A Place of My Own

Is this a book on architecture?

Not really sure. But as an architect I find myself having an ongoing conversation with the author while I'm reading. Mr. Pollan is a wordsmith, a writer and in my opinion a very good one since I've read almost all his books. I'm not quite finished with this one.

Because he writes he seems to have to justify everything about his "place" with in depth research and lengthy analysis. His insights are great, probably ones that have been around for awhile but I've never noticed since I'm not into the same kind of reading habits and subsequent analysis.

At my current page in his book he seems to be finally coming to the conclusion that architecture, although it has taken on the air of erudite philosophy in recent history, is not about words. It just is.

One of my classes in college was Design Process & Methods. It essentially was the argument for Pattern Language. One class had to do with the neutrality of the environment, including architecture. In essence it said that what matters is what we bring to any environment. All the history, experiences, remembered sensations, good and bad memories can be evoked by a place if the architect is deft enough in his/her assemblage.

Mr. Pollan's first reaction was clearly indicative of this condition.

"I tried it first, approaching and entering the building the way we were meant to, and the experience took me aback."

He continues by describing the physical conditions around him and his movements in the space finally saying, "I noticed how, on turning into the light-filled opening beneath the lifting-off ceiling, you could not help but let out a chestful of air, as your body perceived and then entered into the most welcome release of space going on all around it."

He will go on to tell us where in his history these responses come from. Well at least most of them. There are some that are wired into us by our culture and some that are personal and some that come through the experience of one's involvement with the process.

And that brings up another interesting point of discussion. But I'll leave that for another time.