Combination of Spaces

SCALE

An obvious feature of space is the scale of it, for example, 2 different spaces may be the same type of space, e.g. “outdoors” and may even have a similar energy but can be completely different scale. 

The Big Scale of Hong Kong Container Terminal OUTDOORS Space

The Smaller Scale of the local Carpark OUTDOORS Space

Energies can also have scale, intimate energy tends to be small and close up (though can explode into another dimension, and be the largest scale), straightforward energy is larger and more focused, proper energy is often larger again with a “meta over-level”, and social energy tends to combine all these and spill out of whatever space it has.

Defining the Space & Energy

Awareness of scale (along with context and the transactions) helps clarify the space that is most relevant.  For example, consider the Police pulling over a car.  What energy and space does this refer to?

Looking at the scale provides clarity, it can be seen that outdoors space is very prevalent, but

1. There’s a real community resonance to the event; such events are a defining feature of community life.  (Community Space, larger scale)

2. There’s likely to be some kind of direct contact between the people involved. (Domestic Space, smaller scale).

Looking at these the outdoors space can be most readily defined, the cops didn’t pull the car over for an intimate chat, and instead they are keeping things proper in the outdoors.  

At this stage we could divert to the conversation between the policeman and the driver.   This would be zeroing in from the outdoors space more towards the “domestic” space that emerges between police and driver. 

However, this is not relevant here, and instead we are going “back out” to look at the community space.  This is because by considering the community space it places the spaces and energies within the broadest context.  It is obvious that the domestic space that emerges between police and driver is completely different from the drivers own domestic once he parks his car and gets home and this difference can be appreciated by first considering at least the outdoors space, and ideally the community space and the entire context.  

What is the energy in the community space?

From the Community’s view, (rubbernecking as they drive past and looking out their house windows at the disturbance) it’s a simple transaction, a speeding ticket.  It’s straightforward in the community. 

Looking at the context, the straightforward event in the community borders upon proper in the community, in the same way that all the community infrastructure of courts, administration etc (a larger scale) borders the issue of a speeding fine, and can also caps or overrules it.  Likewise, the straightforward event in the community borders intimacy in the community, being the personal affect upon the individual driver (intimate capped by the straightforward). 

Could this be seen as a display of social energy in the community (complete with flashing lights and sounds)?  Yes, though to do so would amount to a static, staccato view, like a still life painting, without any specifically, looking at the police purely as an institution of society, like a hospital building seen from a distance, without considering the event taking place and its context.

Considering different scenarios that could emerge from the police incident allows consideration of the different energies in the community and the broader context,

For example, the driver going to the lockup (“Straightforward in the community”) or going to court (“Proper in the community”)

But could the policing event itself be considered as say proper in the community?  Considering context, if it’s not such a one-off passing event as a speeding ticket, but part of a long indeterminate process like an investigation, or involving tactical complexity then yes, it’s proper in the community.  The events in the outdoors, are no longer a display of what’s proper, and might be quite improper, more likely to be “straightforward outdoors”.  Let’s consider the fictional character “Dirty Harry”.

Dirty Harry is both Proper in the Community but Straightforward in the Outdoors (and Intimate in the Domestic Space).  As a tough cop is naturally in reference to what is proper in the community, yet is a straight-shooting no-nonsense straightforward in the Outdoors.  The expression in each space is different and they come together to form a personality in space.

All the spaces converge together, with a different energy in each space, making the total

Proper in the community

Direct & straightforward in the outdoors

Sudden, explosive, creative (intimate) in the personal / domestic space.

Social in the essence space.

What this means is that the energy in one space is further defined by energy in another space.  

Proper in the Community can be further defined by the outdoors energy, making 3 possibilities, either intimate, straightforward or social in the outdoors.

All 4 energies in the community can be further defined.

The combination of energies in different Spaces allow for a range of different Combinations of Energy in Space, and these are often exampled by people, events or places as in the examples in the posts below.

Description of the Spaces Clock

The Spaces Clock looks at the totality of all the spaces described within the spaces model and presents these spaces as a circular rotation of energy in space.  It begins with the broadest view being the energy within the community, as 4 positions and then drills down to show that within each Community Energy position there may be a further 3 outdoor positions (making a total of 12 positions describing the community and outdoor energy.)  For example, a Church is “Social in the Community” then within this energy in community space a church could be described as “Proper in the outdoor space.”  Therefore in describing this position there is 2 energies and 2 spaces defined, it combines 2 spaces and each has different energies.  The clock is the total range of the community space, presented in a circular flow manner, and punctuated with the definition from the outdoor space

It can be seen that outdoor space is subordinated to, or ordered within the community space.  Outdoor energy is best seen in the context first of its community space, so as to place the outdoor energy within the broadest context.  The model portrays the space and energy first from the community perspective.  The community perspective is used, because it allows the broadest view and allows the change of energy within the community space to be seen and the types of roles the energy suits. 

Finally, the domestic energy can be considered.  Two types of energy are already defined (in the community and the outdoors) leaving a choice of 2 energies for the domestic space (and from the sole energy type remaining defines also the energy within the essence space).  For example, the church might be straightforward within the conduct and behaviour within the Church, and the sole remaining energy is the intimate that belongs to the essence space inspired from the Church.

Energy within the Community Space
The Large Black Print represents the Community Energy

The small black type represents the Outdoor Energy

The red print represents the Domestic Energy

This means that the domestic space may further define the positions within the Space Clock, to 24 positions.

For any particular position, the spaces and energies may be shown from a circular diagram, or simply by identifying the various energies and spaces

The 12 Community and outdoor Energy positions are:

Straightforward in community 

Social in outdoors

Intimate in outdoors

Proper in outdoors

Proper in community

Intimate in outdoors

Straightforward in outdoors

Social in outdoors

Social in community 

Straightforward in outdoors

Proper in outdoors

Intimate in outdoors

Intimate in community

Proper in outdoors

Social in outdoors

Straightforward in outdoors