The space makes people

      Jooyun Kim's 
Spacebranding vol.29

"More than 90% of modern life takes place indoors. It is 'space' that directly affects life."

<Education and space>
In 1996, the BBC aired the documentary <The Language Master>, which dealt with a special French class for British university students.1) It was a five-day class conducted by American Michel Thomas for students at City and Islington College in London. He is a linguist fluent in 11 languages. He is famous for his own learning methodology on how humans learn languages.

<The Language Master>

In this documentary, he verified his claim with students that language can be taught to anyone in a week without reading, writing, or homework. He is an allied spy and interrogator who survived in a German concentration camp and caught more than 2,000 Nazi war criminals after the war. Through his unique history, he knew empirically that uncertainty, a state of mind caused by ambiguity, amplifies emotions.

When uncertainty is in your mind, anxiety becomes more painful and joy feels better. “The most important thing is to get rid of all the tension and anxiety associated with learning,” he says in the documentary. Interestingly, he pays special attention to the learning atmosphere and the atmosphere of the space to the extent that it can be said to be extreme.2) Thomas says that the 'most heterogeneous thing' a person can learn is learning a new language.

To resist the intrusion of the foreign element of learning a new language, students instinctively hit psychological barricades. Therefore, he says, the most important task for a language teacher is to help break down this barrier first. The most important thing he judges is the 'atmosphere of the space'. An atmosphere in which students can feel calm and curious is absolutely necessary.

<Linguist's mood design>
The first scene in the BBC documentary is the scene where he enters the classroom at City and Islington College, where he will be teaching for five days. He sighs heavily and says: “It’s surprising that a classroom with rows of desks, the always uncomfortable and stressful classroom environment I experienced as a child, and the current classroom environment are not at all different.”

 BBC The Language Master, from https://youtu.be/O0w_uYPAQic

And as soon as all the college students who participated in this special language class came into the classroom and sat down, he said this. "I'm so happy to meet you all. But we need a better environment. The classroom where you are sitting now looks a little uncomfortable. We will relocate all the classroom furniture so that you can sit comfortably."

Thomas put the furniture and furnishings in a truck outside the building in advance for the atmosphere of the learning space he wanted. Armchairs, cushions, tables, flower pots, rugs, fans, and even folding screens, the students completely transformed the classroom atmosphere with little effort.

 BBC The Language Master, from https://youtu.be/O0w_uYPAQic

High-quality armchairs with high backrests were placed in an oval shape, blue curtains were closed, and lights were lowered, and around the armchairs were turned into a comfortable and cozy atmosphere that was much different from the classroom's fixed image.3)

<The space makes people>
Thomas' original French class lasted for five days, and after the class, students evaluated themselves that the five-day class seemed to have learned French for about five years. The achievement may be entirely due to Thomas' special language learning method. However, the fact that he started learning after changing the general classroom to an atmosphere where he could feel curious with a calm mind suggests very important implications for school education.

Does our school space really support learning? Could it be that you are interfering with your learning? Winston Churchill is famous for saying, "People make space, space makes people." He ordered a small conference hall to be made in its original shape and size when restoring the British Parliament building that collapsed in the war. The reason was to get close and have a sparkly discussion among the lawmakers. “People make space, and space makes people,” he said.

England House of Parliament from https://allworldreport.com/world-news/who-will-be-the-next-speaker-after-john-bercow-stands-down/

More than 90% of modern people's lives take place in indoor spaces. It is 'space' that directly affects human life. Austrian painter, architect, and environmentalist Hundertwasser, who had noticed the influence of space early on, even said that ‘the house is the third skin’.4) Space has a great influence on us mentally, psychologically, and physically. Therefore, the psychology and behavior of people should be carefully considered according to the purpose of the use of space.

HundertwasserHaus ©Jooyun Kim

The spatial environment suitable for users will be different depending on the tendency of the country or people, but the important thing is that space should be an atmosphere suitable for the instincts and psychology of the people who use it depending on its purpose. The space around us affects our activities. In other words, all the elements that make up the space together create tension and excitement of the body, or relaxation and tranquility.5) This is why space branding related to brand impression is important.






<5 Summaries>

"More than 90% of modern people's lives take place indoors. It is 'space' that directly affects life."

"The space makes people."

"House is your third skin."

"A space must be carefully considered in terms of the purpose of its use, the psychology and behavior of people."

"The classroom space needs an atmosphere where students can calmly feel curious."


1) BBC 'The Language Master', from https://youtu.be/O0w_uYPAQic
2) Jamie Holmes, Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing, Crown, 2016, pp. 19.
3) Jamie Holmes, Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing, Crown, 2016, pp. 10.
4) Barbara Perfahl, Ein Zuhause für die Seele(A Home for the Soul), Kreuz Verlag, 2015, pp. 12.
5) Barbara Perfahl, Ein Zuhause für die Seele(A Home for the Soul), Kreuz Verlag, 2015, pp. 184.





 

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