Places of the Soul

by Christopher Day

For Christopher Day, architecture isn’t just about the appearance of buildings but how they’re experienced as places to be in. Occupants’ experience can differ radically from designers’ intentions as their concerns and thinking differ. Additionally, multi-sensory ambience, spatial sequential experience and embodied spirit resonate in the human soul. Sustainable design means much more than if sustainable buildings don’t also nourish the soul, occupant-building interaction will lack care and eco-technologies won’t be used efficiently. This major revision of his classic text builds on more than forty years of experience ecological design across a range of climates, cultures and budgets, and 25 years hands-on building. Treating buildings as environments intrinsic to their surroundings, the book explores consensus design, economic and social sustainability, and how a listening approach can grow architectural ideas organically from the interacting, sometimes conflicting, requirements of place, people and situation. This third edition, comprehensively revised to incorporate new knowledge and address new issues, continues Day’s departure from orthodox contemporary architecture, offering eye-opening insights and practical design applications. These principles and guidelines will be of interest and value to architects, builders, planners, developers and homeowners alike. Reviews of the first edition ... one of the seminal architecture books of recent times Professor Tom Wooley, Architects Journal The 'bible' of many architects and those interested in architecture. Centre for Alternative Technology ... an inspiration to all those who care about the influence of the environment on Man’s health and well-being. Barrie May, The Scientific and Medical Network At last an architect has written a sensitive and caring book on the effects of buildings on all our lives. Here’s Health This gentle book offers a route out of the nightmare of so much callous modern construction. I was inspired. Colin Amery, The Financial Times

Genres: Architecture, Art Design, Nonfiction, Design

312 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 1990

About the author

Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Roger Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and sane and wholesome and healing. I had the great privilege of both meeting the author and living next door to a building he designed - and it gave me daily joy ...

Alas, our society isn't interested in building like this and nothing will allow for Day's vision other than a profound change in society. Day I believe recognised this and had his hopes in Rudolf Steiner, whose architectural insertions inspired him.

Long ago, I agreed with Day, as an ardent Anthroposophist. But I came to see that Steiner's Anthroposophy could not provide for the new culture so desperately needed. The Anthroposophical Society has failed. More on that here, for anyone who might be interested:

http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2011/...

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

preachin to the choir here. fun work to be done. highly recommended, this is about a new way of approaching life, interaction and the physical environment. this will be a handbook i promise.

[Jeneva Izorion · Rating 4 out of 5]

เป็นหนังสือสถาปัตย์ที่พึ่งอ่านเล่มแรก ๆ แต่เล่มนี้ก็ไม่ใช่สถาปัตย์หนัก ๆ ไรขนาดนั้น ออกแนว spiritual มากกว่า

คร่าว ๆ คือเล่มนี้พูดถึงการออกแบบที่ฟื้นฟูจิตใจ ก็คือสไตล์แบบสมัยก่อน ไม่เน้นเส้นตรง ๆ ทื่อ ๆ เน้นวัสดุธรรมชาติ มีต้นไม้ ใช้แสงธรรมชาติ ประมาณนั้น

อ่านแล้วอินมั้ย ก็ไม่ได้อินขนาดนั้นนะ อาจจะเพราะไม่เคยเดินเมืองที่เป็นสไตล์นั้น เช่นอังกฤษ แถบสแกนดิเนเวีย ไรงี้ แต่ทำให้รู้สึกว่า กรุงเทพไม่ได้คิดถึงขั้นออกแบบให้อยู่สบายจริง ๆ เอาแค่ทางเท้าก็น่าจะพอละ เดินโคตรลำบาก เรื่องต้นไม้ สถาปัตย์ มลพิษไรงี้ยิ่งแล้วใหญ่

เล่มนี้พอเป็นแรงกระตุ้นให้หาหนังสือเกี่ยวกับสถาปัตย์ การออกแบบเมืองที่ดี ไรงี้เพิ่มได้ดีเลย

[Jennifer Koskinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book changed my life... literally... in more ways than I can describe.
I read it in the mid 1990s and think of it still...

[Margaret]

Architecture + Environmental Design as a Healing Art.
seems like it would be a good companion to Christopher Alexander.
borrowed when first scouting books for GDP

[Penina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important and clearly-written book that is about far more than "eco architecture".

[Mariana R.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book; it is not the usual architecture book full of pictures and little explanation. "Places of the Soul" was inspiring and made me notice more my surroundings.