachman Pub where the builder and I were specifically asked to produce a building that not only looked like an old building but felt like one too. The feed back I have had indicates that we were quite successful. Considerable benefit was gained from what was effectively a full size mock up of the interior in the earlier version of the pub across the street. Particularly significant is the way the traffic flow works well in the ease of movement of people and beverages but also helps to define the alcove seating areas and links them together harmoniously to help coordinate the whole space.

Animal lovers in Courtney will be familiar with the Tree of Life Veterinary Clinic. Here because a large part of Dr Smith 's healing practice is based on traditional chinese medicine we experimented with Feng Shui to help ensure that the energy fields of the building provide a pleasant, health giving ambiance both for the animals and their owners. The fact that staff and many visitors remark on the good feelings in the building is a measure of our success. It is particularly significant and rewarding that the animals like it too. Dr Smith says that helps to make her job a lot easier.

On Cortes Island I had the opportunity to start with a respectful appreciation of the existing structures at Hollyhock and find ways to improve and enhance them. The strategy for doing this was introducing a better arrival traffic flow from the new registration building through the magnificent garden to the new lobby of the lodge. Again this worked at a practical level but also helped to arrange the key parts of the complex in a complementary life creating relationship.

Two houses I worked on recently, both had very rugged and challenging water front sites where I was able to use my understanding of the feel of the land to convert the the difficulty of the site into an asset that helped to generate the form of the buildings. I also had an exceptionally close working relationship with the builder which included the use of models and on site mock ups of critical construction details. This together with a high degree of involvement of the owners helped to ensure homes that feel good.

 

BUSINESS PROFILE

This Business Profile, by Philip Stone, of Rob Wood Design was published in the Quadra Island News Paper, The Discovery Islander, issue #301.

When Rob Wood makes his twice or thrice weekly commute from home on Maurelle Island across Quadra he has the opportunity to see some of his career’s handiwork every time. Over the past 25 years Wood has created and contributed to the design of a number of local buildings. Many of these homes and businesses are landmarks on Quadra, Cortes and throughout the Discovery Islands. The rugged lifestyle Rob leads with wife Laurie and their family on Maurelle is reflected in the strong local and natural themes his building designs convey. Yet with that ruggedness comes a sophistication of purpose from Wood’s architectural training and an innate understanding that buildings must ‘feel’ good as well as look good.

The results are buildings that seem to merge with their surroundings while excelling at the task for which they were built. Take a closer look at the Landing Pub, the Village Square addition to Quadra Station, the old Heriot Bay Store by the government wharf, or Quadra Children’s Center (formerly the Waldorf school) to name just a few. In each case the buildings suit their locations esthetically and practically.

The Landing nestles against the forest at the waters edge basking in the glow of the evening sun while inside the post and beam frame brings a distinctly west coast flair to the pub atmosphere. The Village Square is a community nerve center combining the essential service and convenience of a gas station with a wide variety of satellite businesses who benefit from the anchor’s draw while maintaining their own identity and developing an atmosphere all of their own. Witness the street café scene at Aroma Café and fine art at Batoche Gallery juxtaposed to the gas pumps.

The success of Rob Wood’s building designs is a measure of the care and commitment Wood brings to his clients’ projects. He says that “the design process has a life of its own and should reflect a multiplicity of input rather than being the property of a single individual. Engaging the client directly in the design process and encouraging them to explore and express their own nest building instincts helps to ensure that the building is a genuine reflection of the needs and aspirations of the owners and users”. To help in this process he enlists the help of philosophies such as Feng Shui and schools of design thought like the Pattern Language for inspiration and guiding his clients through each project. These ideologies bring in some cases centuries of knowledge to building design.

Rob also enjoys working closely with the contractors as well as the clients. Keeping the tradesmen involved from an early stage and encouraging their creative input avoids sometimes costly deviations from the design intent and fosters a greater degree of commitment from the builders, who already have a fierce pride in their work. Rob also enjoys getting his hands dirty, joining the building crew, taking an active part in the construction of many of his design projects.
Scaling scaffolding on the job site is not the only heights Rob seeks. An accomplished mountaineer and guide Rob Wood made a name for himself in the Calgary area and Canadian Rockies during the 1970s pioneering many, now classic, rock and ice climbs. It was Rob’s sense of adventure that lured him westward to the BC coast, first to Squamish where he and wife Laurie Wood became an integral part of the early Squamish climbing scene. From there the Woods moved on to Vancouver Island and up to Strathcona Park Lodge where he continues his involvement as both a mountaineering instructor and building designer to this day.

Rob and Laurie’s Maurelle Island homestead is a testament to many of the philosophies Wood espouses. Nestled along the shores of Okisollo Channel, above Surge Narrows, the Wood’s home is a living demonstration model of Rob and Laurie’s fusion of form and function. As well as generous use of local materials the house is very ‘organic’, it compliments its site with an open plan interior in which the spaces flow together in a harmonious way. Electrical power comes from a small hydro electric wheel and solar panels giving the home a large degree of independence in its energy needs. Laurie’s burgeoning organic garden and culinary skills combine with the a homey atmosphere and fine ocean views to provide exceptionally fine hospitality to their many guests.

Living such a lifestyle gives Wood an insight into the very essence of home, an insight many of his clients feel fortunate to have shared in creating their own space. Rob encourages anyone curious for more information about his design work to call him at 287-6313.

Towards the Unknown Mountain
An Autobiography from the Canadian Wilderness Frontier....published by Ptarmigan Press in Campbell River 1991

For anyone interested in Robs life as a mountaineer, wilderness explorer and environmental activist may care to check out this thought provoking book.