Places of the Heart: The Psychogeography of Everyday Life

I read non-fiction only sometimes, and was worried this topic might be a bit of technical or dry, but I was quite fascinated on almost every page with a field of science I had never before explored. Ellard splits up his material into the emotional reactions that different places manifest in us, and then breaks down those emotional responses to their technical and scientific elements without ever losing the thread of a compelling narrative.He mixes in stories from his own life, or examples of emotions caused by places that we've all felt. For instance, I know now that he loved a particular red metal can opener that was taken from him by rust, and he still wistfully thinks of it when opening a can of beans. :) (And then he describes the science of why he may feel that!)For me, though, I was hugely surprised at the amount that is unknown in this field. Ellard sometimes describes two contrasting theories for what is happening at a given time - like how we feel in places of awe - and tries to reconcile those differences. I think this should be mandatory reading for any urban planner, or anyone who has a house they want to feel like home.All in all, a fascinating read that I plan on picking up for an architect friend of mine, and maybe I'll share my copy with my aunt and sisters, but I may make them get their own.

good readings.

Ellard makes the esoteric accessible

Psychogeography is, in Ellard’s opinion, how our surroundings affect our moods and behavior. How plants make any place seem better- and make people less apt to destroy things. How featureless concrete expanses make a person nervous and unwilling to linger. How surroundings can awe, suffocate, sooth, or tempt a person (think the insides of shopping malls). He explains how and why people have these reactions, and how they can be used to manipulate people. He also goes into how digital technology is changing things, and how it could be used to alienate or integrate.This is important stuff for any architect, designer, or city planner. It’s also helpful for just about anyone who wants to understand why the feel the way they do in certain environments. One part I especially liked was when he wrote about Temple Grandin’s slaughter house designs that keep cattle calm instead of panicked as they go to their deaths- this is manipulation at its most obvious. How many places do we frequent that affect us in a similar way without our ever being aware of it? The book is technical but easily readable. Recommended.

George Orwell once proposed six simple rules for writing. One of these was "If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." I wish the author of this book had heeded that advice. This book reads like a high school essay where the student is trying to hit a 1000 word minimum by adding extra adverbs and adjectives. Show, don't tell.I enjoy this subject and being mindful about architecture and design, but this book fails to engage me as a reader.

The book's premise looked promising, but the writing is so dead and the organization of information so shoddy and shallow that about a third of the way in I realized that I knew nothing and gave up.

Overly academic prose that seems to lack actual meaning. I tried, I'm theoretically interested in this topic, but could not force actual meaning from the pontificating and defining that only a professor would love.

Big help on my final exam project and was such a good read. Very well written

The author mixes the theoretical and empirical points of view about how geographically influences human behavior and establish a clear relationship.

This is a brilliant book. I found it very interesting and was moved to contact the author after finishing the book to thank him.

Comprehensive insight! As one who knows nothing about psychogeography, Ellard lays out the facts in relatable terms with anecdotal stories. His writing style is clever and concise and the whole book is entirely captivating. I generally don't read non fiction however I would recommend this book to anyone. It makes you think about the places you've been and how they effect who you've become. If you've visited somewhere more than once, how does your perspective change? Do you change the places you've visited? It brings up an incredible amount of questions on things most people brush by on a daily basis. Read this book, you won't be sorry. Plus you'll impress your friends with all your new found knowledge! Places of the Heart: The Psychogeography of Everyday LifePlaces of the Heart: The Psychogeography of Everyday Life

A must read for students and professionals of architecture. Ellard does a greater job shedding light on how we perceive space, and how space affects our psychological state. From the architectural point of view: it's important to understand the human impacts of our designs; too often designers of space get caught up in the art and philosophy of design and forget that people actually need to inhabit and use the spaces we design.

Really insiteful book with lots of great topics.Well written throughout. Changed the way I viewed the everyday places and objects we interact with.