Comments on: Spirituality and places http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48 raising awareness of people-centered place design Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:22:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: David Andre http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-7085 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:15:30 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-7085 I must agree with you (immoral vs. moral) and think it is very interesting. A place is not only framed by the type of activity it is purposed for but also the activities that are actually carried out there. Like just going to the gym and not actually working-out doesn’t make you strong, or exercising in your bedroom will improve your health but might not cause you to be more rested. Believing that spaces should only be used for one thing or another is unreasonable, but one must admit there is something less than absolutely tangible that happens in a nightclub that was once a church or a church that was once a warehouse. Besides, who says immoral things don’t happen in church and moral ones are absent in nightclubs. That might not be your colleague’s point, but I think we could stand to be a little less wooden about the whole thing and enjoy the intangible. I must agree with you (immoral vs. moral) and think it is very interesting. A place is not only framed by the type of activity it is purposed for but also the activities that are actually carried out there. Like just going to the gym and not actually working-out doesn’t make you strong, or exercising in your bedroom will improve your health but might not cause you to be more rested. Believing that spaces should only be used for one thing or another is unreasonable, but one must admit there is something less than absolutely tangible that happens in a nightclub that was once a church or a church that was once a warehouse. Besides, who says immoral things don’t happen in church and moral ones are absent in nightclubs. That might not be your colleague’s point, but I think we could stand to be a little less wooden about the whole thing and enjoy the intangible.

]]> by: kiran keswani http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-6124 Sat, 23 Jun 2007 11:32:55 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-6124 a MURAL PAINTING camp at a burial ground Once a corporate house offered to support such a camp. We, supporters of arts, crafts & architecture in india, were quite fascinated with the idea. The camp is yet to happen... we had so many questions as we planned... It had to be a 2 week artists' camp and the artists would work here as burial processions came in every day... WHO WOULD SEE THESE MURAL PAINTINGS WHEN COMPLETED? People come to the burial ground only when someone is no more... In India, women do not go to a hindu burial ground, so, i had never seen one. We thought this would be an event that would offer artists and the public a great experience and it would be good to know how it would make this burial ground different from others as months and years passed by... a MURAL PAINTING camp at a burial ground

Once a corporate house offered to support such a camp. We, supporters of arts, crafts & architecture in india, were quite fascinated with the idea. The camp is yet to happen…

we had so many questions as we planned… It had to be a 2 week artists’ camp and the artists would work here as burial processions came in every day…

WHO WOULD SEE THESE MURAL PAINTINGS WHEN COMPLETED? People come to the burial ground only when someone is no more… In India, women do not go to a hindu burial ground, so, i had never seen one.

We thought this would be an event that would offer artists and the public a great experience and it would be good to know how it would make this burial ground different from others as months and years passed by…

]]> by: Kathryn http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-6015 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:05:31 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-6015 As Albert Einstein reportedly said, "Either it's all a miracle, or none of it is." I think it's all a miracle, so a church is no more or less sacred than a park. And anything that brings people together peacefully has my support. As Albert Einstein reportedly said, “Either it’s all a miracle, or none of it is.” I think it’s all a miracle, so a church is no more or less sacred than a park. And anything that brings people together peacefully has my support.

]]> by: Michael Beavers http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-6014 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:40:14 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-6014 Urban design and interaction design share many things...one of which is context. Cemeteries contextually are a place where the living commune with the dead. The Victorians had it right...death shouldn't be something feared, loathed, and then tucked away when it befalls loved ones. Cemeteries are in fact gardens and places of community for the living as well. They are a lovely compromise in an urban setting--where the needs for greenspace and community are both served effectively. Otherwise, we have to "urn" our greenspace elsewhere. Urban design and interaction design share many things…one of which is context. Cemeteries contextually are a place where the living commune with the dead.

The Victorians had it right…death shouldn’t be something feared, loathed, and then tucked away when it befalls loved ones. Cemeteries are in fact gardens and places of community for the living as well.

They are a lovely compromise in an urban setting–where the needs for greenspace and community are both served effectively.

Otherwise, we have to “urn” our greenspace elsewhere.

]]> by: Nick http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-3865 Tue, 22 May 2007 16:10:16 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-3865 It seems like there's a distinction between a church making a point of programming their public spaces (St. Bart's cafe, the cemetery mentioned here) and passing a church on to a private use. I think of places of worship as community spaces, and to the extent that they can offer valuable public uses outside of traditional worship I say go for it! It seems like there’s a distinction between a church making a point of programming their public spaces (St. Bart’s cafe, the cemetery mentioned here) and passing a church on to a private use.

I think of places of worship as community spaces, and to the extent that they can offer valuable public uses outside of traditional worship I say go for it!

]]> by: Brenda Becker http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-3431 Sat, 12 May 2007 14:53:59 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-3431 There's a fine old precedent for picnicking in cemeteries; it was all the rage in Victorian times in Brooklyn's Green-Wood, which was a big tourist attraction even before the opening of Prospect Park. As for churches and nightclubs, there is a matter of tone and degree in what will rile even a reasonably urbane person of faith (okay, me); genteel jazz and cocktails in the Undercroft (even a naughty sip of absinthe) is one thing, but Sodom and Gomorrah in a sanctuary really depresses me. We Catholics actually "de-sanctify" a space before turning it over to the condo develoopers or whoever (not sure how we do that, but we're good at that sort of thing, probably offer technical advice to Hollywood directors of Satan movies on it). I will 'confess' (being Catholic, haha) that every time I walk past 'Limelight,' which has been at various points a notorious druggy decadent hellhole, I recite an Our Father just in reparation for the degradation people have brought upon themselves in there. I attended the club once in one of its less hellholey incarnations, and the fun of the goth vibe was outweighed by a sorrow that a place made for consolation and worship had been repurposed to an ironic funhouse. Bleagh. There’s a fine old precedent for picnicking in cemeteries; it was all the rage in Victorian times in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood, which was a big tourist attraction even before the opening of Prospect Park. As for churches and nightclubs, there is a matter of tone and degree in what will rile even a reasonably urbane person of faith (okay, me); genteel jazz and cocktails in the Undercroft (even a naughty sip of absinthe) is one thing, but Sodom and Gomorrah in a sanctuary really depresses me. We Catholics actually “de-sanctify” a space before turning it over to the condo develoopers or whoever (not sure how we do that, but we’re good at that sort of thing, probably offer technical advice to Hollywood directors of Satan movies on it). I will ‘confess’ (being Catholic, haha) that every time I walk past ‘Limelight,’ which has been at various points a notorious druggy decadent hellhole, I recite an Our Father just in reparation for the degradation people have brought upon themselves in there. I attended the club once in one of its less hellholey incarnations, and the fun of the goth vibe was outweighed by a sorrow that a place made for consolation and worship had been repurposed to an ironic funhouse. Bleagh.

]]> by: xn http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-3394 Fri, 11 May 2007 23:28:17 +0000 http://www.thisplaceis.com/archives/48#comment-3394 I like this place, a true "hidden gem". The people are in the walls, not under the picnic tables. I think its fine. Its interesting to know that people related to the deceased to this day come to visit. Death is sad to those of us still here missing the departed, but would they want us crying? I think I'd like knowing people were happy in my final resting place :) I like this place, a true “hidden gem”. The people are in the walls, not under the picnic tables. I think its fine. Its interesting to know that people related to the deceased to this day come to visit. Death is sad to those of us still here missing the departed, but would they want us crying? I think I’d like knowing people were happy in my final resting place :)

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