STEP 1
I choose what I call La calita located on Jávea beach. It’s a place where I go since I had 3 years old until now and here I’ve built lots of memories. This little beach is next to the grava beach at the port of Jávea.
When I sit here the waves are crashing into the rocks making a relaxing sound and combined with the beautiful landscape creates a perfect environment to take time for you. It’s also fun to go diving and see the beautiful bottom of the sea.
This space is sorrounded by the mountain Montgó and also by the beautiful combination of the rocks, the singular color of the water and the boats in the port. From here you can see all of the Javea coast but almost anyone can see you.
Why did you choose this place?
Because I consider it my peace place, when I feel bad or anxious I go there and seems like I don’t have problems, I can relax and everything gets better. The sounds of the sea that let you think quietly and the beatiful landscape make you feel extremely comfortable
What do you think that makes you be at ease?
I think is mainly the sea and the absence of people what make me feel in calm. Also helps the landscape and the sounds of water like I said before.
Is there any disruptive element?
Yes, but not always. The only disruptive element here are the noises of people. In the afternoon people start going out for the night and they make lot of noise that interrumps the perfect atmosphere of relaxing sound of nature. The better hour to stay here is 3pm because there’s no one and all the space is for you. You can take a bath o relax reading a book.
You think you’d feel the same in another space right now?
No I don’t think so. This place gives to me all the peace and happiness that I need and no other place can do this. It’s true that every beach enviroment makes me feel comfortable and happy but I think this is the one that I like most and where more memories I have.
Do you think that the particular conditions of this space may influence its occupants?Why?
Totally, the conditions of this space are what makes people feel like this there. I think that’s because the nature landscapes and sounds can make everyone feel good but there’s an special and unique atmosphere in this place. Even so I can understand that everyone can’t feel the same about this space like I do because of many factors, maybe they not see it as beautiful as I do o maybe because they have no memories here and they don’t feel the same emotions or love as me when I go there.
Would you change anything?
The only thing I would change is the amount of people that are at the sorrounding enviroment because they sometimes interrump as I said before, the atmosphere of calm and relax. Maybe another thing that I would change is the distance from my house in Valencia because althought I go almost every weekend I’d like to have it near but that’s maybe what it makes it special.
STEP 2
The text has helped me to analyse more architecture from different points of view integrating different fields all at once. I agree with the main reflexions about buildings from the author. We all know that architecture is the creation of a building, what Zumthor calls body, and I think it’s a good comparation because of all the independent but necessary parts that make up a building.
To construct a building is necessary to check all the materials that are gonna be used depending on the objective. We need to care about where is gonna be built and for what, to know the materials we will need. Also the sorrounding of the project it’s important to know where to go with the design to create harmony with the landscape or urbanism.
With a little bit of relation with this we have the author’s appreciation with the design. He talks about composure and seduction because all the things that can transmit a simple space. All the details can create an atmosphere that can make you feel one way or another and he talks about the relevance of coherence.
And last but not least, Zumthor talks about three concepts that I have never gave all the importance that they have but I thought about that like basic principles when you’re carrying out a project. Starting with the lights, it can make you feel so different and these might change depending of the space because isn’t the same a place to work than a bedroom. After, we can analyse the sound, is essential to keep it in mind because if you ignore it you can create horrible spaces where the sound rumbles and you only hear noice. Finally, the temperature has to be mesured and controled depending again on the purpose of the space created.
To conclude, this reading made me think and care about architectural processes that maybe I wouldn’t take care at first sight but are very relevant.
I remember from my trip in winter to the snow the perfect atmosphere I felt. I went there with my friends but the house where we stayed made us feel extremely comfortable and at home. We started to feel like a family because of many factors. Mainly the size of the space because it was very small but it had everything we needed so the atmosphere was cozy instead of burdensome. After that, I want to highlight the materials used at the walls: wood. This set off a calid temperature everytime in spite of the cold outside. Maybe there was a big lack of beauty, art or design but what I felt there it cannot be compared with that. Those feelings I had make me reflect about architecture and I can think now that beauty isn’t everything because the most important is what the place transmits to you and the atmosphere breathed there. In short, I felt comfortable, cozy and warm with aspects that I would never gave value
