ABSTRACT
Place-mood can be powerfully soul-nourishing or soul-destroying. Although this is largely multi-sensory, embodied spirit also affects us. Subliminally, the values imprinted into things and places through why and how they were made can have an overwhelming impact. Similarly, as the making process manifests attitude, it imbues soul. Additionally, beauty can raise our spirits to another plane of being. Human-made beauty, however, is distinct from natural beauty. It embodies dedicated intention, hence embodied spirit, whereas natural beauty is a creation-given legacy. Natural-source materials connect us to life through their archetypal echoes: the less processed, the stronger this connection. Both forms of beauty are invaluable spirit nutrients. It’s only human spirit that can energize us to overcome barriers to action. Without soul-spirit nourishment, life isn’t worth living. Indeed, spirit-crushing soulless places aren’t worth living in. Buildings with designs that disregard these non-material attributes are prone to early demolition, reversing any original economies.
