Reading the room
It’s been difficult to sit down and have moments peaceful moments to write. I feel my mind is too packed, the pressure is too high, for it to be producing something insightful, new or helpful. My mind is like a pressured jar that you can’t open without help.
Right now, my mind is occupied with thoughts about how to deal with the final touches of electrical works, lighting, plumbing — how to deal with a new reality to shift from construction to operations that is much more visible for failures, but also successes.
I’ve been thinking how to do something that’s quintessentially ours but recognisable to others so they can relate and agree to be our guests in the house.
I believe that when we enter a place we can sense intent. Sometimes the place will radiate the intent better than others. But many times as visitors or guest we also choose to project ourselves into the place, not trying to understand why a space has a certain atmosphere. Sometimes we choose not to value the intent or the integrity of the place. We decline to acknowledge the intent of the design perhaps because we meet obstacles in the narrative of the space. Something’s off, I don’t like this place. I think it boils down to the authenticity of a place. I think it’s important to provide a script to guests so they can read the room, and leave enough space for people to project their thoughts, dreams and hopes into the spaces we create.
I’d love to sit in that little nook under the pitched roof to read a book.
I was listening about the recent drama of record label/entertainment companies in Korea and one analyst mentioned that Korean entertainment companies are more vertically integrated than Western ones — a one stop shop for the ‘fan experience’.
Hansaram has always in my mind been a company that wants to explore the more traditional Korean family companies/conglomerates but in a way that can redefine family and perhaps not negatively amass political clout for intergenerational power. Anyway, I do lean towards running an operation that has more control over the overall experience for our guests — but this is probably the hardest business model to achieve as a small operator. There are so many dependencies.
But perhaps there’s space to be flexible around ‘control’ and replace it with intent. Perfectionism wont’ work for me I think but radical authenticity and carefully communicating intent might work — making intent visible, being vulnerable.
Keeping a space clean and tidy also goes a long way.
Thanks for reading and subscribing!
Hugs,
Hans