512: The Garden of Peace (Neumoegen)

This is the 4th post in my 512 project series. Broadly  it's an enquiry into how a sense of place can be created in a bounded 3D virtual space. You can read more about it here.

"Hidden behind Neumoegen Train Station. Serving breakfast for weary travelers." I've kept an interest in this garden of peace since it was bought two months ago, because it's the best place on the mainland to enjoy an al-fresco breakfast with a good sunrise.

In spite of being within a stone's throw from Neumoegen station on the Heterocera SLRR The parcel is hidden and has a "sunken" feel to it. It lies below a series of terraces that jut from the knees of the the Neumoegen wall and is surrounded on two and a half sides by pines. It is easier to get to since the banlines have been removed to the north and it can now be reached from the Grand Staircase by a gentle stroll across abandoned land or by a walled path. It also has access by open land down onto Route 1 and the local Stargate is The Rusty Gates of Neumoegen on the Alteran System. 

It is an inviting and satisfying place to spend some time. With the exception of the rare and unusual sculpture by Haveit Neox, it's assembled with commonplace objects (rather than super-cute gachas) that won't break the bank. It's peaceful and a little bit quirky/magical by virtue of the mushrooms, sculpture and fireflies.

for the 512 project, there are a few things that have given me food for thought.

Consistency and Variation

Since it inception, the garden of peace has undergone seasonal variation, with some elements being changed, and most recently the addition of a striking piece of sculpture. In spite of this, the familiar 'backbone' of the parcel has remained: the stream and bridge, the rocks, bench, and breakfast table. On repeat visits, it is always nice to see what's new, while essential and familiar features are maintained to give a sense of continuum.  

Many Sits

You can sit on the toadstools, on the rocks, at the table or on the bench (which also has couple sits). This offers a good selection for the lone visitor to find a spot that sits their mood or offers a different  angle of view. Furthermore, given that there's room for maybe seven or eight avatars to take the weight off their feet, this would make a nice casual venue for a get together or storytelling event.

Zoning

I became aware on this parcel of the creator having taken a 'zoning' approach to the design. This is a great concept to be aware of while putting a place together. The zones loosely divide into six areas of approximately equal size, arranged around the cruciform structure of the stream and bridge. 

There is the breakfast area, mirrored across the stream by the magical zone (toadstools, fireflies, rocks and bright flowers). The bench and a bare tree seem to form a piece, counterpointed over the bridge by the sculpture zone. At the bottom of the parcel, a family of foxes occupies  the rocks in one area across from a stand of pine trees.

Following the stream W to E, from the top to the bottom of the parcel, the space goes from open, to more enclosed, light to dense. So, while it's easy to enter the top, it's not easy to walk out at the bottom. This is a pleasing transition that, once again, makes for a lot of variety within a small space.

Topographical Realism

The stretch of stream errupts from under the rocks at the top, runs under the bridge and then disappears under more rocks. This detail makes sense. It seems very natural that a stream should surface here and disappear again, suggesting that the designer has considered how to make the topography self-contained and yet consistent with the surroundings. The course of the stream really does give a sense of flow, too: this parcel has a beginning, middle and end.

The Sculpture

I've left mention of the sculpture until last because, according to expectation, it should completely dominate the area. It is bright with orange, red and blue, and it stands tall - echoing the orange tower at Shin Moebaru station, which pokes above the trees to the south. While it certainly draws the eye and makes a passerby more likely to come and investigate, it also seems to harmonize well with the surroundings. This piece actually has a ethereal lightness and verticality to it that sort of scatters upwards and seems to be more part of the atmosphere over the parcel than a weight on the ground.

While the garden of peace provides a lovely setting for a curious and upliifting piece of art, it is not the overwhelming focus, and there's a peaceful welcome for anyone here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Neumoegen/166/87/54

256: Saul's Nook (Torva)

Saul's Nook is one of a few brainchildren of SecondLife impresario SAUL GOODIE. It's a roadside parcel on Route 1, Heterocera that simply describes itself as "A Little Getaway". In fact, it's half a 512, being 256 m/sq, but, in the spirit of The 512 Project, it speaks volumes about doing a lot with very little space.

Feeling my way into the sense of place, here, I've abandoned my categories of 'Purpose', 'Location', 'Look and Feel' as these seem to have become restrictive and I'm reconsidering the validity of 'Purpose' as a criterion in any case: couched as it is, in the industrialized concept of 'fitness for purpose'. Instead, I think there are some features to be noticed:

Closed/Open and Framing
Two sides of the parcel have a high, grey stone wall, that creates a barrier between the neigboring shop and the hillside. Nevertheless, it is open to the road and the south aspect of abandoned land. A short path of stepping stones invites the passerby to walk into a grove of tall beech trees where a seating area is placed in a natural clearing. The path quickly gives way to nature. The chairs offer a place of seclusion from where one can see the road, framed by the tree trunks.

It's the balance of 'enclosed openness' that tells the mind that it is welcome but safe, and it seems to be an important consideration for anyone who wants to achieve that effect in a given place.

A close, permeable barrier (provided by trees and vegetation) acts like the padding from the outside world while breaking its lines up into natural frames. The road is still there, but it becomes a piece of art on the wall.

Bring a Friend
The hangout spot is furnished with a table, long seat, and two chairs. Candles burn on the table and there is a guest book to sign. This place is created for a group of friends to have an intimate conversation. The fact that the majority of its actual use is bound to be by lone explorers or single AVs who want 'a little getaway' poses another question. What does it do to be alone at a table set for four?

Some spots in SecondLife are deliberately set out as places to be alone. yet it is pleasant to be in a place where one imagines more community happening. Perhaps, the empty chairs are filled with those we would want to be with - and that takes the mind in a certain direction it would not go in otherwise.

Ambient Lighting
This parcel, like so many, really comes into its own in twilight or at night. It is an object lesson in ambient lighting. The light comes from a string of bulbs and a more abstract source in the form of a glowing mesh that punches little fixed dots of light into the air. This is an effect you are more likely to see in a nightclub. You don't really notice it unless you are looking for it but it plays a big part in making the sitting area well lit, like the glowing heart of the parcel.

Here, light is used in such a way that the surrounding darkness becomes a comforting buffer and enhances the sense of intimacy and seclusion.

That Ladder
The back wall is hung with empty picture frames, perhaps to be filled with those imagined friend's faces. There is also a step ladder. Step ladders are ubiquitously available on the market place or as gacha items. They are really 'cute' but this is the first time I have been forced to think, "why?"

The step ladder says a few things to me ...

• 'I like doing places up': the ladders are an iconic tool of the DIY enthusiast. Step ladders out say that the work is in progress. Here they serve as a prompt to the imagination to begin dreaming about its own decorating project.
• 'Upcycle': They are always 'vintage' ladders, and speak to an aesthetic that incorporates old items used again and loved afresh. These utilitarian objects become furniture in their own right as we indulge the modern fascination for finding an old thing and making it a feature. Why do we like that? It's a question for another post.
• 'Ascend': On a further level, I believe we have a strong psychological need to reach upwards. Ladders symbolize that ascent, a reaching for a higher perspective, a progression of the soul, a quest for more space and a desire to leave the boundedness of life on earth.

In our times, we could all do with a little getaway.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Torva/182/236/33