Habitus Magazine | Issue 32

We know about the stress-relieving benefits of getting out of town, taking the watch off and putting the laptop away but, in fact, relaxed cognition is also a key component of problem solving. An experiment by psychologist Lile Jia at Indiana University demonstrated that you don’t even need to actually travel to inspire creativity – when we just imagine a place far away, it increases our ability to think laterally. So distance, even when it’s only perceived, liberates us. This is great news, no?

Which is why, when we invite the feeling of Escape into our homes through design, we can positively influence our lives.

The Regional focus of Habitus means we are always exploring, but the beauty of this approach is clearer than ever this issue. Take for example Doshi Levien (page 40), who drop a delightful dash of Indian culture into their distinctly global home in London’s Barbican Estate. Or fashion designers Song for the Mute (page 53), who return time after time to Japan, mesmerised by the dedication to quality they see across the islands, from textile weavers to sushi chefs.

Architecture also helps us to explore. An intriguing cultural dialogue takes place when ideas are transported across seas – like in the house on page 114, designed by Andres Casillas de Alba, one of Luis Barragan’s contemporaries. He translates the late Mexican architect’s majestic concrete forms quite seamlessly to the suburbs of Melbourne. Similarly, the Bondi barn (page 142) by Clayton Orszaczky expresses the essence of simple dwellings everywhere – from isolated structures on Greenland’s icecaps, to sheds on farms across the world.

The integration of foreign ideas into a local context is the really interesting part of exploring. It’s like when we integrate travel experiences into our individual identities. We become more creative, more open-minded, more aware of plurality – and conversely, of sameness. And that’s a wonderful place to be.

Nicky Lobo | Editor