Many
people consider commercial buildings made almost entirely of glass
appealing. So do birds. At least until that final moment when one
of them careens into a very fake sunset - - and dies.
"That's really bad feng shui," said Nancy Bennett, a feng
shui practitioner in San Anselmo who has appraised such silicon-heavy
building designs.
A mirror opposite the front door or a front door painted red are common
examples of ways to improve the feng shui of your abode, but they
are not constants, according to experts.
Just as the rules of the 4,000-year-old Chinese tradition are not
hard and fast, neither is a recent proposal by San Francisco Assemblyman
Leland Yee.
The much talked-about resolution encourages developers, architects
and cities to observe feng shui principles in residential and commercial
building design. It doesn't mandate this, however.
"The intent is not to feng shui every building in California,"
said Jodi Hicks, as spokeswoman from Yee's office. Rather, the legislation
is intended to encourage planners to allow individuals to adopt the
design principals if they choose, Hicks said.
Feng shui translates to "wind,water" and seeks to enhance
the flow of positive energy, known as "chi," among people
and their environment.
Each object, shape, element and color has an energy pattern that can
be either nurturing or harmful, according to feng shui practitioners.
A building can be analyzed for its chi flow, a process that can be
likened to a mathematical equation using compass directions, colors
and basic elements, such as fire, water and wood.
Just weeks ago, Yee's office amended the resolution from its original
version, which the media prematurely ran with, Hicks said. The first
version was stricter, directed at the state's standard building codes,
but this didn't convey what Yee was trying to do, she said.
The revised version addresses the state architect's office and local
jurisdictions instead, she said.
Rob Deigman, director of public affairs for the Division of the State
Architect, said the department has no position yet on the bill. "We
have to get more information," Deigman said.
Building industry advocates such as the California Building Industry
Association are not in favor of Yee's proposal, citing existing regulations
that make new homes expensive. Feng shui experts, however say that
many basic concepts of the art are not that different from good design
principles such as using bright entryways, avoiding sharp corners
and refraining from building under high-tension power lines.
Many big companies such as Charles Schwab, British Airways, Chase
Manhattan and Shell Oil have caught on to the idea. The American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees, a large state union, has
supported Yee's proposal as well, according to Yee.
Research has shown that state workers are more productive in feng
shui environments, said Adam Keigwin, press secretary for Yee.
Bennett agreed.
"It makes everybody happier, … healthier, … more productive,"
she said. She also called a feng shui analysis inexpensive and "great
insurance." "There's more to it than meets the eye,"
she said.
The Bay Area is rife with feng shui projects and professionals.
For instance, voters nixed a proposed Sausalito Police and Fire Department
station two years ago in part because some residents claimed the structure
would destroy the city's feng shui. "The location was wrong,"
Bennett said. "They would have corrupted the city."
In April of last year, an airport expansion project in San Francisco
met with criticism for its feng shui. Bennett said the runway expansion
design plans would have brought bad luck and danger. Opponents also
were concerned that it would disturb the nearby tidal flow, disrupting
the element of water, which they believe represents wealth.
Serramonte Center, a regional mall located in Daly City, got an overhaul
last year using natural light, a water pond, bamboo touches and plush
furniture to capture the feng shui balance. Owners of the 865,000
square-foot, 35-year-old building spent $3.5 million in the transformation,
which they say resulted in making shoppers more comfortable.
"Leland's idea is right there," Bennett said. "We really
need something like this. I'm hoping this will spread. When you do
good feng shui, it reaches out into the community."
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