I have always had the Barcelona Pavilion in my mind as a designer. It is always on my mental aesthetic inspiration mood board. When I was designing for the Royal family in Abu Dhabi, one of my clients was a modernist at heart too, and I was able to finally use the luxurious materials in a simple way for him in his homes. (Ask me about this if you want to hear more).

You see the Barcelona Pavilion, (it’s correct name is The German National Pavilion for the Barcelona International Exhibition, 1929) was built with an unrestricted budget and did not need to function as anything but itself. How glorious.

Why have I always thought this aesthetic expression so strikingly beautiful? It is only in recent years that I have formulated a theory.

I believe it is because it speaks to us at a deep human existence level.

There are layers of fundamental meanings that find a high expression in their manifestation here.

…the feeling of safety that children felt in that loft bedroom above the living space, hearing the adults gathered below.

There is something to be said for smaller and more cosy homes if one is looking to be soothed, felt cared for and connected.

Oxytocin is released when we feel the following. As you read them imagine the interior aesthetics that would allow us to feel; social support. trust. belonging. secure attachment. feeling loved. being cared for. safety in numbers. relaxation.

how to quickly work out the Golden Ratio (also known as the Golden Mean ᵠ) of a wall, or anything that you are looking to divide in the most aesthetically pleasing way, then here is how to do it;on your scientific calculator (iPhone calculator turned sideways) type the dimension (this is a+b)

1.618 (phi ᵠ to just three places is fine for interior design)

And that’s it! a beautifully proportioned division along that wall for paint, art placement etc.

Of course it can be used vertically and horizontally in all applications.