Design That Happens in Mind!

8/18/2019 Design That Happens in Mind!

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Design that happens in Mind! by ketaki gujar

Role of Experience and Memory in Design & List of MentalAssociations

Picture your favorite room. What do you love about it? The art on the walls? The way the

light filters in through the windows? The view beyond the curtains? A small little lamp next

to the book shelf? or is it a cozy bed with a fresh bed-sheet?

What I did just now? I just started picturing my favourite room in my house while I was

actually asking it to you! Sitting here in the classroom while students are working in front of

me, i am just picturing my room; you know what; I guess I am supper sleepy right now. Andthe best part of it is; while imagining it I have started writing this article. Weird association,

isn't it?

What is this mental association? what are the different types? How do we associate with

something that has even no relation to it sometimes.

Associations/ Associationism: (Ref: Oxford dictionary)

A theory in philosophy or psychology which regards the simple association or co-

occurrence of ideas or sensations as the primary basis of meaning, thought, or learning.

Associationism is the theory that the mind is composed of elements usually referred to as

sensations and ideas which are organized by means of various associations.

Things or events that occur close to each other in space or time tend to get linked together

in the mind. If you think of a cup, you may think of a saucer; if you think of making coffee,

you may then think of drinking that coffee..... contiguity

The more often two things or events are linked, the more powerful will be that association.

If you have an eclair with your coffee every day, and have done so for the last twenty years,the association will be strong indeed…..frequency

If two things are similar, the thought of one will tend to trigger the thought of the other. If

you think of one twin, it is hard not to think of the other. If you recollect one birthday, you

may find yourself thinking about others as well.....similarity

On the other hand, seeing or recalling something may also trigger the recollection of

something completely opposite. If you think of the tallest person you know, you may


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suddenly recall the shortest one as well. If you are thinking about birthdays, the one that

was totally different from all the rest is quite likely to come up..... contrast

(Ref: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/psychbeginnings.html)

Lets imagine and associate: SMELL

What all comes to your mind? Let me list down what all comes to my mind... Hot Jalebi,

freshly baked bread, wet ground after the first rains, purplle davidoff cool, new books,

Petrol, coffee, vanilla, Leather, wine and so on!

Lets imagine and associate: MUSIC/AUDIO

Here again I am listing down right now what all is coming to my mind... the bell in the

temple, textile mills, copper vessel makers, some favourite hindi songs of 90's.

Lets imagine and associate: TOUCH

You know what I just remembered? The most shy plant, touch me not (Chuimui in Hindi

and Urdu, and Lajalu in Marathi), Home made Butter, Bed-sheet, turtle, flowers and many

more can be added to this list. I am sure you are also imagining and adding few more

words to this list in your own mind.

Well, while we were imagining just now we were also picturing all of these with other

particular sensory association. Most common association that happens is with the help of

the vision; as that is how we have been associating things since our childhood.

It's no surprise to psychologists that our surroundings influence our moods, thoughts and

behaviors. Wherever we go, sensory elements such as light, color, texture and scent mingle

with our cultural associations and personal beliefs, allowing us to make sense of our

surroundings.

Vice-versa; as we can also imagine certain particular things too, when we say "McDonald's"we we may imagine the Mascot, the 'M' logo etc, when we say "Temple" we imagine the

colours, smells, touch, light etc elements peculiar to the temple. When one talks about hill-

stations; one may imagine a particular hill-station, one may imagine a particular food you

get at that place, the atmosphere at the place, snow, chilly wind, clouds setting on hills, the

peculiar styled houses of the area.

Now again, why are we discussing all this while the title of the article is "Design that


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happens in mind"; I am just creating a little background here for that.

Now, lets say we have to design a bed room! The two important things i wanted toconsider here are,

It has to be peaceful

Where all I find peace?

I guess this is the place where I would get peace! how do I bring this into my design? I can

take colours, the shades and the tints as they are going to play a huge role. I could also

provide a small water channel which flowing through the whole house making nice

pleasant sound. The pillows or the bedsheets that have some design of pebbles on it could

be painted, could be embroidered, who knows.... everybody's look out to it could be

different.

Inspirations for designing could be anything as in anything in the world. Lets take example

of Architect Frank O Gehry. How do you think he must have arrived at the concept

for Guggenheim Museum at Bilbao? A water body on one side and the city on the

other. A series of elongated volumes simulating a fish form the great gallery.


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Its a funny version of simpsons

famous building at Bilbao. Gehr

alternating stone, glass and me

sensations from the place you s

hough, but that could have been the in

y used a rich repertory of materials and l

al in a studied composition that produc

ee it.

piration for the

anguages,

es different


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The design of Architecture and

inspired from the designs of Ma

from the Vedic era.

Interior of the Parliament Library buildin

ndala,Various Yantras based on the pla

g, New Delhi is

s of the Yagyas


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The inspiration is the flexibility in the dance form.


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Mario Botta here has taken inspwhile designing this building. K

makes the building of its own c

We, in life have seen, learnt, tra

back, history repeats itself! Exp

creative ideas for the future des

we start associating things in va

Long Live Right Brain!

iration from the Gothic recessed doorweeping the context, region and rich hist

aracteristic.

eled, experienced, written, drawn and i

riences from childhood plays huge role

igns. Its a human tendency, it brings ba

ried fashion and its all very much useful

ys, various archesry of the place;

keeps coming

to give one the

k all old memories,

for the creativity!

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Design That Happens in Mind!