book : two pt.I
book of perfect dreams [ the speech of the id ]
The end of (some) day is marked with a (perfect) dream Whether remembered or forgotten, the (perfect) dream is a recollection of (perfect) fragments of both conscious and subconscious impressions in a day (or two), handsomely stitched into the dreamer’s own (perfect) psychical act. Could every fragment of impressions in each turn of the clock hand be manipulated to ensure a perfect night’s sleep? Could architecture fulfil the wishes and desires only apparent in one’s unconscious, to create a reality just like a perfect night’s sleep?
The (perfect) dream is the (ideal) guardian of sleep, not its disturber
definition Id: unconscious and impulsive part of the psyche that seeks to satisfy our primitive drives and emotions Ego : reality conscious aspect of the mind that balances the id’s animalistic tendencies and the morality of the superego Superego : internalized social norms that keep us on a straight and narrow path Dreams : product of the id’s expression of internal conflict, when repressed emotions and memories are brought to awareness in rather distorted forms. The impulses and desires of the dreams are normally suppressed by the superego when the individuals awaken, causing people to forget a substantial amount of their nightly dreams.
four definitions of a perfect dream categorized and summarized from a basis of existing perfect dreams
I could fly, which is pretty standard as dreams go, but I was also lucid. So I actually could fly at will, and I remember exactly how it felt. | It was surreal and the only way to describe it was to say I was actually part of a wave crashing into the ocean. It was like I was connected to everything, have never felt such bliss before. When I woke up I was convinced that was my last day alive, like it was a last gift from god, and I spent the day putting some affairs in order. The whole day I was so peaceful. | Twice I have dreamed of being in space, next to an endless stream of crystal spheres, undulating to and from who knows where. Their uncountable gentle collisions sang out a carillon which resonated to the depths of my being, and they held the light like nothing I have ever seen. | The best dream I ever had was I was in heaven with fairies and angels. | The one where someone bought me a magic carpet for my birthday. I even pinched myself to check if I were dreaming and it actually hurt. Was REALLY disappointed when I woke up. | I was flying, I felt like I was in power, like I was above all the madness of the world. | when I was really young though I would dream of
I. Dream Spent in the Surreal The typical, yet electrifying dream of the empowering buoyant self, disregarding the laws of nature. Dreamer remains afloat, often lucid, above a familiar scene. The ordinary turns into an inferior, as the dreamer voyeuristically observes from an elevated field.
When I was younger, around 8 or 9, I lost my copy of Pokemon Silver and it basically destroyed me. Then, about 1 year later, I had a dream that I found it out in the garage in a completely random spot. I woke up and sprinted out to the garage at like 3 in the morning and looked in the spot that my dream said it was and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Right there before me was my Silver game. I sat on the floor of the dusty garage and played til breakfast. I was the happiest kid ever that day. | I was sitting at a desk in my own office and noticed I had a name plate on the desk. It said Head Executive with my name on it. It was so disappointing to wake up and realise it was just a dream. | Reminds me of a dream I had as a kid where I was in my basement assembling some crazy awesome Lego sets. I ran down to my basement first thing in the morning, but there were no Lego sets. | In the dream I had woken up and opened the wardrobe to change, then saw it led into a whole new space like Narnia. It was filled with clothes to last a life time, glistening with gold and jewellery. It was awesome. | When I was a kid I really wanted a dog. In my dream I owned a dalma-
II. Dream Spent with Desired Objects The dream of greed and gluttony, sins are not perceivable in the realm of the id. With the clasp of the dreamer’s hand, all desired objects become belongings- as if it had been a belonging all along.
It was just a short car ride with my dad that has been dead for 11 years in his old Volkswagen rabbit. All he did was talk about the Scorpions, but it was something I needed since I forgot the sound of his voice for so many years. It seemed so vivid so it was like spending a little bit of time with the person I wanted to see the most in the world. | I remember one dream specifically where we went duck hunting. It was just me and him, creeping around a swamp on a crisp fall morning. I don’t remember if we shot anything, but when we got back to the road, we just stood there, talking. By that time I had remembered that this must be a dream; my father had died. But I kept talking to him. Before he left, he gave me one final hug. It was the same hug he had always given me, this heavyset 6’2” man, and I could smell him again, his deodorant. | We stood there hugging for a while, and I cried. I knew that I could only ever see him in my dreams. He cried, too. Remembering it was a dream, I closed my eyes tight, held them shut, and when I opened them I was awake. | My old pet sheltie (honey) came alive again and I remembered all the good times we had until she was euthanized
III. Dream Spent with a Missed Being The dream in crave of comfort and reassurance. Dreamer is cleansed by the scent, texture, sound and warmth of the nostalgic one. Alone with the pure existence of one another in a warped, yet acquainted scenes of reminiscence.
I can’t ever remember them well, but the best dreams I have are sexual with a girl I can’t have typically. Not right-on sex, but sort of vague dancing around it. All the following day I’m kind of happy but also kind of mad that it won’t really happen. | Eddie Murphy was my Quidditch coach. | Aaron Sorkin (screenwriter) a person I admire and look up to, sat me down and asked me what i was doing with my life. I told him. | I live in Florida, and all the mansions are on the intercoastal waterway or the beach. In my dream I went to a mansion on the intercoastal. I went up to the door and a maid answered. She let me inside. I looked at books on the shelf in the library for a little bit, glancing around the amazing house. Then he came down the stairs... He was so happy to see me. He was in a towel and invited me upstairs. I was with Javier Bardem. | Last night, I dreamed of my ex-crush. I was with her in a room with a bed, a table and a TV. I was eating ice cream, and I asked her “How is your relationship going ?” since she had a boyfriend. She took a piece of paper and a marker, drew an X, showed it to me, then ripped up the paper. Then I woke up
IV. Dream Spent with Admired Beings The dream of secrecy and intimacy. Dreamer is encapsulated in a mist of sensual air with those they admire. The two (or more) are walled in by the soothing yet captivating tones of the flesh.
At every awakening of the perfect dream, disappointment of reality leads the dreamer into a momentary limbo. How can the point of awakening (hence the act of exiting the architecture of the ‘ideal dream’) be controlled to avoid such ‘limbo’?
b o o k : t w o p t . II
book of the awake [ the speech of the ego + superego ]
When confronted with conflict, anxiety or chances of guilt, the ego in reality employs the defense mechanism to guard the conscious mind from socially undesirable or painful thoughts. Repression Denial Projection Displacement Regression Sublimation The defense mechanism can not only generate balance within the headspace, but be a tool to assess the balancing of nonconformity present in other forms.
Repression Unconscious mechanism employed by the ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious. It is not effective in the long term. The number of ‘walking’ users in the mall (walking across / visiting the restrooms) distracts awareness of the relatively empty stores.
Denial Denial involves blocking external event from awareness. If some situation is just too much to handle, the person just refuses to experience it. Very primitive and dangerous form of defense. The mall does not exist as part of the face of the harbour, + the square is merely a name, never intended as a definition.
Projection This involves individuals attributing their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and motives to another person. Other areas of town is likewise inefficient and tasteless + the traffic around the block is the key reason for its lack of vitality.
Displacement Satisfying an impulse (aggression) with a substitute object. The marketed consuming can be done on Takutai Square
Regression Movement back in psychological time when one is faced with stress. Wynyard Quarter PlaySpace Heart of New Zealand trade since 1840
Sublimation Satisfying an impulse with a substitute object. In a socially acceptable way. “Making way� for the City Rail Link (rather than stating they are demolishing an entire block)
The id is an instinctive element, the independent variable in the formula of one’s dream. On the other hand, the societal norm (superego) of an individual morphs into the norm of its immersed context. It is a dependent variable. Architecture, hence, has the ability to manipulate a norm for its user.
In order to perform the perceived reality like a perfect night’s sleep, how should the architecture be written? architecture (superego) x user (id) = perceived reality Could it eliminate all forms of dissimilarity from the id altogether?