Loci The Path to Reawaken

Loci The Path to Reawaken

Srajati Tiwari

Institute Of Architecture and Town Planning,Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India

Fig. 2. Photograph of – Amusement at Sun Temple at Gwalior. (freedom of design can be interpreted as the opportunity for individualistic expression.)

Fig. 2. Photograph of – Amusement at Sun Temple at Gwalior. (freedom of design can be interpreted as the opportunity for individualistic expression.)

Abstract the approach is to study the link of urban setting with reality & dreams, conscious & unconscious, reminiscence & forgetfulness. Further, the purpose is to reawaken the significance of "place spirit" as well as society's stagnant ideas. Individual prejudices must be earmarked in order to focus on the places, moments, and community's inner soul demands.

Keywords Loci; Spirit; Perception; Places; Memory

1. INTRODUCTION

   The term 'Lo ci' refers to an ancient Roman belief that each location has its guardian spirit, which gives life to people and places, accompanies them from birth to death, and shapes their personalities. Even though places and frameworks change, their ' loci' stay unchange.dAs a result, even time cannot rescind the ' loci,' which ensures that places retain their identity. [Fig. 1.] The link between design and consciousness is formed, further connecting with the o ther to create a link in spatial and temporal; the disparity between memories of the past vanishes, and one place integrates with the other through visual s. The distinct personality of every place, its physical form, ha s always evolved from activities that happened there, Along with th e relationships between the people and their surroundings. Without a doubt, one of the most effective ways to store, lock, and rethink special moments is through the use of spaces. Peop le might have wandered the corridors, recalling incidents referenced by psychopaths. [Fig. 2.] The intangible but perceptible spirit of plac,ea visual and sensory experience, all constitute to conclude to aesthetic responsibilities . It necessitates putting stylistic and individualistic preferences aside in favor of focusing on what the places, moments, and community demand. The study's goal is to rediscover the essence of the "spirit of places" as well as society's frozen thoughts.

   Fig. 1. Photograph of – Terrace view imparting peace

   (The spirit of places needs be cherished)

   Fig. 1. Photograph of – Terrace view imparting peace

   (The spirit of places needs be cherished)

2. HISTORY

   Loci is not a todays term, it was primarily discovered by the famous Romans and Greeks long ago. The process involved the approach of linking memories with places. The Greeks and Romans used their "m ental palaces" to not only remember events but also to recite stories to others and help them to imagine them. That is how strongly places are linked to our memories. Memory th eatre, the art of memory, memory p alace, and other terms were coined to describe this ability to remember memories by linking them to spaces. The loci method employs the visualization of a space in which multiple memories can be interpreted. A building, a house, or a road that leads to multiple addresses is widely termed as space. The advantage of this technique stems fro m the mind's ability to store visual memories in specific locations.

   Our history bears a tremendous responsibility for who we are today (Portman). Even though humans are constantly in dialogue and interaction with th eir surroun dings, it 's ind eed impossib le to sep arate sel f-perception from the situation- specific and spatial constructs. Time ca uses a var iety of narratives to emerge, evoking sentimentality in the space and resulting in a wide array of different experiences. Shoemakers, saddlers, jewelers, cloth merchants, and hay markets li ned the streets of medieval towns. This isn't about zoning; this is about a zone that everyone must keep driving through, not a street that can be walked thro ug h in a few minutes. A sites memory and history inspire a new sense of place or even a resumption of an existing one. The symbolic value and essence of a location tell a continuous tale and highlight the intangible emotions that are linked with it. The interpretation

   of memory is a blend of the roots of history and well as ethical awareness of the current epoch.

3. SIGNIFICANCE OF REMEMBRANCE IN BUILT ENVIRONMENTS

   The built environment holds the capability to evoke various emotions which further results in distinct mental states leading to creative thinking, learning, well-being and happiness. The perception of a mind varies from individual to individual, for instance, a teenager loves the serendipity of the balcony space evolves ones frozen thoughts there while a child loves free spaces to rush through. We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words and that the optic nerve is enormous in comparison to the other sense organs, but a smell can transport us back to childhood memories and music can transport us to another world. Remembrance in built environments can be discovered in the left side of your brain and Loci can be processed. The first moment when we learned bicycling in our childhood or those colorful swings, and that one favorite place to hide in the game of eye- spy, all of them can never be forgotten. There are numerous examples one can relate to. Afterward, while growing, we all loved that school corridor, which we discovered better anyway. As kids, we had the curiosity to discover every corner of the school and cherish our spaces. The belongingness holds significance in the respect of spaces and their environments. [Fig. 3.] A few months ago, we went to Gwalior fort, and its hard to forget the three openings, where my three friends lean their faces probably like 3 Idiots movie and created a reason for laughter. Thats how places are remembered, by their ability to connect with memories, and the method of Loci is followed. Hence, the cities possess a character that affects the human brain & behavior in farther contexts. There is a loop in which we create spaces, and then those spaces create us as well. The spaces are not always concrete solid structures but can exist in their very beinghidden, invisible, and metaphorical.

   Fig. 3. Photograph of – Memories at Gwalior Fort. (Experiences and interaction with spaces.)

   Fig. 3. Photograph of – Memories at Gwalior Fort. (Experiences and interaction with spaces.)

   People's memories of a place are associations that entangle them to the location and give them a strong sense of belonging there. The memory imbues the location with a palpable presence. It also highlights the psychological significance of the location, transforming it into a central focus for cultural spirit and social interaction, culminating in a more cohesive community. Remembrances are the result of our bodies' physical experiences and interactions around us. It interacts with the individual on various states of consciousness, space can have a central spot in ones mind. These environments elicit and interact with the sense of individuality and place in time, and they will continue to play a significant role in the built environment.

   Fig. 4. Photograph of The unplanned group junctures in the greens. (Places of remembrance.)

   Fig. 4. Photograph of The unplanned group junctures in the greens. (Places of remembrance.)

   Fig. 5. Photograph of – The multidimensional use of staircases, in Blue World (Kanpur), IIT (Kanpur), Orchha (MP). (The tansforming enviroments.)

   Fig. 5. Photograph of – The multidimensional use of staircases, in Blue World (Kanpur), IIT (Kanpur), Orchha (MP). (The transforming enviroments.)

4. THE INTERPLAY OF TRANSFORMING ENVIRONMENTS AND POPULACE

   Humans have always had a proclivity to respond to their surroundings based on their perception, consciousness, and spatial behavior. Perception is the process of becoming aware of space through information received through the sense of vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Perception refers to the psychological processing of visual inputs, whereas spatial behavior describes the responses and reactions to the environment.

   The utilization of transforming environments is necessary, as the cities are becoming denser and denser gradually. The multifunctional places need to be discovered as the true meaning of place lies in discovering its root core, by fulfilling its utmost purpose. For example, the Indore Streets of fast

   food centers are assembled during the evening hours specifically and meanwhile the other shops play their role. The blend of appropriate built environment encompasses the people to prospect varied behaviors. The intentional environment leads to the perception of freedom, safety, assurance, happiness among varied people. [Fig. 4.] For example, during my first year in Architecture College, we were wandering along with the campus and found this one serene park, and surprisingly we made our sheets there. Probably the environment played with our psychology and made us do so in an amusing way. Therefore, the Environment plays a significant role in the psychology of humans. And Transforming environments can evolve better ideas in people & their perception might change of the long & long hours of work. We can design places where the people can come together and be better human beings as well.

   Now, the application of searching the multipurpose in places involves a multidimensional approach. We experience planning, sections, and elevation differently. The plan tells us about relationships of one activity to another; sections tell us about the spatial quality, views from and light into that place; elevations we see when they confront us; normally they don't and we don't see them. The priorities in design are place, relationships, and sequential experience. Walking the site, plans, sections, sketches (mood and sequence) are all involved in the design process. [Fig. 5.]

5. RECOGNIZING THE SPIRIT OF PLACES

   Fig. 6. Photograph of – Experience of the village life at Kanpur. (The Spirit lies in the roots.)

   Fig. 6. Photograph of – Experience of the village life at Kanpur. (The Spirit lies in the roots.)

   In the statues of the Hindu gods, one will never find it in a stationery positioning, some might be in dancing, smiling, sitting with different postures along with varied gestures that somehow depicts that no single space is idle, it has an inbuilt spirit that needs to be felt and restored for the fulfillment of its intention. Therefore, the design must serve its objective. As Glen Murcutt told in his interview that we cannot reach the ultimate in Architecture, but however one has to try enough to achieve the true being of a particular place. Places can't communicate with us in human terms, but we can listen to what they ask for and accept. The senses, taken together, paint a picture of a reality that no single sense can adequately describe, a reality we call spirit, the spirit of a person, event, or place. [Fig. 6.] The spirit is more than just the appearance or comfort that has a profound impact on us.

   Fig. 7. Photograph of The magnificent view of the rising sun from the balcony . (Nature blends with the spirit in spaces.)

   Fig. 7. Photograph of The magnificent view of the rising sun from the balcony . (Nature blends with the spirit in spaces.)

   When you stand in front of a new building or walk into one, it usually feels empty, like a spiritless shell. It waits for someone to come along and shower it with love, comfort, and individuality by hanging curtains in the windows, placing flowers on the balcony, and instilling life in the rooms. However, until that happens, many structures will remain lifeless. Such structures have not yet begun the process of ensoulment. Every location has something unique, living and evolving, but enduring beyond minor change. It is a separate entity – the spirit of the location. Every location has a spirit, though it isn't always pleasant. [Fig. 7.]

   Loci, the idea of a place's spirit has been around for a long time. Researchers believe that the spirit of a place is formed and given by both tangible (locations, dwellings, natural landscape, pathways, artifacts) and intangible (remembrances, stories, documents, festivals, celebrations, rituals, cultural traditions, principles, fabrics, color schemes, aromas, and so on) features. The meaning of heritage is enriched and completed by intangible cultural heritage, which must be preserved.

   Local people, particularly traditional cultural groups, are best equipped to understand and safeguard the spirit of place, and they should be involved in all efforts to conserve and transmit the spirit of place. Non-formal (stories, ceremonies, showings, traditional experiences, and behaviors, etc.) and formal (educational services, virtual database management systems, websites, pedagogical tools, multimedia presentations, etc.) modes of transmission should be encouraged because they ensure not only the preservation and restoration of the spirit of place, but also the community's long-term sustainable and socio-economic development. The past and the future are inextricably linked; the former informs, while the latter inspires.

6. CONCLUSION

The memories people have of a place are correlations that connect them to it and give them a sense of belongingness. As a result of the memory, the location takes on a physical presence. It moreover underlines the concerns surrounding the place, transforming it into a focal point for cultural true essence and human engagement, resulting in a more cohesive community. The design must be followed by paying attention

to a location's needs; newcomers can feel as if they've always belonged there.

In todays scenario, the majority of designs are generally concerned with aesthetics than with responsiveness. Places have such profound effects on the human being, no matter where they are, on human consciousness, and, ultimately, on the world, that it is far too important to be shaped by fads. It can have serious personal, social, and environmental consequences. The connection between health problems, detachment, violence, and climate variability is now well established. Environmental improvements are nothing more than a gimmick when sensory messages clash. As a result, the strategy is to come up with simple yet innovative suggestions for improving habitability in the coming years. The new generations hold the responsibility to reincarnate Loci, to initiate the significance of communication with habitats, declining the disparities. Places shouldnt limit themselves to lifeless areas rather provide varying experiences to people, by creating encountering & lively places.

Henceforth, the creation will blossom again with the connection of the universe.

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