Welcome To

112 Inspired Modern Living Society places great emphasis on visuals — how things look. With the rampant growth of the internet, countless enticing images are shared around the world, and it's often the only way one interacts with architecture. Today, materials may look like one thing when, in reality, they are something else entirely. One problematic consequence of these tendencies is that it downplays other sensory experiences. With the growing advancement of "immersive" virtual reality headsets and AI-generated design, it is more important than ever to physically connect with the built environment. Architecture is intended to be experienced; it is meant to invite us in, embrace our physical bodies, and engage all our senses. A wise design professor once told his class that in this age of visual dominance and the proliferation of so many images, designers must make a fundamental decision: Are we creating a static image, primarily to observe, to be photographed from afar; or are we crafting environments to reside within — to look out from? Are we creating places to be experienced moment to moment or are we simply composing a snapshot frozen in time? How one answers this fundamental question can impact the entire design approach. If designers AND occupants can reconnect with the inherent physicality of our environments, we will enrich our daily experiences, and our lives will become more resonant. Think of the draw of a crackling fireplace, the smell of a summer rain when a cross breeze fills a room, the dappling shadows of a tree limb cast through a picture window or the creaking of an old wood floor. These tangible physical experiences engage our body and mind — and we feel connected; we feel rooted; we feel at home. A key to making places with realness is to utilize real materials — things that might look pleasing but also might have olfactory qualities (a much- underutilized design consideration). They might create a tingle to the fingertips and come together in a space that offers dynamic or soothing acoustics. Even taste can come into play. One day, a woman stopped by to check out the featured house and I caught her touching the rammed earth. She said the wall called to her and she wanted to 'see' what it felt like. A friend who was with her joked that touching was not the only thing she did. Intrigued by this comment, I asked her what that meant; she said she licked the rammed earth — it was just too "yummy" and she had to try it out. At first, I thought this seemed odd, even a bit crazy, but then I took it as the ultimate compliment. The design of this wall had even engaged taste. It might be a stretch to imagine built environments that encourage taste tests on a large scale. But, as designers, we should strive to craft places that entice us to fully engage with the places we inhabit. Our lives will be enriched — and these physical experiences will resonate within us not only on the immediate physical level but also in a more meaningful and profound manner that will last beyond the moment. ARCHITECT'S ADVICE On Realness On Realness By Darwin Harrison Darwin Harrison Design, Austin, TX

• Cover
• Blank Page