affordance

today we will talk about affordance, in relation to the gardens surrounding the Holy Places here. an object's affordance is basically what you perceive that you can do with it by observing it - ie sit on a chair, throw a ball, etc. (if you come into a room and see a chair/ball, you don't consider sitting on the ball and throwing the chair...)

now, in what way does this relate to being here? looking at the ground, they invite to different ways of walking, depending on the surface. we start out with the first three pictures:





easy to walk on, you can walk quickly. these kinds of pathways are usually situated rather far away from the Shrines. another look as you get closer...



these tiles and pebbles are used closer to and in the immediate surrounding of the Shrines, and they really help with the reverent attitude as you're approaching. it simply invites to walking slower and getting into a prayerful, meditative mood. it is possible to walk fast (I've done it), but there's exactly that affordance that exists, you feel that the only possible way to walk there is slowly...