Holism in Architecture - Research Proposal Example

Essay Proposal: Holism in Architecture: Definitions, Systems and Effects November 20, Essay Proposal: Holism in Architecture: Definitions, Systems and Effects Holism has increasingly shaped the theory and practice of architecture due to widespread demands for sustainability in built environments (Bachman, 2003, p.7; Smith and Bugni, 2006, p.123). Conceptualising and developing a holistic framework for architecture, however, cannot be realistically attained without shifting from a static-discrete view of reality to one that accepts its undivided whole nature (Bohm, 1980, p.186; Wahl, 2007, p. 233). The theme that I want to focus on is the holistic practice of architecture. I want to explore how holism might improve architecture’s effect on the health and well-being of humans, other sentient beings and the environment. I will also consider the products and practices of architecture and associated fine and applied arts and how they can embody wholeness. Theories and Arguments The theories that I will investigate are Christopher Alexander’s phenomenology of wholeness and David Bohm’s concept of the implicate order. I chose them because they have similarities in how they see the unbroken wholeness of reality and consciousness that I also believe in, and because their differences in how wholeness can be characterised will help enrich the theory and practice of holism in architecture. When combined, these two scholars can provide a quite holistic view of holism and offer a valid framework in integrating holism into architectural theories and practices. In particular, I will investigate the validity and usefulness of these arguments about holism and how holism can be used in architecture and the arts to attain positive effects for users and the environment. The arguments are the following: (1) The views of architects about reality and the world shape their designs and products, which, in turn, also affect their viewpoints, in alignment with Bohm’s concepts of implicate and explicate orders; (2) It is possible to create geometries of structure that can affect people’s sense of wholeness, based on Alexander’s fifteen fundamental properties of wholeness, and improve their health and wellbeing as the results; and (3) Alexander’s method of inquiry on the perception of wholeness can help determine if buildings promote wholeness, although it can be further expanded to include more components that affect people’s sense of wholeness. Research Design In order to conduct this research, I will employ a secondary research design. I will use secondary sources to define holism and its effects and to analyse architecture’s ability to integrate wholeness into built living systems. I will prove my arguments using findings from other scholars about holism in theory and in architecture systems. In addition, I will make sure to add original ideas and questions regarding holism and why it is essential to architecture in specific and to society in general. Potential Problems With these arguments and research design, I think that I will come across conceptualisation and validity issues. Some holism concepts and principles may be hard to operationalise because they include metaphysical and metacognitive aspects. In addition, my arguments might have validity issues. I may not be measuring my concepts coherently since they are composed of beings and systems that are in flux. Some critics may also attack me for thinking that holism can be attained in a world that already has systems which are the opposite of or not supportive of holism. They may also think that my research is invalid because it is hinged on prescriptions regarding holistic systems. I want to emphasise, however, that, though the paper has a prescriptive dimension, it analyses holism as it is. Bohm and Alexander describe their thoughts on what reality is, not what it should be. Review of Literature I reviewed literature on holism per se and holism in architecture and the arts and found supportive points, first of which regarding the interdependability of viewpoints and physical human-made products in shaping wholeness. Bohm (1980) believes that everything exists in relation to one another through an undivided flowing process of “wholeness.” He asserts that the “implicate or enfolded order” underlies this wholeness of reality. He also suggests that the explicate order is a product of the implicate order. His concept of wholeness indicates the importance of holism as a framework for architecture because an architect’s consciousness that forms designs and built environments also influences the rest of implicate and explicate orders, while these designs affect their consciousness too. Alexander agrees with Bohm that physical structures are not separate from people because emotions, ideas and physical realities are interconnected (Alexander, 2002; Peacock, 2007; Seamon, 2007, p.2). In addition, some kinds of geometry may help improve wholeness, though they may vary across cultural, social, economic and physical environments. Several scholars and architects view these structures in forms of holograms that express the wholeness of all factors flowing into each other (Bohm, 1980, p.186; Wahl, 2007, p. 233). Wahl (2007) believes that a scale-linking design can be used to generate sustainable and healthy cities and communities. Senior and Marie (1998) add that the arts and design further impact wholeness. The arts can be part of the healing environment as they promote wholeness and peace (Senior and Marie, 1998). At present, some unresolved areas are the effects of holism on users and the environment and how holism can be pragmatically used in promoting new architectural practices. I propose to deal with them through finding more studies about holistic architecture and arts and their effects on all beings and the environment. I also want to investigate holistic buildings and how they integrated or can embed holistic principles from Bohm and Alexander. Expected Conclusions My expected conclusions are that holistic practices can improve health and wellbeing of all beings in the environment and the environment itself, although the process is so complex and varying that it entails that built living systems should be flexible to changes in beings and environments and that it is important to know how to measure wholeness, in order to continuously improve the sense of wholeness for users. Another possible conclusion is that holism is not only a relevant principle and framework, but also a pragmatic architectural practice. Bibliography Alexander, C., 2002. The phenomenon of life. Berkeley: The Center for Environmental Structure. Alexander, C., 2004. The luminous ground. Berkeley: The Center for Environmental Science. Arnheim, R., 1996. From chaos to wholeness. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 54(2), pp.117-120. Bachman, L.R., 2003. Integrated buildings: the systems basis of architecture. Massachusetts: John Wiley & Sons. Bohm, D., 1980. Wholeness and the implicate order. London: Routledge. Chatterjee, S.G., 2013. Two contrasting paradigms of science: Cartesian mechanism and undivided wholeness. International Journal of Science in Society, 4(3), pp.75-93. Hensel, M.U., 2012. Sustainability from a performance-oriented architecture perspective - alternative approaches to questions regarding the sustainability of the built environment. Sustainable Development, 20(3), pp.146-154. Kellett, K. and Napier, M., 1995. Squatter architecture? a critical examination of vernacular theory and spontaneous settlement with reference to South America and South Africa Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review, 6(2), pp.7-24. Kraftl, P. and Adey, P., 2008. Architecture/affect/inhabitation: geographies of being-in buildings. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 98(1), pp.213-231. London, P., 2006. Towards a holistic paradigm of art education art education: mind, body, spirit. Visual Arts Research, 32(1), pp.8-15. Mehaffy, M. and Salingaros, N.A., 2011. The "wholeness-generating" technology of Christopher Alexander. Metropolis, 24 Oct. [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 November 2014]. Memmott, P. and Davidson, J., 2008. Exploring a cross-cultural theory of architecture. Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review, 19(2), pp.51-68. Michel, C., Rossion, B., Han, J., Chung, C. and Caldara, R., 2006. Holistic processing is finely tuned for faces of ones own race. Psychological Science, 17(7), pp.608-615. Mitamura, S., 1989. Holographic holography. Leonardo, 22(3/4), pp.337-340. Peacock, C.L., 2007. Dwelling well: measuring the wholeness of homes that incorporate renewable natural resources. Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) 38th Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA, May 30 to June 3, 2007 [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 November 2014]. Seamon, D., 2007. Christopher Alexander and a phenomenology of wholeness. Annual Meeting of the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), Sacramento, CA, May 2007, [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 November 2014]. Senior, P. and Marie, P., 1998. Art, culture and health. RSA Journal, 146(5486), pp.98-103. Sherman, S.A., Shepley, M.M. and Varni, J.W., 2005. Childrens environments and health-related quality of life: evidence informing pediatric healthcare environmental design. Children, Youth and Environments, 15(1), pp.186-223. Smith, R.W. and Bugni, V., 2006. Symbolic interaction theory and architecture. Symbolic Interaction, 29(2), pp.123-155. Wahl, D.C., 2007. Scale-linking design for systemic health: sustainable communities and cities in context. In C.A. Brebbia, ed. 2012. Ecodynamics: the prigogine legacy. Southanmpton, UK: WIT Press. pp.233-248. Read More