Architecture of Happiness
Why do some places make us feel good while others leave us tense? Renu Khanna's book Architecture of Happiness, launched at the Consulate General of India in New York, sets out the ideas behind the practice's work.
We see the world through five senses, but whether it makes us happy depends on the mind. Mind and body are shaped by the five elements, and a building that uses them well keeps people connected to themselves.
The five elements
- Earth
Has a healing effect. Mounds, courts and planted ground anchor a building to its site.
- Water
From the energy of a spring to the calm of the sea, water mirrors the stages of life.
- Fire
Light expands the mind, felt as warmth. Daylight is planned for every occupied room.
- Air
Squeezed through a narrow opening it speeds up; trapped it insulates; channelled it cools.
- Space
The subtlest element. Through space an architect can lead people from the outer world to the inner self.
Emotive and experiential architecture can make you travel through time and space.Ar. Renu Khanna
