Wabi-Sabi: A must-buy book

I highly recommend Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, by Leonard Koren. His book resonated with me so much that it opened some doors of perception, like any significant art, literature, or performance can. Reading Wabi-Sabi will probably cultivate a fresh inquiry into the world of objects that surround us.

In the introduction, Koren provides insight into his thinking in this passage: “Wabi-Sabi resolved my artistic dilemma about how to create beautiful things without getting caught up in the dispiriting materialism that usually surrounds such creative acts. Wabi-Sabi—deep, multi-dimensional, elusive—appeared the perfect antidote to the pervasively slick, saccharine, corporate style of beauty that I felt was desensitizing American society. I have since come to believe that Wabi-Sabi is related to many of the more emphatic anti-aesthetics that invariably spring from the young, modern, creative soul: punk, grunge, or whatever it is called next.”

Beyond the abstract

It is easy to think of the concept of Wabi-Sabi as being philosophical and intellectual. In search of some tangible takeaways, it is worth bringing attention to chapter three. In this chapter, Koren compares the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic to the modernist aesthetic, including an excellent comparative list. Although he finds some common threads, these aesthetics are mainly presented as opposites.

Juxtaposed and woven together with skill, these opposite aesthetics can work to enhance each other in compelling and unexpected ways, creating a hybrid vernacular. I have been fortunate enough to work on projects that bring these two aesthetics together.

Juxtaposing design elements

One of my projects, a building featuring many modern elements, including corner windows, invisible gutters, and an overall box-like shape, was significantly enhanced on the outside by using materials that visibly age with time. We used COR-TEN, sheet steel, which is engineered to quickly produce a protective rust layer, as part of the siding, and unprotected Alaskan Yellow Cedar, which will turn silver grey, for the rest of the siding. Within months of sun and rain, the siding began taking on a life of its own. On the inside floors, we used character-grade reclaimed white oak, and we used the same oak for the plank doors. The reclaimed oak, juxtaposed with the smooth walls, minimalist aluminum windows, and contemporary bathroom fixtures, creates a comfortable, relaxed environment where refined and unrefined elements meet in a seamless balance.

New book on wabi-sabi

In a short conversation with Leonard Koren, we discussed his new book, Wabi-Sabi: further thoughts. In it, he addresses the broader question generated by himself and others: how is Wabi-Sabi best used in the world? Initially, he considered Wabi-Sabi to be a theoretical concept. The new book provides conceptual tools and some insight into how to live with our homes and objects in a way that enriches our understanding and relationship with them.

The Ferrari in the castle

My first-hand experience of this powerful juxtaposition came from observing Italians, who have a remarkable knack for making the very old and the brand new feel seamlessly natural together. I witnessed this in a 14th-century castle, where a gleaming marble floor met an ancient stone wall, an antique carved chest of drawers stood out against freshly polished plaster walls, and, most strikingly, a brand-new Ferrari sat on a worn, cobbled entry floor. The Ferrari in the castle is a perfect illustration of how such contrasts can create profound beauty and intrigue.

Invoking timelessness

It often happens: people return from their trips to Europe or Asia, wanting to bring “history” back with them and incorporate what they have enjoyed into their home. They hope to recreate a timeless design, one in which the old and the new comfortably coexist. To do so requires an understanding that these older buildings have undergone a construction process of changes and layers over generations; each layer contributing to a complex and nuanced experience.

Purposefully reconstructing the nuance of the passage of time requires focused attention to detail. The design process begins with a narrative that evokes time and place, along with the regional and local architectural elements that must be incorporated into the chosen vernacular. Later, when looking for the architectural components and materials, it will be helpful to have Wabi-Sabi in mind: the old rain-ravaged stone lintel, the crooked oak beam, the weathered siding, the rusty hardware, the rusty gate, the hand-hewn table top, the handmade bricks, the aging painted door, the repaired vase, the recycled wood floor. All these elements contribute to the ongoing narrative and ultimately lead to the outcome.