Sense of Place By Kelsey Humphrey, RA, LEED GA & Kelli Straub, RID, NCIDQ, LEED GA Sense of place refers It’s more than just beauty or cultural and historic significance that builds a sense of place – our own interpretations, familiarity, and immersion imprints to our profound a place upon us. Sense of place is driven by one’s individual experience attachment and reaction and so of course varies wildly from person to person. While some people feel that dense, busy, urban environments quash any feeling of community or to the world around warmth, others revel in the cultural diversity, the activity, the walkability. How us, often experienced we respond to a place is subjective, undeniably personal. And that’s what through a blend of makes exploring, identifying, and experiencing place so delightful. both architecture A Place of Your Own and environment — historic Washington As a national design firm with primary offices in Austin and Nashville, STG Design recognizes the importance and impact of sense of place on staff, DC, charming San culture, and environments, and how that sense of place translates into Francisco, ambitious design. Both cities have their rallying cries and traditions. Nashville proudly embraces its moniker “Music City” and home of the irreplaceable Grand Chicago; each is Ole Opry, while the Lone Star State’s capital proclaims, “Keep Austin experienced through Weird”. senses, intellect, and Austinites throw festivals to celebrate everything ranging from hot sauce emotion. to oysters to bats, and try to preserve local establishments like the Broken Spoke Honky Tonk and the Muny golf course. As STG Associate and life- long Austinite Kelsey Humphrey says, “At the heart of this movement for the preservation of ‘weirdness’ is a fight to keep a meaningful sense of place for the city of Austin.” There is value in a place emitting a sense of with its well-known southern hospitality and hidden belonging and connection – a place uniquely gems of Mid-Century Modern homes. And the Frist and inextricably rooted in its local context and Art Museum – Nashville’s beloved Art Deco former environment. Joshua Long wrote in Weird City: Sense post office, listed on the National Register of Historic of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, Texas, Places – is one of her favorite buildings “meriting a “Stemming largely from the discipline of geography, visit,” she adds. sense of place can be broadly defined as the meanings, attitudes, and perceptions that people No matter where STG’s projects are located, ascribe to a place, usually conveyed in a way that the firm’s architectural and interior designers portrays that place as a unique object of human acknowledge they feel a powerful obligation to belonging or attachment.” create environments that reinforce a “sense of place.” But how is that done? How are client spaces Nashville, too, has its own irrepressible sense of created, where end users have an inherent sense of place. STG offices in the historic Stahlman Building belonging and connection? Is a beautiful form or located downtown, a striking edifice full of new palette of materials enough to accomplish this, or life, that remains a testament to the city that inspired is an efficient layout and function of space a more it. New York native and Nashville transplant Kelli effective approach? While both considerations Straub, STG Associate Principal says, “Even though are critically important, there is a need for deeper Nashville is a heavily populated city, I constantly run connections to occur – connections to the local into people I know, everywhere. I grew up on Long environment, to others, and to self. Sense of place Island and never once randomly ran into anyone is a touchstone, uniquely personal to each designer I knew. It definitely makes you think about how and to each city. Strong sense of place also fosters present you are in your community and how easy it opportunity for visual and physical connection to the is to connect.” Kelli, a Nashville resident by choice, natural environment. has readily embraced the unique nature of the city Design should also speak to the personal and sensory human experience. Architectural theorist Juhani Pallasmaa says, “The body knows and remembers. Architectural meaning derives from Founded in 1976, STG Design archaic responses and reactions remembered by the body and serves clients nationally and the senses.” In the world of 3D modeling, it’s common to focus internationally with primary offices solely on the visual experience of a design. However, increased connection to the sense of place can occur if a building occupant in Austin and Nashville. Constantly uses all senses to fully engage with the space. How can design working to make ourselves, our enhance pleasant aromas while diminishing unpleasant odors? clients, and our world better What are the sounds of the space? How do acoustics change with varying materiality and textures of finishes within the space? through design, STG Design What is the tactile experience of the space? What does the serves clients in multi-family, hardware feel like? Pallasmaa also said, “The door handle is the commercial, research and handshake of the building,” summarizing how various singular elements contribute to the whole. All sensory experiences, development, healthcare, subtle as they may be, can affect and influence one’s sense of higher education, non-profit, and belonging and comfort within a space. hospitality sectors. STG Design’s COVID and social distancing heightened the human need for legacy includes work for connection and the sense of comfort and belonging when we are Trammell Crow, Karlin, Oracle, in the presence of others. Intentional design does this for the user, Apple, Dell, Box, Indeed, by creating opportunities to bring people together in a way that fosters deep connections and inclusivity. NI (formerly National Instruments), RetailMeNot, LCRA, Pulte, Architecture can shape the quality of life for our environment, Del Webb, 3M, American our communities, and our personal lives. Kelli believes the goal Campus Communities, and of the designer is to understand a client’s unique sense of place, and their perception of what place should be. “Providing design University of Texas. without any connection, inquiries, or information-gathering results in a generic design that has no meaning and pleases no one. Delivering a space to a client that has feeling and meaning and captures their sense of space and place is the ultimate success To experience the STG difference for us, and, more importantly, for the client,” she says. At STG, in design for yourself contact designing projects that meet client needs and expectations, and [email protected] are also meaningful places that create or strengthen a sense of place for all who experience them, is the driving force. To quote Sir Winston Churchill, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” STGdesign.com.