Shree: Lived Experience

Shree: Lived Experience

One is not compartmentalized in space and time when one feels a “lived experience”. If one gets into the origin of a lived experience, then one may encounter so much depth of memory and the subtle variables that one will have to admit that it is relative and a constructed experience that encompasses several dimensions of existence.

Perhaps the intent of architectural thought is to be able to use the depth of lived experience to design sensitive spaces. Everything may assist in building a lived experience, but it is also clear that actual self presence in a demanded situation is not always a necessary requirement for conceiving quality spaces. That is to say, I may be required to respond to an unknown situation of designing for “something” (say a railway terminal) but the access to my hitherto lived experience can give guidance as to how the space ought to be conceived to include everyone and everything. So finally the issue rests on accessing the depth of one’s lived experience of “being” (in the world).

Therefore, then what of “presence” – what do you call “presence” in space and time? Presence does not always mean therefore, “physical” position of self in a given matrix of space-time. In fact, physical is only one attribute of perception – there might be many which makes a presence “felt”. Are we aware of such depths of being? Should we be aware?

This thought is not pursued in spirit in current times. Impacts of AI, compartmentalized times and achedules, enormous demands of work, individualized routines, systems, distances, imagination, livelihoods, environment, relationships, mindscapes have huge impacts on how spaces are conceived by us and what do we therefore offer people as designers. At the cost of commercial or material benefits, there is so much of a compromise that happens on levels of society, relationships, activities, private and public spaces, resources, design impacts that the damage seems irreparable.

As “isolation” creeps in all spheres of activity, it should be realized that the seeds of this lived experience (of isolation) spread across working norms, system behavior, routines, relationships, aspirations, consumtion cycles, production cycles, buiult environments, exploitation of resources and many other things.

It is time to think holistically. Healing is required.

Hari Om.