Of all the different forms of art we are exposed to every day, none has as significant an effect upon our moods, behaviors, and state of mind as architecture. We define ourselves by our architecture, every building we see emphasizing varying combinations of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth, filtered through the ever-changing aesthetics, values, and technologies of society. Each architectural design represents both the individual’s image of society, as well as society’s image of itself — a gateway between interior and exterior, between culture and consciousness, and between the past and the present. Each style represents a unique alchemy of ever-deepening form, function, and meaning, balancing masculine and feminine design elements in very distinctive ways from building to building, culture to culture, epoch to epoch.

In this dialogue, Mark DeKay talks to Ken Wilber about his new book Integral Sustainable Design. Mark and Ken look at the world of architecture and design through the lens of the Four Quadrants. For example:

• The need to design profound aesthetic experiences (Upper-Left Quadrant, personal)
• Designing for cultural communication by using the symbolic language of architecture (Lower-Left Quadrant, cultural)
• Maximizing the efficient use of water, energy, and natural resources while minimizing waste and pollution (Upper-Right Quadrant, behavioral)
• Customizing the design to fit the economics, building systems, and relationships of the local neighborhood, region, and ecosystem (Lower-Right Quadrant, social)

Our buildings are alive with memory. They represent a sliding calculus of perspectives, circumstances, and social priorities that became codified into architectural design. Our constructions continue to construct us, imprinting our personal and collective identities in subtle but powerful ways—creating not just physical landmarks, but landmarks of experience that are always coloring our perspectives, housing our visions, and sheltering our dreams. Listen as Mark and Ken explore the deepest and most profound potentials of Integral design and architecture.

Written by Corey W. deVos