A womb with a view

By benmoore

In my first post about the 5 characteristics of pleasing architecture that I gleaned from Gallaghers book, "House Thinking," I discussed the characteristic of peril and how it can add feelings of exhiliration to a house. Today, I'll write a little about refuge and prospect.

This is a picture of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West. Notice how low the ceilings are in this Frank Lloyd Wright-esque bedroom? Notice the big, bright view?

Wright called this nesting and perching: having a nice snug place to nest, and a great big view to look out at from your perch. Hildebrand called this refuge and prospect.

Apparently, this desire for refuge and prospect is hardwired. For example, imagine you are prehistoric man, crouching at the edge of the woods looking over a big expanse, maybe hunting or waiting for your prey to appear.

The above picture is taken from a hunting photostream on flickr. It seems video game makers know this urge too:

So, to add that safe, nesting feeling to your house, consider putting a low ceiling in your bedroom, or using a darker color. But make sure you include a view into something big and bright. According to Hildebrand, the contrast will add to each feeling.

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hildebrand gallagher architecture