Atmosphere Design & Spiral Dynamics

a t m o s p h e r e Mind, Body, Soul, Space Research into the historic socio-cultural contexts using Spiral Dynamics as a guiding framework Slava Kozlov, Summ( )n

Background The following are the slides from a relatively old project (circa 2008), aimed at supporting a design research into the concept of atmosphere. The scope of this design research was defined (perhaps deliberately) very vaguely, and gravitated around such things as multisensorial , immersive , interactive and poetic . Eventually a working definition of the atmosphere concept was suggested, as ‘Mind-Body-Soul in Space’. I decided to inform this definition it with a broad historic socio-cultural contexts, using the Spiral Dynamics approach as the main guiding framework.

The team was inspired by a definition or, rather, a description of atmosphere suggested by Ezio Manzini ( to my best knowledge - but I may be wrong with this attribution): “Imagine that you enter into an old cathedral - you feel its atmosphere immediately, through its architecture, interiors, light, sound… The very time speaks to you.” (I was actually shocked, not by the quote itself, but by the naivety with which it was taken as a guiding principle by a design team. Oh, well…) Another inspirational example was taken from the Poème electronique pavilion at the Brussels 1958 Expo (by Le Corbusier and Edgard Varèse ) where a combination of light and sound distributed in the space over time reportedly created an amazingly powerful atmosphere. NB: I need to warn that both here and further in the presentation I don’t attribute the images, only because I didn’t know their authors/copyright holders. Please let me know if you are one of those, so I can attribute the work (or remove it in case of your objection).

Spiral Dynamics Spir al Dynamics is both a theory and a practical framework introduced by Don Beck and Chris Cowan, based on the studies of human psychology of Clare Graves; Ken Wilber further popularized these ideas in a series of his books. According to this approach, human nature is not fixed: humans are able, when forced by life conditions, to adapt to their environments by constructing new, more complex, conceptual models of the world, that allow them to handle the new problems more efficiently. The term vMeme refers to a core value system of any given stage that acts as an organizing principle and expresses itself through various memes (self-propagating ideas, habits, or cultural practices).

vMemes: 1st and 2nd Tiers 1 st Tier vMemes (antagonistic) 2 nd Tier vMemes (integral) Beige Purple Red Blue Orange Turquoise Yellow Green We are somewhere here at the moment A few main vMemes evolved during human evolution (they are all color-coded in this theory - see above). Every time the next appearing vMeme is in conflict with its predecessor (although in reality it does not necessarily replace it, but rather builds upon it. The new emerging ‘integral’ vMemes behave differently, trying to encompass all the previous vMemes into a more holistic system. More on each specific vMeme will be explained further.

The Matrix
Mind
Body
Soul
Space
atmosphere
I clustered all the examples and illustration in a matrix of some sort, which can be read either ‘by column’ (illustrating the concepts under consideration for the given vMeme), or ‘by row’, showing an evolution of the concept over time. The matrix builds up one vMeme after another, and is assembled in full at the end of the presentation.

Beige
Instinctive / Survivialistic vMeme
Started 100.000 years ago
- Uses instincts and habits just to survive
- Distinct self is barely awaked or sustained
- Food, water, warmth, sex and safety have priority
- Forms into survival bands to perpetuate life
- Lives ‘off the land’ much as other animals
Do what you must just to stay alive Basic Theme:

Beige Minds Looking around for resources Doing nearly all activities together Close family relationships Food, water, warmth, sex and safety have priority

Beige Bodies Protection of the naked body Strong, robust – but suffering - bodies Supporting each other Uses instincts and habits just to survive

Beige Souls Simple joys among many fears Tokens and amulets Collective story-telling Distinct self is barely awaked or sustained

Beige Spaces Living in the spaces, not in places No borders yet, placements are opportunistic Protective constructions Lives ‘off the land’ much as other animals

Beige atmosphere Forms into survival bands to perpetuate life Warmth of fire in the night Tribal dances Rituals of a wise shaman

Beige Symbol

Purple
Magical/Animistic vMeme
- Obey the desires of the spirits
- Show allegiance to the chief, elders, ancestors
- Individual subsumed in a group
- Preserve sacred objects, places, events, memories
- Observe rites of passage, seasonal cycles, customs
Basic Theme: Keep the spirit happy, and the settlement warm, safe and in order

Purple Minds Higher forces and powers, gods and pharaohs Strict and unchanging social order The world is known, described, prescribed Obey the desires of the spirit

Purple Bodies Show allegiance to the chief, elders, ancestors Subordinated and serving Obeying orders and rules Manifesting stratification

Purple Souls Worshipping, revering and devoting your life Coding and decoding symbolic meanings Working towards enlightenment and nirvana Preserve sacred objects, places, evens, memories

Purple Spaces Observe rites of passage, seasonal cycles, customs Erecting walls and fences Dividing and separating Guarding access

Purple atmosphere Individual subsumed in group Mystical light and silence Uplifting and elevating Harmonious and uniting

Purple Symbol

Red
Impulsive/Egocentric vMeme
- The world is a jungle full of threats and predators
- Break free from any domination or constraint
- Stand tall, demand respect, and call the shot
- Enjoys self to the fullest right now without any guilt
- Conquer, out-smart, dominate others
Basic Theme: Be what you are and do what you want, regardless

Red Minds Break free from any domination or constraint Fight and conquer Dominate and suppress Fear (and be feared)

Red Bodies Expand and transgress Armour your body and threaten your enemy Fight, kill, die Stand tall, demand respect, and call the shot

Red Souls Enjoys self to the fullest right now without any guilt Ranks and positions Executing unlimited will Honour: gaining, manifesting, defending

Red Spaces Conquer, out-smart, dominate others Dominate, threaten, protect Barriers, obstacles, trenches, barricades Locks, bars, latches

Red atmosphere Demonstrate your power and might Loud, shining, grand performances Humiliate and execute enemies The world is a jungle full of threats and predators

Red Symbol

Blue
Purposeful/Authoritarian vMeme
- One sacrifices self to the transcendent Cause, Truth or righteous Pathway
- The Order enforces Code of Conduct based on eternal, absolute principles
- Righteous living produces stability now – and guarantees future reward
- Laws, regulations and discipline build moral fibre
- Impulsivity is controlled through guilt
Basic Theme: Life has meaning, direction and purpose with predetermined outcome

Blue Mind Discover transcendent Cause and Truth Explore, probe, discover Hypothesize, question, inquire Formulate the true Laws of Nature

Blue Bodies Laws, regulations and discipline build moral fibre Dissecting bodies, revealing inner organs Understand – and improve – body functioning Design and build life through knowledge

Blue Souls Enforces Code of Conduct based on eternal, absolute principles Write down your knowledge, read the knowledge of others Imagine and innovate Deconstruct the world around you

Blue Spaces Impulsivity is controlled through discipline/guilt Construct rational knowledge spaces Functionality regulates design Technological sophistication (often for the sake of technological sophistication)

Blue (Artificial) Spaces Constructing artificial places and spaces Expanding the scope of habitat prescribed for humans Building new worlds

Blue atmosphere Righteous living produces stability now – and guarantees future reward Well designed and perfectly functioning spaces Complex, sophisticated performances Technology saturated environments

Blue Symbol

Orange
Achieist/Strategic vMeme
Started 300 years ago
- Change and advancement are inherent within the scheme of things
- Progress by learning nature’s secrets and seeking the best solutions
- Manipulate Earth’s resources to create and spread abundant good life
- Optimistic, risk-taking, self-reliant people deserve success
- Societies prosper through strategy, technology, and competition
Basic Theme: Act in your own self-interests by playing the game to win

Orange Minds Optimistic, risk-taking, self-reliant people deserve success To be the first and the best is the key motivation Rely on yourself, exploit everything around, win Never give up, keep moving, just do it

Orange Bodies Change and advancement are inherent Everybody should be famous – at least for 15 min Beautify and expose your body Body as yet another device to drive you to success

Orange Souls Materials wealth – gained by whatever means – is the criterion of success The only place worth being at is the top one The more the better Prosper through strategy, technology and competition

Orange Spaces Manipulate Earth’s resources to create and spread abundant good life Greed is good The shinier the better Shopping bag is my space

Orange atmosphere Radiating wealth and success; seven stars Abundance of choices Exclusive and elitist Progress by learning nature’s secrets and seeking the best solutions

Orange Symbol 1

Green
Communitarian/Egalitarian vMeme
- The human spirit must be freed from greed, dogma and divisiveness
- Feeling, sensitivity and caring supersede cold rationality
- Spread the Earth’s resources and opportunities among all
- Reaches decisions through consensus and reconciliation
- Endorses spirituality, seeks harmony, enriches human development
Basic Theme: Seek peace within the inner self, and explore, with others, caring dimensions of community

Green Minds The human spirit must be freed from greed, dogma and divisiveness Communal practice and activities Inner peace and search for harmonious balance Golden rule of ethics applies

Green Bodies Feeling, sensitivity and caring supersede cold rationality Caring about your own health, both physical and mental Caring about people around you Caring about the Planet

Green Souls All-connecting spiritual search Harmonious living for all human beings (and preferable for all living creatures) Embracing tolerance, encouraging diversity Endorses spirituality, seeks harmony, enriches human development

Green Spaces Spread the Earth’s resources and opportunities among all The Planet is our Home, let’s care about it Eco-friendly and eco-responsible spaces Nature-resembling design and functionalities

Green atmosphere Reaches decisions through consensus and reconciliation Being close to nature, embedded into it Embracing sustainable lifestyle Shaming all non-green

Green Symbol

Reading Matrix by vMeme
Mind
Body
Soul
Space
Atmosphere

From 1 st to 2 nd Tier vMemes 1 st vMemes (antagonistic) 2 nd Tier vMemes (integral) “ What I am proposing is that the psychology of the mature human being is an unfolding, emergent, oscillating, spiralling process, marked by progressive subordination of older lower-ordered systems to newer, higher-ordered systems”. - Clare Graves ‘ cold’ ‘ warm’

Changing worldviews: From one to many truths One Truth many truths I We

Yellow
Integrative vMeme
- Life is a kaleidoscope of natural hierarchies, systems and forms
- The magnificence of existence is valued via material possessions and immaterial experiences
- Flexibility, spontaneity, and functionality have the highest priority
- Differences can be integrated into interdependent natural flows
- Understand that chaos and changes are natural
Basic Theme: Live fully and responsibly as what you are and learn to become

Yellow Minds Life is a kaleidoscope of natural hierarchies, systems and forms Joyfully coping with uncertainties and ambiguities Operating in turbulent, complex and chaotic mediums Developing new mental capabilities

Yellow Bodies The magnificence of existence is valued via material possessions and immaterial experiences Multiplicity of identities, multiplicity of bodies From avatars to cyborgs Enhancing life experiences with diverse technologies

Yellow Souls Flexibility, spontaneity, and functionality have the highest priority Surfing through life using abundant opportunities Mixing & Meshing multiple streams of meaning Paving unique personal trajectories

Yellow Spaces Understand that chaos and changes are natural Flexible and dynamic environments Smart and interactive spaces Personalized spatial arrangements

Yellow atmosphere Differences can be integrated into interdependent natural flows Interactive, playful, stimulating, multisensorial Co-authoring and involving Emerging and non-predictable

Yellow Sign

Turquoise
Holistic vMeme
- The world is a single, dynamic organism with its own collective mind
- Self is both distinct and blended part of a larger, compassionate whole
- Everything connects to everything in ecological alignments
- Energy and information permeate the Earth's total environment
- Holistic, intuitive thinking and cooperative actions prevail
Basic Theme: Experience the wholeness of existence through body, mind and spirit

Turquoise Minds Holistic, intuitive thinking and cooperative actions prevail Collective intelligence Open source practices Wiki-consciousness

Turquoise Bodies Self is both distinct and blended part of a larger, compassionate whole Swarming, distributed bodies Eco-somatic awareness and self-regulation Transformative practices

Turquoise Souls Everything connects to everything in ecological alignments Let’s make the universe better Transformation through empowered passion Holistic, integral thinking

Turquoise Spaces Networked and interconnected Systemic interactions Evolving, emerging, generative The world is a single, dynamic organism with its own collective mind

Turquoise atmosphere Global collective actions Collaborative art Co-creative encounters Energy and information permeate the Earth's total environment

Turquoise Symbol Rhizome allows for multiple, non- hierarchical entry and exit points , trans-connections and interactions, networked hyper-structures without vertical domination.

Reading Matrix by vMeme
Mind
Body
Soul
Space
Atmosphere

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Atmosphere Design & Spiral Dynamics

by Slava Kozlov on May 28, 2010

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Atmosphere Design & Spiral Dynamics — Presentation Transcript