Architecture – A Merging of Male and Female Energies – Not!
Copyright © 2021 Rex Beasley
Male and female energies are often at war or generously stated in a tug of war. Architects tend toward the stereotypical “male role” – strong, singular, protruding into the air and puffing out the chest structures; ignore the client’s wishes. Interior designers (male of female) typically bring what are characteristically female influences of nurturing, blending and collaboration to support client goals. It has been said that if architects were all woman, we might not have buildings over 5 stories high. Male energy wants to be seen (i.e. tall), block the view, heap on wasteful energy designs. Female energy considers the broader context, how is the community affected, what is the life cycle, what does your soul feel in the space . . . and again, if women were all architects bike paths would abound, no global warming . . . sad.)
As happens so often in the battle of the sexes, the less aggressive voice, female influences are shouted down, pushed out of the design. (Interior designers under the hierarchy of architects often confidence of the trouncing of ideas by bullying male aggression.)
As we evolve as a society, more woman CEOs, LBGT socially integrated, architecture will improve, less narrowed by loud dominate male voice. Male and female influences – someday down the road – will find the grace to blend and balance. At this point in history, the lack of confluence of male and female energy causes vast deficiencies in architecture. Architecture on the timeline of the automobile is a 1959 Chevy Impala. General Motors that had the early opening to lead the world in electric cars and truly change the world in the 1990s. With the IQ of a hammer, General Motors killed the electric car . . . with a male CEO. General Motors with a female CEO in 2021 (25 years later) has rocked the automobile world saying it will be all electric by 2035. Come-on guys, get out of the way.
Architects brazenly position large glass windows toward the afternoon sun with no way to “turn it off” (despite there being many graceful solutions to do so), the home baking, the AC running madly to fend off the sun’s power. Many continue to believe 4000-10,000 square foot homes are still the goal for the 1%. It is not realized by humans that a 1500 square foot homes (see Harmony Sails) can actually provide more quality of life and luxury; i.e. luxury is not square feet. As an environmental designer, the products I create for architects and interior designers largely have one thing in common. They move. Much of the “old world hardline of architects” – the lack of confluence of energies – dissolves when architecture is flexible and malleable, soft walls; i.e. it can move and change shape.
“Transforming Architecture”, is balanced, and blends male and female visions as demonstrated in these electronic pages.
With movement, architecture broadens into a rainbow of options; the boundaries become soft. Architecture turns inside-out; interiors become the exterior, the exterior an interior. The sun’s power can be turned off and on. Every room in the home can have the main view, the fireplace, the large home theater. Architecture suddenly is more multifaceted, multifunctional, adapting to the climate, continually changing in ambience. See Transforming Architecture.