SPATIAL EXPERIENCES

BY AKASH RAINA

DESIGN STUDIO 1

CCSF SPRING 2012

INTRODUCTIONOur spring assignment for 2012 is to document

emotions that various spatial experiences evoke within us.

The two environments - Natural and built – will be explored in this documentation of my journey.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT:Stow Lake , SF

I knew that I was approaching Golden Gate Park when I began to see a change in the environment. Things that usually go unnoticed (like the beautiful tree that people so conveniently took for granted) began to interest me. Its unique colors that contrast the surrounding foliage made it stand out and set a standard for my expectations.

The density of foliage seemed to grow thicker and deeper as I approached my destination. Its upsetting that the beauty of this scenery is taken away by the fact that people need to search for parking. By then, the will to turn back is lost because the expectation of what lies ahead is far more interesting. Its like skipping foreplay.

What really makes the initial path interesting are the type of birds you see floating and flying around the edges. Of course, the view beyond the lake is spectacular and would pull anyone into its rewarding trail.

The path is straight. This gives us an opportunity to focus on the surrounding beauty. The route is complemented with a glorious view of the lake and a bridge, it has relatively big stones on the bank that form a boundary. This made me more visually sensitive and appreciative of elements beyond my reach like the bridge, the birds and the tree that forms a partial canopy overhead and touches the water surface.

Surrounding flora made it evident that the coming of spring will bring in for us plenty of beauty and sights for sore eyes. Blooming flowers and their contrasting colors made me feel overwhelmed.

Parts of the route were filled with paths that evoked a sense of curiosity and amazement. I felt guilty for not taking sufficient photos.

Just as I began to feel the need for change in environment I stumbled upon these narrow, curious trails that almost felt like it was trying to hide something. So I followed it. The entire path was full of surprises. It had a surprisingly large variety of berries and different colored flowers. This trail was definitely not straight. It demanded us to look beyond what it exposed. There were times when I was completely engulfed in foliage and times when sunlight would spray across the end of the trail which led to an open field. This drastic change in space gave me a moment to breathe.

These arc’s formed by the branches aroused interest no only in me but in many other tourists as well. Perhaps the idea of something natural covering us from above make us feel safe. Unfortunately, these branches are relatively thin but the transparency it possesses creates a certain level of complexity.

Throughout the journey I came across various types of trees. Some are extremely odd in shape while some have interesting patterns and textures to them. When an expected shape and form is contradicted by nature it makes us wonder how it happened, especially when they are all located in the same location. Some trees are acutely angled, some look exploded, some look cursed and others are dead. This actually complements the terrain and makes every path unpredictable.

A large part of the trail consisted of flat curvilinear ground that angled upwards but every now and then viewers are given a choice to take stairs. Each of these stairs had their own distinct language that helped me identify my location. On my way down I knew how much more was left for me to walk because I remembered how the rhythmic alignment of the stumps echoed to me and how much I had walked to get there. Some stairs have a texture that speaks its age and informs us on how it keeps changing. There are also curious little cave like spaces that I thought formed a tunnel when really it was my imagination that created a connection between the two entrances. Every single one of the paths in this slide aroused a sense of mystery and interest in me. They made me want to look around the edge and showed me more edges beyond the initial edge. It basically pulls you into this maze that you almost get afraid of following.

BUILTENVIRONMENT

SF

Downtown San Francisco is filled with tall buildings that can leave you staring up for hours! These buildings are usually in close proximity with each other and aligned along a main road. This gives pedestrians a beautiful overwhelming perspective view of the city. These views usually end at the bay making even the busiest streets seem majestic and rewarding.

Every once in a while you will find streets of questionable width. Most of them tend to be unhygienic and located perpendicular to main streets. They never really seem to welcoming and the plain flat wall surfaces do not create any means of interest. They seem to predictable and that’s why we usually ignore their existence.

On the other hand, You will see courtyards in the middle of buildings with exotic greenery, planters and a variety of guided spaces that gives us a sense of direction and where we are. Such landscape makes visitors feel welcomed and secure. It also freshens a tried mind through the colorful leaves of the trees and planters.

Pavements! Something I absolutely love about the city. They have perfect width. The way concrete blends in with the grass and greenery is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye but also comfortingly functional. Notice the frequent use of evenly spaced trees along the road side of the pavement that imply a permeable surface giving pedestrians a sense of security of being protected yet able to enjoy the openness and wind. The designers were definitely successful in creating a feeling of calmness in the heart of such a busy city.

Looking at such sights truly brings back memories. Cupid’s arrow on the grass – what an ideal location for such a construction and probably a romantic location too, since you also have such an amazing view of the Bay bridge. The young skateboarders remind me of my skateboarding days back home where I would struggle to find a decent uninterrupted ground to skate on.

Easily one of my most favorite fountains. The rigid structure and square cross-sectional pipes that turn at 90 degrees completely contrasts the qualities of rapid spraying and flexibility of water flow. Its accessible space gave me the opportunity to experience what it feels like being inside a waterfall/fountain. The mould or growth on the surface of these pipes creates a complementing texture that provides that bridge between the water flow and the material of the pipes. These pipes, individually perpendicular yet cohesively asymmetrical on any axis creates a brilliant structure that consists of all sorts of spaces and uses the ambience of water to complement its style, create visual contrast and stand out amongst the rest of the surrounding scenery.