We use our senses daily to hear, see, smell, touch and feel. Therefore it is important that v could stay in a building which can stimulate all of our senses. According to the passage, the natural material such as stone, brick and wood will stimulate our senses. However, buildings nowadays use man-made materials which are considered as ‘soulless’.
For the sense of hearing, I have a good experience when I stay in my old house. Because I stay in a old house, so the roof system is a bit distorted. Hence, during rainy day, the rain water will be leaking into my house through the roof. Then I will always bring a pail to fill the rain water. The sound of rain drop hits the pail will create a clear sound. This sound is nice to be heard. Beside, that rain water which hits my roof also creates some kind of sound. This sound let me feel comfortable and harmony. So, I could actually fall into sleep when listening this sound. I think that sound made by water bring harmony feeling to people.
For the sense of see, we must have pleasing sight when we stay in the building. From my opinion, I think that natural will actually please our sight. For example, if we should relate our building to the natural surroundings. Outside our building, we must have vegetation because our eye is comfortable with the green element. Furthermore, the sunlight may give a aesthetic effect to us. Therefore, opening is important in a building. This is because there is the element which brings the natural light from outside to our interior space of the building. From my experience, there is a skylight in my dining room. And I like to do my studies on the table which is just right under the skylight. This is because it gives sufficient of light for me to study.
For the sense of smell, we can actually smell the air. There is some plants in my rooms. Every morning when I wake up, I enjoy those smelling. Although it is not obvious smelling, but you feel that the air is very fresh and can refresh your mind. But this feeling of smelling is lost when I shift to my KL house. May be there is no plant around my room, I feel that the smell is so dull and dense. Every time I will feel like I very hard to wake up and get not enough sleep even I slept for 8 hours.
For the sense of touch, the texture of material will gives us the feeling. For example, there is a material that looks like it is rough by its pattern and colors, although it is not really rough. This kind of material does not really give us that kind of feeling strongly. But, if the material can give us the rough surface and we can really touch it with our hand and feel the texture, we sure will have a different feeling from the material that just look rough.
For the sense of feel, it is really important. I will always feel comfortable when I can feel the air flow in a building. Since I was young, I stay in a house which is without aircond. Although there is no aircond in my room, but I will always feel cold when I open the windows. I enjoy the ventilation flow around my room. I will feel like the whole building is actually living and it is not dead. I have the feel of live with the natural. However, nowadays building will have air cond. Although it will cool the building but it make like the air within the room is stuck and not flowing. This will give a feel of bored and dull. People will feel sleepy easily.
