Designing in an Environmental Field: Essays, Metaphors, Kasinas

by Jerome Diethelm


T a b l e of C o n t e n t s


Chapter


Page


Overture/Overview
7
A Good Theory of Environmental Design
15
Theory/Place
Theory/Place
18
The General/Corporal
20
Meaning Lies Beneath The Heart-Stalk Hills
23
Weather/Whether
26
Inertia In An Environmental Field
28
We Are Propositioned By A Moth
30
An Environmental Field Manifesto
31
The Corporal Rides A Bike For The Sake Of Information
32
A Closer Look At The Flora
34
My Name Is .../Forming out of...
37
The Moth & The Moon
40
Attending to... The New Moon
41
Intending toward... The First Quarter
43
Forming out of... The Full Moon
46
Meaning In The Fourth Quarter
48
Valuing Priorities In An Environmental Field?
52
The Designer’s Model Of Environmental Valuing
54
Interpretations & Questions
Field Notes/Interpretations
58
We Take Off Our Hats
62
Answers From The Hill
64
Q. Why four master measures when the masters needed only three?
64
Q. Would you call this an interest theory?
65
Q. Is this intended as a criticism of deconstruction?
65
Q. Can ecology be content in design?
65
Q. Doesn’t valuing as an evolutionary concept run counter to its human-centered philosophical meaning?
66
Q. How do you counter the widely held belief that planningand design are separate realms?
66
Q. Why present this theory in story, dialogue and image form rather than systematic conceptual discourse?
67
Q. How can the theory help order the great diversity of theoretical positions in design?
68
Q. How does your conception of a “perception of difference”compare to the positions others hold about environmentalproblems?
68
Q. Are you inferring that environmental problems don’t exist unless some human is aware of them?
69
Q. What do you mean by kasinas?
70
Q. Could you explain what you mean by metaphoric junctions?
70
Q. What is meant by “concept” in design?
70
Q. Tell me again about discursive and non-discursive thinking. How does that relate to meaning in experience?
72
Q. Can you give me a short definition of environmental valuing?
74
Kasinas/Meditations
Kasinas/Meditations
75
Why is Design Like the Letter V?
76
The Dilemma of the Trains
78
Liet’s Poem
80
The Soul of Form
81
Bears, Pelicans and Pigs
83
Language 'R' Toys
83
“Radio Days”
91
Essay On Value and Valuing
96
What Are Environmental Problems?
101
Design and Designing
106
Frog by Zinaida Nikolayevna Hippius
109
Bibliography
110
Index
112
About the Author
117
ILLUSTRATIONS
1.
Overview
13
2.
A Metaphysical Map
19
3.
The General/Corporal
20
4.
Shadows of the Hearts • Ann Christensen
20
5.
Field Nomenclature
21
6.
Chart of Mattering Relations
23
7.
Hand of Meaning
23
8.
Valuing/Meaning Motif
24
9.
An Environmental Field • David Diethelm
25
10.
Field Equations
28
11.
Corporal Information
33
12.
Vannus valereus
34
13.
Auroras of Interest and Concern • David Diethelm
36
14.
.../Forming out of...
37
15.
The Moth & The Moon Cycle
40
16.
The Phases of the Moon Are Out of Phase
50
17.
The Designer’s Model Of Environmental Valuing
54
18.
“Jack of Hearts”
55
19.
Fan of Values - Fan of Intentions
56
20.
A Goal Array
57
21.
The Designer’s Card(s)
57
22.
Phase-dependent Signification of Intention, Form & Meaning - Chart
60
23.
Second Hand of Meaning
62
24.
Polyvalent - Multiwoven Meaning - Chart
63
25.
Problem Signatures in an Environmental Field - Diagram
66
26.
Louis' Ladder
75
27.
V Diagram
76
28.
V’s a V’s
76
29.
The Dilemma of the Trains
78
30.
Four Relational Layers
81
31.
The Corner
84
32.
Metaphoric Junction
85
33.
Triple Junction
86
34.
The Metaphoric Wall
87
35.
Old/Young Woman
89
36.
Nested Information Systems in Environmental Design
92
37.
Coin of Rectification
95
38.
Kinds of Problems
102
39.
Design Problem (after Kevin Lynch)
103
40.
Ra!
107