American Anthropology Association - Annual Meeting, November 22, 2008 Moderator – Elizabeth Tunstall, Ph.D. – Transdisciplinary Theory Panel A Systematic Approach to Designing a Home as a Fitting Ecosystem Christopher K. Travis Sentient Architecture, LLC Nidiant Corporation – Truehome.net E-mail – chris.travis@nidiant.com

Question: What is “home”? A building A financial asset A state of being A concept or set of ideas An emotional experience A claim to personal space A statement of identity A pattern of relationships ASSUMPTIONS

A building

A financial asset

A state of being

A concept or set of ideas

An emotional experience

A claim to personal space

A statement of identity

A pattern of relationships

What is “home” made of? (Not a house…a home!) Dreams and Memories Past experiences, fantasies, desires Bricks and Sticks Construction materials & components Money, Time and Effort Mortgages, rent, home improvements Brain Function Memory, perception, hormones, neurotransmitters

Dreams and Memories

Past experiences, fantasies, desires

Bricks and Sticks

Construction materials & components

Money, Time and Effort

Mortgages, rent, home improvements

Brain Function

Memory, perception, hormones, neurotransmitters

Evidence that “home” exists Language Words, cross-cultural concepts Qualitative Evidence Anecdotal stories, patterns of behavior, social agreements Physiology Animal-built structures, biometrics Patterns of Relationship Genetic, environmental, cultural, political, financial, psychological

Language

Words, cross-cultural concepts

Qualitative Evidence

Anecdotal stories, patterns of behavior, social agreements

Physiology

Animal-built structures, biometrics

Patterns of Relationship

Genetic, environmental, cultural, political, financial, psychological

A Definition of “Home” For humans, “home” is the complex relationship between the physical characteristics of a claimed, intimate space; the experience, nature and behavior of the inhabitants of that space; and the environment in which all occur. Like a forest, a pond, a city or a living body…a “home” is an ecosystem.

Question: What is a “human being”? Animal with unique DNA A unique set of behaviors A unique phenotype An ontological experience A socio-cultural phenomenon A psychological structure A complex adaptive system ASSUMPTIONS

Animal with unique DNA

A unique set of behaviors

A unique phenotype

An ontological experience

A socio-cultural phenomenon

A psychological structure

A complex adaptive system

What is the experience of being “human” made of? Sensory Perceptions Thoughts Emotions & Feelings Physical Sensations ALL are the result of brain functions cued by the environment around us.

Sensory Perceptions

Thoughts

Emotions & Feelings

Physical Sensations

ALL are the result of brain functions cued by the environment around us.

Evidence that the experience of being “human” exists Complex Language We have a broad variety of ways to say we are human. Qualitative Evidence Anecdotal agreement. Again, we are human because we say so! Built Environment Humans are uniquely invasive for a large species. We change the world in big ways. Patterns of Relationship We keep doing the same things over and over and over.

Complex Language

We have a broad variety of ways to say we are human.

Qualitative Evidence

Anecdotal agreement. Again, we are human because we say so!

Built Environment

Humans are uniquely invasive for a large species. We change the world in big ways.

Patterns of Relationship

We keep doing the same things over and over and over.

How do you design a “home” to fit the experience of being human?

Particularly since most homes are shared by more than one person.

… and each of us has a unique “experience of home”!

What is stopping human-centered architectural design? Complexity of problem Limited cross disciplinary study and “real world” applications Timid or limited theories Humans are irrational and lack awareness of what motivates their decisions!

Complexity of problem

Limited cross disciplinary study and “real world” applications

Timid or limited theories

Humans are irrational and lack awareness of what motivates their decisions!

Our Homes Are in Our Heads! (But most of us think our “experience of home” is in a building and approach the problem with “how to” methods.) People make most of their choices about their homes based on emotion and instinct…then rationalize their decisions after the fact.

At Truehome  , we see a “home” as an ecosystem, so we map the behavior and features of the inhabitants’ system.

Truehome  Testing Domains Site Conditions Map what already exists in their heads about the process of creating a home Emotional Response Map affective and aversive emotional responses to images and questions Birth Family Associations Seek associative environmental structures in their attachment psychology Goals and Values Rational goals and values and subconscious behavioral goals and values Relationship Dynamics Map interpersonal, lifestyle & decision dynamics Privacy and Intimacy Map the dynamics of how they regulate their availability and needs for attention Style Associations Trend user responses to images. Random samples of styles, orientation and features. Physical & Financial Record physical objects, dimensions and emotional associations. Work with the dynamics of budget VS desires

Site Conditions

Map what already exists in their heads about the process of creating a home

Emotional Response

Map affective and aversive emotional responses to images and questions

Birth Family Associations

Seek associative environmental structures in their attachment psychology

Goals and Values

Rational goals and values and subconscious behavioral goals and values

Relationship Dynamics

Map interpersonal, lifestyle & decision dynamics

Privacy and Intimacy

Map the dynamics of how they regulate their availability and needs for attention

Style Associations

Trend user responses to images. Random samples of styles, orientation and features.

Physical & Financial

Record physical objects, dimensions and emotional associations. Work with the dynamics of budget VS desires

Other techniques used to translate data into design criteria: Mental health professional and consumer join the design team Work in an idealized metaphoric context Observe body language, vocal tone, facial expressions. Visit existing homes Seek stories of past homes - regression Give priority to strong aversive and affective responses to features in images Investigate birth family dynamics and space memory associations in memory Employ techniques for prioritization

Mental health professional and consumer join the design team

Work in an idealized metaphoric context

Observe body language, vocal tone, facial expressions. Visit existing homes

Seek stories of past homes - regression

Give priority to strong aversive and affective responses to features in images

Investigate birth family dynamics and space memory associations in memory

Employ techniques for prioritization

Evidence that it works as a systematic process Over a decade of successful use in the field Substantial increase in customer satisfaction Significant increase in client retention Roughly 30% reduction in production costs Endorsed by a variety of academic experts All clients report long-term satisfaction in terms of the objective – fitting personal environments

Over a decade of successful use in the field

Substantial increase in customer satisfaction

Significant increase in client retention

Roughly 30% reduction in production costs

Endorsed by a variety of academic experts

All clients report long-term satisfaction in terms of the objective – fitting personal environments

… and a reasonable amount of media attention.

Automating Truehome  on the Internet to facilitate delivery Truehome’s environment/behavior authoring, analysis and delivery software is functional – Exercises can be authored by non-programmers. Now engaged in user experience and product user interface review – Pre-market Patent filed 2006 Current Challenges: User experience, project specific products, capital, new paradigm for design

Truehome’s environment/behavior authoring, analysis and delivery software is functional – Exercises can be authored by non-programmers.

Now engaged in user experience and product user interface review – Pre-market

Patent filed 2006

Current Challenges: User experience, project specific products, capital, new paradigm for design

Truehome  Projects Project: Johnston Major psychological influences: Need to control social environment, self expression Major style influences: Desire to be site appropriate; California childhood (arts & crafts) Time spent in rural Italy (lifestyle and dining)

Project: Ferester Major psychological influences: , empty nest, fun and family, high level of socialization Major style influences: Rural setting; innovation, antique materials, complex finishes

Project: Raymond Major psychological influences: Final home, expression of territory, father’s lighthouse studio Major style influences: Old world architecture; Need for style that allowed tower (lighthouse).

Project: Serenity Retreat Center Major psychological influences: Religious scripture, sacred psychological healing. Major style influences: Monasteries, Nature, Biblically referenced materials, symbolic details

Christopher K. Travis Sentient Architecture, LLC Nidiant Corporation – Truehome.net E-mail – [email_address] or [email_address] Blog – http://architecture-of-life.blogspot.com Phone - 979.249.5961