Warm and sunny fall weather provides many outdoor activities: family picnics at the local park, coffee meetings and magazine reading while relaxing on my deck. But perhaps the most interesting and somewhat esoteric activity – visiting afternoon open houses. I like visiting homes for sale, and I have a hunch that I may not be the only person with this unusual (but surprisingly common) inclination. On a recent visit to a home with a complete renovation, I had a few observations.
The house felt much bigger than I had imagined from the outside. The entire living room rear wall opened towards the backyard. This was coupled with an open concept living, dining and kitchen space which should have created uplifting and positive emotions. However, this was not my experience. In fact, I experienced uneasiness.
Numerous windows did not promote feeling of well-being
Why? The view was less than compelling. The backyard featured a small leftover rectangular area enclosed by 3 neighbouring houses. The claustrophobic feeling came from the tight, dark area which did not entice me to go out, even though the wooden deck was built beautifully. One can hope that the backyard was unfinished, and that the new owner will plan to make it a green oasis.
Then, during my walk-through of the home, it was apparent that too much storage made me feel disorientated.
Almost every wall in the home was subjected to cupboards, closets, and hidden storage. Even the bedrooms, which were small, were made tiny by overwhelmingly large closets. The idea of ‘breathability for mental clarity’ in space was not a priority in the overall design. Unfortunately, the primary bedroom, which contained a king-sized bed was accented with a small, very sad window above the headboard. It seems scale was also ignored. My balance felt ‘off’.
Finally, the basement had no visual connection to the outside and left me feeling uneasy, anxious, and uncomfortable. There was almost no daylight – except for one miniscule bedroom window. Even with the many high-quality upgrades made, I could not visualize the space as a joyful living area.
Residential design is not only about function of space, but also about creating spaces that promote mental health and well-being. During the pandemic, we all became more aware of the importance of this issue, as isolation took its toll on many of us. Designing to promote positive feelings, thoughts, and emotions should not be overlooked in the design process. The psychology of space is an important part of our profession and understanding how people are affected by colour, scale, light and connection to the outdoors forms the basic building blocks of design. Even small, seemingly negligible interventions in space, affect our mood and behaviour.
During your next project, I encourage you to pay more attention to how people may feel in a space. What emotions might they experience? How can you help them feel more happy, relaxed, and peaceful in this chaotic world? I also encourage you to examine the principles and elements of design which include scale, balance, pattern, repetition, emphasis, proportion, movement, contrast, and white space – which can all be used to take unity to a higher level. OD
Onah Jung OAA, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal Architect at Studio Jonah in Toronto with varied experience in diverse North American architectural projects. She takes on roles as a firm leader and an educator, teaching design courses at OCAD University. Her expertise extends to Biophilic Design, Green Roof Design and Designing for Sustainability, making her a valuable resource for both her firm’s clients, and students seeking design insights.