Space Design

Designing With Integrity – The Wabi Sabi Way

June 19, 2018

Creating a sound photorealistic render involves staying true to a process that keeps the intention of the render in mind at all times.

An idea usually doesn’t immediately get translated into a final render. Rather, it is arrived at after several iterations that allow for subtle changes that can make all the difference to the final output.

These adjustments broadly come from two main areas – Elements & Textures, and Lighting.

Here’s a sneak peak into how we used these elements to create Zeitgeist’s ‘Wabi Sabi Hotel Lobby’ render from a couple of weeks ago.

Wabi Sabi is the Japanese aesthetic of embracing the beauty in imperfection. To achieve this, we brought together machine-cut marble and quarry waste into the waiting area of a hotel lobby.

ELEMENTS & TEXTURES

It began with a distressed finish wall, a water body, planters, light fixtures, benches and a reception table in the centre.

The table’s driftwood base fused to each crude edge accommodates the raw marble centrepiece and the meticulously cut Statuario slab hugs the curves of the cedar wood block it sits on.

Using the process of elimination, we brought in the warm, minimalist Zeitgeist touch. The video below shows how we moved the plants around, played with the lamp sizes and tried different arrangements for the benches, finally deciding to eliminate them entirely, along with the water body – all to give the unique reception desk the undivided attention it deserved.

LIGHTING

To make a good shot look great, it needs mood – and nothing does this better than the right lighting. The video below shows how we played with the light coming from the lamps, the ceiling and the water to stimulate thought and imagination, .

This illuminated the way to the two final shots of our hotel lobby render – raw, minimalist and Wabi Sabi.

Space Design

Decor Lessons From The Land of the Rising Sun

By admin on

April 24, 2018

- Space Design

Zen aesthetic, which is predominant in Japan, draws its form from the idea of unity between the mind, body and spirit.

In an article we shared last week, we touched upon the Zen tenets of Kanso, Shibui, Shizen, Fukensei, Yugen, Datsuzoku and Seijaku to help you find peace within yourself.

At Zeitgeist we admire the Japanese design culture for the way it infuses spirituality into homes. More so now with the rat-race that we all get consumed in, we forget to pause or reflect. Nourishing your soul is important and is a dying practice for most of us. These principles of Japanese decor have been developed with the intention of helping you to reconnect with your spiritual side. We believe, now more than ever, in the importance of creating a space that nudges you in the direction of re-centering yourself.

It’s often easier to say rather than do, so this week we’d like to show you our interpretation of those seven ideas, via a space we’ve designed to promote peace, rest and rejuvenation.

We’ve used Zen principles to enhance the function of this room in the following ways:

By imagining this space as an extension of the interiors of our mind – a mind that wants to be peaceful and focused – we’ve practiced Kanso and eliminated all forms of clutter. Can you see how the elimination of clutter makes this space less distracting and more conducive to being focused?

The minimalist Japanese low bed and the unadorned window tie in with Shibui, allowing both the features to deliver their respective function in an unobtrusive, unadorned manner.

The simple window also allows natural sunlight to stream in, in all its glory, enhancing the energy of the room – a perfect example of Shizen, which is about balancing natural and intentional elements.

We’ve incorporated the idea of embracing irregularities or practicing Fukinsei, by fostering asymmetrical balance. Though the height of the bed is asymmetrical with respect to the heights of the bedroom and window, it serves the function of enhancing the feeling of relaxation and serenity. A bed that was higher might have hampered the overall effect. Though we’ve placed most of the furniture on one side of the room, the asymmetry enhances the Zen feeling and doesn’t appear unbalanced.

We’ve demonstrated Yugen by leaving a large section on the left of the room empty. In doing so its use has been left open to interpretation. Perhaps it could be used for Yoga or a hobby such as painting. The single dried branch also lends an air of ambiguity – it’s pretty, but where did it come from? Did the user of the room find it while walking one day and find beauty in it? What does it signify?

By introducing a mirror into this small space, we’ve allowed for the unexpected ‘wow’ factor – making the space look much larger than it actually is. This is what Datsuzoku is all about.

We’ve incorporated Seijaku in the form of finishing touches, such as the statue of Buddha and Japanese art above the bed, which enhance the feeling of stillness and contemplation.

Inspired to create your own little haven? Do contact us for a consultation on creating a minimalistic and functionally driven space that brings you your much needed R & R.