Posts in Architecture & Psychology
Contemplations of the Built World: Our Architectural Philosophy

Principal and Architect of ROST Architects, Mitchell Rocheleau, discusses how ROST Architects' design philosophy incorporates the existing landscape and environment of a property into its residential designs, allowing nature to lead the way and providing inhabitants the experience of a reconnection and grounding with the nature that surrounds them.

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Values of the City

Understanding a culture’s collective psychology/values and deciphering how those ideas manifest in their built environment can help inform how we build cities for the future. Despite the importance of such studies, it is rare to stumble upon someone who writes about the intersection of psychology and the built environment, especially one who expresses ideas clearly and accessibly.

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History, Design and Philosophy Behind Central Park in New York City

Why is Central Park important for our generation to understand? Why would a park constructed in the late 1800’s be significant to our contemporary society? Central Park depicted a moment in our civilization when humans experienced a shift and moment of self-awareness regarding our nature as humans and the environment we were creating. In the late 1800s, New Yorkers stopped and questioned the growing and developing city around them.

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How The Advent of Capitalism Affected the Form of the City

A slow yet palatable transition within the city started around the sixteenth century. The forces of religion that had driven the city started to contend with a new stimulus based on money and profits. The mercantilist and capitalistic philosophies began manifesting in the city's physical form. The town was still firmly rooted in its medieval customs and structures; however, it was clear that things were changing throughout the Western world.

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Why Cities Attract People

There are many reasons why a city becomes a point of destination. People are attracted to certain cities and travel from all over the world to see them. However, many people have trouble articulating why they enjoy them. They know something about it makes them feel comfortable, but they can't put their finger on it.

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Architecture, Psychology, and Reintegration of Nature into our Environments

At first glance, architecture and psychology may seem to be disparate fields with little in common. Over time, however, I have uncovered ideas that have informed how I think about the built environment and influenced my architectural practice. Most notably, Carl Jung’s conception of the primitive unconscious and the natural world has profoundly impacted my design approach and philosophy.

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