House As A Mirror of Self isn't just to read: This is a book to play with, mull over, and dream about. Clare Cooper Marcus, an architecture professor, delves into the realm of psychology, exploring the profound relationship between humans and their dwellings. Her ideas are based on interviews with more than a hundred people living in all types of housing. In addition, Marcus presents a fascinating collection of artwork which illustrates how psychological factors shape the homes we build.
What this book is not
The emphasis here is on the word home. Marcus is not writing about houses in terms of floor plans, architectural styles, closet space, or structural stability. Instead, she examines the ways these factors reflect self image and emotional well-being.Seeing beyond the floor plans
Drawing on Jungian concepts of the collective unconscious and archetypes, Clare Cooper Marcus looks at the ways children perceive their homes and the ways our chosen surroundings change as we mature. Photographs of houses and artwork by their occupants are analyzed to explore the complex relationship between the spirit and the physical environment.The ideas here are weighty, but the book is not. In less than 300 pages, Marcus gives us lively narrative and more than 50 illustrations (many in color). Each chapter concludes with an eye-opening series of self-help exercises. While psychologists and architects may benefit from the research findings, the layperson will be enlightened and enriched by the stories, drawings, and activities.
Who is Clare Cooper Marcus?
Clare Cooper Marcus is also the author of Healing Gardens, Housing As If People Mattered, and People Places: Design Guidelines for Urban Open Space.
