Suburbs

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/nulll/james_howard_kunstler_dissects_suburbia.html I have retreated from thinking about this stuff, but I kinda need to get back on that pony. There will soon be so many questions of public space and design needs when we have to move closer together.

Thesor

I need to let my idea become bigger than my personal short comings. The process has to be unaltered by my tainted filter. If I need to interview 100 people on the street for my project, I need to become the person that does that. If I need to chain myself to a street sign in downtown I have to let the project live through me and comply. I am not my project. I am a unique idea, my project is a unique idea, but the physical filter of myself must make way for the project to exist. So what becomes of me? I don't know. You could say I become my project. But maybe I will be just floating through others' thoughts and ideas until my physical self is ready to pick me up again. Only problem is, that idea I let go is unique in time and space, so the return of me will inevitably be new. Anywho, what I'm trying to say is my physical self has to envelope the meta of my project idea while either shedding my former self, or perfectly aligning my meta to the idea. 

I want revolution. Not for the sake of revolution but because we all live in a new unique time. Our design ideals cannot dwell on past traditions or knowledge, that stifles the truth. The truth is that we are always confused, scared and surprised, but we run to these traditions, this art, to make us feel comfortable. 

I watched a video about an architect out of NYC and he said something that really hit me. He said something to the effect that what holds us back from embracing others and embracing new paradigms is that we always have this idea of home that we want to run back to. This stifles us from realizing we are all one existence, we can't hoard our existence in our 'homes' and expect the universe to be kind. 

People are Important

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1wwsaj/whats_the_hardest_thing_you_have_to_accept_right/

It is interesting to see the things people really care about. There is so much "stunting" as I like to call it in everyday talk and actions, twitter feeds and facebook statuses. It is nice to see how important things are to the individual. It shouldn't be surprising, most things were best friends, lovers, jobs, life trajectory. I guess I am enamored with how this highest of importances then trickles down to 'everyday' hobbies and habits. This is why it is dangerous to 'hate' someone or write someone off. Take time to realize what makes them, why they are striving for what they are striving for. I have come to the conclusion that I can't hate anyone. I wrote a friend about this months ago:

Theory: There is a possibility of an amicable bond between every two people.
-Since everyone is beautiful, misunderstanding of a person is an inward flaw.
-It is ones own fault if they cannot piece together and come to peace with the factors that drives the other person.
-One isn't seeing all the factors because of personal bias and personal dissatisfaction.
-Ultimately we exist within each other, so displeasure is transitive.

Presence?

Be confused, surprised, and scared.

Community

I think a nice thesis to examine would be the existence of 'community' in an ever automating world. For this past year I was so adamant about the farmers market, and a big reason was because of the community aspect. But in actuality farmers markets are non progressive when you break it down economically. 

Church can serve a huge role in establishing a consciousness of place. It is so convenient because these people believe in the same principles you believe in down to the entire meaning of life! That is a strong bond, and it is very easy to feel like those people are an extension if yourself. 

But what about the non religious, non farmers market, non soccer league, etc people? Will there ever be a platform where people from completely different backgrounds will come together and freely share (in a non violent tone) their vast array of opinions and desires? You could say it already happens on the internet, but for the most part the internet is what reddit calls a 'circle jerk'. It is so hard not to only seek out the perspectives that only validate yourself. 

But thinking about it, there is always something in common to begin with that makes people cross paths, and a lot of times the thing in common plays into much others things in common. So I guess the question is where is the place where everyone meets? Be it virtually or physically? They be at walmart? Football stadiums? Where does the old war veteran and young software tycoon sit down and enjoy each other without forcing it?

I am thinking it has to be a basic element of life. That's why religion can do it so well. A food hall? No, rich people would thumb their noses at that. A museum would seem like a kind of place for various people. Idk something that he human spirit will effortlessly flock to.

This has to be the year

All of my purism studies must come together in some way this year. This has to be it. Thesis is in 7 months, I want to get absolutely as much as possible out of a year of simply understanding what I want to contribute to design. I need to shape my habits now to have my brain ready to combine inputs into a perfect tapestry by August. I need this Sheem, and I know you have it.

The Should

As I have been contemplating perfection and beauty, the maxim I proclaim that 'everything that is, is beautiful' has kinda irked me. Because if everything just is, then why strive for a perfect design? I could just design anything and it would be perfect because of the subconscious impulses that piece together my ideas. That is correct. But, I have come to the conclusion that there is a 'should'. That is what keeps us striving, that is the 'better'. And only the designer can really know what the should, should be. The should prevents surprise.

Surprise/Unexpected result only happens when one is not completely in tune with what they are designing. Say I am designing a building complex on the east side of Vancouver, if when I design it, it never fills with residents, it is my fault for not seeing the flow of economics and cultural patterns and all other things that dictate that surprise. If I am a based designer, I would have known it to not fill up, wouldn't be surprised. Even if as I am designing it, it never gets built because of a financial crisis, I should know that was going to happen! I know that is a tall order, but becoming based, I envision being able to sense the DNA of reality, not know everything but just pick up on the subtle changes, the mannerisms, the market behaviours, to know when a project will not get built for the litany of reasons they don't.

So, the should comes where surprise is squeezed out. Where the surprise is squeezed out to every party involved. Nobody will be able to say, 'it should have been this way', leaving the trust to such a based designer, you would never have to question. The occupant, the contractor, the designer should encounter the space and feel natural, not a surprise, but maybe a previously unknown known that has come to light. Like seeing a mothers breast as a child and knowing to suck, just perfect.