THE ENVIRONMENT
STEP 1. The experience of the environment
The place I’ve chosen is the second floor of Starbucks, where I spend most of my time.
This Starbucks is located in the center of Valencia.
Passeig de Russafa, 1, 46004 Valencia, Valencia
The second floor is quite spacious. At first glance, it may seem that it is a bit dark here, but in fact, the space is filled with light. The windows offer a magnificent view of the main square of Valencia. There are usually few people here and therefore it is quiet, which is unusual for Spain.
Why did you choose this place?
I fell in love with this place at first sight! This is probably the only place in Valencia where I feel at home because of a similar atmosphere. In Belarus, my home country, people are constantly working to achieve a lot in life. And here, too, even on the earliest Sunday morning, you can find people working on their laptops.
What makes you comfortable?
I feel safe here. As an introvert, it is very difficult for me to find a place where I would feel protected from other people. I guess it’s because of the dark design. The twilight calms me down. I can also sit by the window, enjoy the architecture of the city, watch people who are going somewhere, dream about something, and be sure that they do not see me.
There is some disruptive element?
No. At the moment I could not find anything to disturb me in this place.
Do you think you’d feel the same way in another space right now?
I’m sure not! This is a special atmosphere! Nowhere else will I feel the same as here, even in Belarus!
Do you think that the conditions of this space influence its occupants? How?
I guess it really does. Every time I come here, first of all, I want to be quiet so as not to disturb anyone, and I also want to sit down at my laptop and start doing things. The atmosphere makes me work! I’m definitely getting motivated!
Would you change anything?
Not at the moment! I do not see anything that I would like to change immediately.
Step2. Reading and understanding the text and writing reflections on it
Reading Peter Zumthor’s text “Atmosphere”, I was smiling almost all the time. Some thoughts:
Material consonance: I believe a good architect needs to know how to combine two different materials in a structure to create something that is pleasing to the eye. I’ve seen a lot of buildings where there is no flow because the materials are almost in conflict with each other.
Between calmness and seduction, it is interesting to think about how we can build places where people can go and find places in peace and freedom.
The tension between interior and exterior: I agree that buildings can speak of themselves and as architects we can give them a voice and choose what they say.
The degree of confidentiality: you can have a large door or a small door. A person who enters a large one may feel that the door is frightening, and the one who enters a small one does not think about it.