BALANCING SPACES:

APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF FENG SHUI IN

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

What is Feng Shui?

⦁ A way of creating a sense of harmony between humans and our

environment

⦁ Literal meaning of “wind” and “water”

History of Feng Shui

⦁ Earliest record was from Zhou Dynasty (11 th centrury - 256B.C.) where
there was importance in the selection of auspicious grave sites. Those
ancestors placed in hills have decendants who live a better life.

⦁ Qin Dynasty (221-207B.C.) were already looking for the best site
settlement and basic principles of Feng Shui were determined.

⦁ Han Dynasty (206BC- 24 AD) there were more detailed studies and this is
the golden age of Feng Shui

⦁ Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) Feng Shui was widely spread throughout
China

Core Principles of Feng Shui:

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The Philosophy

Qi or Vital Energy

There is a belief that a vital energy called Qi constantly flows through all living
and nonliving things.

QI flows through the universe, earth, and human body. And just like acupuncture,
chakra balancing and shiatsu massage, Qi can be adjusted by Feng Shui by
balancing the energy around us.
Qi is life force. It needs to pass thru all places in the house to achieve balance in
all aspects.

Qi Flow

⦁ Positive Energy meanders gently along curved lines

⦁ Negative Energy strikes quickly in straight lines

Taoism

- based upon the observation of and alignment with the natural and organic order
of things

-we must observe nature and understand its ways and we act in accordance with
it

-we must be in harmony with nature and everything that happens is as it should
and of its own accord
-we must not be opposite of what is natural

Yin and Yang

⦁ -Yin (passive, feminine)

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 ⦁ -Yang (active, masculine)

⦁ They are opposites yet complimentary, one cannot exist without the other.

⦁ Night and Day

⦁ Winter and Summer, Shadow and Sun

⦁ black white, cold warm, etc

-Not only just about unity and wholeness but also about contradiction and
interaction

-to be healthy and happy is to be in the state of balance

WHAT ARE THE 5 ELEMENTS??

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Creative/productive relationship: wood fuels fire; fire burns to ash or earth;
earth gives minerals or metals; when heated, metal flows like water; and water
nourishes wood.
Destructive/negative relationship: wood takes nutrients from the earth; earth
pollutes or absorbs water; water puts out fire; fire melts metal; and metal chops
wood

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The Five Elements Symbolism
Wood=Symbolises all life, feminity, creativity and organic material
Fire=Energy and intelligence
Earth=Stability, endurance, and earth itself
Metal=Competitiveness and business acumen, masculinity as well as metallic
material
Water=All that flows, transport and communication

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Other factors that affect Feng Shui:

⦁ Numerology
Good numbers are 3,6,8,9
Bad 4, 13
Religious 7, 8

⦁ Homonyms
Sounds like; goldfish sounds like fortune, as well as bat and dog

Application of Feng Shui:

⦁ Location of your home

⦁ Its surroundings

⦁ The shape of the block of land

⦁ Shape of the house

⦁ Orientation and the directions each room faces (north, south, east, west)

⦁ Location of each room

⦁ Shapes and placement of furniture

⦁ Garden landscape

Ideal spot for a house

⦁ The house would nestle in to the fold of the hill as though the land were
cuddling it with protective arms, being elevated from the everyday world.
(feeling of security)

⦁ The ideal site faces the front with a distant view of water and back is
protected by a mountain.

⦁ Water= representing movement and energy at the front

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 ⦁ Mountain= representing stillness at the back

Shape of the land:

Symmetrical Yes

Assymmetrical No

When you have irregular shapes you have to balance them.

Plants and lighting will fill out an irregular-shaped block.
Best:
A rectangular block of land that is wider on the back is the best.

⦁ If a corner is cut out of the block, plant a tree or place a lamp in the
opposite corner

⦁ Plant a creeper or hedge around an offending corner to counter any

negative Qi it might be generating

⦁ Battleaxe block=bad feng shui

⦁ Narrow entry of Qi

⦁ House built should be seen from the street

⦁ No fence so Qi can enter

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 BattleAxe

Shape of the house:

Square or rectangle Best

L-Shaped -Planting shrubs/tree

-using light/spotlight
-building patio or
conservatory
Shape of the room:

Square or rectangle Best

Irregular shaped Pot plants to protect

L-shaped living/dining room Create 2 combined

spaces (screen, partition,
bookshelves)

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 Colors

⦁ When choosing for a color scheme for a home, compass points are
important as well as the five elements or phases.

⦁ Rooms facing South, will be YIN and having cool colors,

⦁ Rooms facing North, will be YANG and warm

Color is a way to improve the Feng Shui in a room especially when it isn’t
practical to change its physical layout
Wood- blue, green
Fire - red
Earth - yellow
Metal - white, beige, silver
Water - dark blue, black
If you want to slow down a fast moving Qi along a corridor, you can introduce
relaxing blues or greens.

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Feng Shui Solutions:

A. Rushi
-in this world
-are usually physical
-sample is changing a location of a door if it is in the “wrong” place
-effect is obvious

B. Chusi
-out of this world
-are usually psychological
-sample is hanging a mirror
-has an effect on perceptions
Sometimes, a Rushi solution isn’t practical or economical, a Chusi solution can
be used instead. Often the best remedy for a bad feng shui is to use the
combination of rushi and chusi cures.

Chusi Cures: Mirrors

Flat Mirrors:

It provides a perfect mirror image – yin becomes yang and bad Qi becomes good Qi.
It also deflects negative Qi but CONVEX mirror is the best for this.

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Concave Mirrors:
It welcomes and absorbs beneficial Qi into your home (like large windows)
Convex Mirrors:
Effective in diffusing bad Qi.
Sample: use CONVEX when you live at the end of a cul-de-sac or you a have a
lamppost or tree outside the front door.

Chusi Cures: Indoor Plants

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Cumquat:
Brings good luck
Sounds like “gold” & “good fortune”

Dracaena:
Wealth, long life, offices

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Chillies: growth and wealth

Fuguihau(Adenium)
Wealth prosperity, shops, living room

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Cactus:
Ward off evil spirits because of spikes

PeachBlossom: growth and renewal

romance

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Goldfish activity and color stimulate Qi

Table lamps create softer light than overhead lighting.

Glare from outside should be softened by curtains or blinds.

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Crystals Helps draw Qi in. Put it where clutter collects

Water fountains stimulate Qi and gives calming effect.

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Wind Chimes slow down Qi travelling very fast. Place them in public areas like
corridors, verandahs, and family room

The External Environment

Streetscape:

⦁ A home at the end of a T-Junction or cul-de-sac causes the Qi to flow too

quickly towards you.

⦁ Living near the freeway will make Qi flash past without chance to nourish
your home.

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⦁ A roundabout will cause Qi to come to different directions and become too
concentrated.

⦁ A house below the street level means Qi can get trapped and business
and career opportunities can be lost.

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 Unlucky views:

⦁ Factory Chimneys – Chinese believe that any object on the horizon that
resembles a candlestick, a chimney or a television/communication tower, brings
bad luck. Hang a convex morror on the wall above the window pointing towards
the ‘candlestick’ or plant trees and shrubs

⦁ Pointed objects-”secret arrows”, view of a roof pointing at you give

negative Qi. Place a bagua mirror above your window or block them by
placing curtains or blinds.

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⦁ Cemeteries and Funeral Homes – dead reside in Yin, living in Yang, two
should be separated. Orient living area toward the Yang side of the home (N) and
keep a light switched all the time even at night.

⦁ Overhead wires & electrical substations – Dry Yang Qi so put a jade or

ceramic object hanging above your front door to reduce impact.

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Your Home:

Front door

⦁ Qi “mouth” of the home, external energy comes inside home. Point of

Entry.

⦁ Front door should suit the character and size of home, be simple and
practical.

⦁ Don’t have the front door directly facing a street (T-junction) and opening
directly on pathways down the hill.

⦁ Don’t have the front door directly opposite the back door.(put wind chimes
or mirror on the wall to disperse Qi).

⦁ Avoid having the toilet directly facing the font door or Qi mouth because it
is unsightly when entering house.

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 Living Room

⦁ Welcoming and happy space, it is a Yang room and Qi should flow in a

lively fashion.

⦁ Place furniture in such a way that Qi can flow freely.

⦁ Avoid putting chairs directly facing each other, they should be at a slight
angle to make it less confronting.

⦁ The living room, if placed in the center of the house, becomes the “heart”
of the home. If the heart controls the flow of blood, then the room should
have access to all parts of house.

⦁ Being in the center, it is associated with the element earth. Earthly color
schemes are the shades of yellow, brown or orange.

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 Dining Room

⦁ Décor should not be too eye-catchy.

⦁ Should not be too near the front door, the family will be preoccupied with
eating.

⦁ When it is attached to the family room or kitchen, make it a separate

space by using screens or indoor plants.

⦁ Ideal chairs are comfortable for communication in the family.

⦁ Even number of chairs represent goodluck, odd number is loneliness.

⦁ Round tables are the best, if rectangular, no person should be sitting on

the sharp arrow to avoid digestive problems and bad temper.

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 The Bedroom

⦁ Sleeping is Yin, and requires peace. This is the time when we are most
vulnerable. Best orientation is away from the hot sun and is in the South
(S).

⦁ Just adequate and not too much light.

⦁ Any pocket of stagnant Qi near your bed is bad for you and can ultimately
lead to illness so it’s best not to locate your bedroom next to a kitchen or
storeroom.

⦁ Avoid placing the stove or toilet right against your bedroom wall.

⦁ Corners or bookshelves or the walls of an irregularly shaped room need to

be covered so as not to cause minor health problems or irritability.

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 The Bed

⦁ Try no to have the foot of your bed in line with the door. (If can’t be
avoided, hang a crystal or wind chimes between the bed and the entrance
to disperse negative Qi.)

⦁ Avoid having the bed in line with the bedroom door because it will make
you restless.

⦁ Try to place the bed away from the door to see it clearly.

⦁ If possible in line it with the N or S axis so that you are in line with the
magnetic field of the earth.

⦁ Bedhead must be placed against a solid wall.

⦁ Head away from overhead beams which can cause headaches, illness, or
confusions. If it divides the bed, it will cause disagreements.

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 A baby’s room

⦁ A baby’s room should be nurturing. Place in the E or NE side

⦁ Belongs to the element wood (nourishment and growth), and is associated

with the color green.

⦁ Boys (Yang/ Active) will benefit from the balance of cool, Yin blues.

⦁ Girls (Yin/ Passive) will benefit from warm, red Yang tones.

⦁ Position the room from noisy parts of the house to encourage growth.

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 The Kitchen

⦁ Your kitchen shouldn’t be too close or facing the front door; nor it should
be near your bathroom.

⦁ Make sure the kitchen is light and airy with smooth surfaces, always keep
it clean and free of clutter.

⦁ Indoor plants will help keep your kitchen cool.

⦁ The stove belongs to the fire element (representing warmth and

prosperity), the stove’s position should be towards the E and SE (because
it is the direction of the wood element – wood nourishes fire).

⦁ Avoid having the stove next to the sink or having a water main running
above or below it (water extinguishes fire). If there are no other option, put
a buffer like a metal or wooden partition between the two.

⦁ Refrigerator (water element) must be away from the stove.

⦁ Stove’s best area is the diagonal side of the door which is the
“assembled” Qi area. Avoid the direct opposite.

⦁ Place the stove so that your back isn’t facing the door. Install a mirror
behind the stove to give you warning, in case you can’t see the door.

⦁ Position the sink beneath a window(to allow the water to contain the
wind). Have a solid wall behind your stove (to avoid fire fanned or
disbursed by wind).

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 The Bathroom

⦁ The bathroom and toilet are associated with the element water and
because water destroys fire, they shouldn’t be connected to the kitchen.

⦁ Don’t have them in the centre of the house (earth will be weakened by too
much water)

⦁ Avoid bathroom directly opposite the front door because the beneficial Qi
will enter the house and go down the drain.

⦁ You should always keep the toilet seat closed so that your wealth (water
symbol) isn’t flushed down the sewer.

The Home Office or Study

⦁ The ideal is to have a completely separate entrance to your home office

so you can close the door on it at the end of the day. If not possible, make
a threshold into your office with rug or potted plants.

⦁ If your office shares space with another room, create a screen with
bookshelves or cupboards to hide it from view. If in your bedroom, pay
attention to the differences between Yin nature of room that is conducive
to rest and sleep and the Yang aspect that encourages work.

⦁ If you have a computer screen, cover it up at night with cloth (so it wont
act as a mirror to disturb your sleep).

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⦁ E orientation brings yang Qi which is beneficial for thinking and reading.

⦁ Yin shades of blue or green with soft lighting will help concentration.

⦁ Best location is away from noisy areas (kitchen and family room).

⦁ Window Qi is distractive so make sure desk isn’t placed directly

underneath.

⦁ Best spot of the desk is at a secure corner with the back against the wall
and a view of the doorway.

⦁ Locate the workstation in the side diagonal to the door (assembled qi) for
business to prosper. This is where energy gathers and wealth will
congregate.

⦁ To gather more “wealth” qi, put a fish tank, evergreen plants, or money
box close to your workstation.

⦁ Keep your workstation tidy because a messy office leads to Qi blockages

and messy thinking.

Doors and Windows:

⦁ The “mouth” and “eyes” of a house,

⦁ They are also the way that the Qi (breath) enters and leaves and
important in circulation, how smoothly it flows.

⦁ Too few Qi openings and your home will be too yin (dark and without
energy); too many and it will be too yang (with too strong a flow of
energy).

⦁ External doors – allow the nourishing Qi to enter your home. Internal door and
corridors – keep Qi flowing slowly.

⦁ Three aligned doors are bad luck. Solution will be wind chimes, a curtain,
or a plant.

⦁ Sliding glass door and large windows at the back leading to a beautiful
landscaped garden is good feng shui because nature is the source of Qi.
Windows:

⦁ Increase the Yang Qi in a room.

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⦁ Two opening windows will create a better Qi flow.

⦁ A blank wall outside a window will generate negative Qi so cover it with

lattice and some creeper.

⦁ If view outside cannot be enhanced, curtains and other decorating details

will make a gloomy outlook more cheerful.

⦁ Secret arrows (generated by rooftops, corners, and lampposts) can be

prevented by placing plants or ornaments into the windowsills.
Stairways:

⦁ Stairs connect flow of Qi from one floor to the other, good circulation will
encourage its smooth and easy movement between floors.

⦁ Avoid having stairway directly facing the front door. Hang a mirror at the
top of the landing to reflect the Qi downstairs.

⦁ Narrow stairway is not good so hang a mirror on the wall to prevent

“rushing” Qi.

⦁ Make sure stairs are lit well.

⦁ Curving stairs are better than a spiral one. Put wind chimes halfway up to
slow down curling Qi.

⦁ Solid stairs are preferable than open treaded stairs, put a mirror under the
stairs to send Qi back.
Corridors:

⦁ Long narrow corridors can cause problems.

⦁ Keep them at least 90cm wide.

⦁ “breakup” a long corridor by creating a “space” in the middle with a piece

of furniture like a hall table or stand.

⦁ Doors at the end of long corridors block off opportunities, so hang a mirror
on the door to open up the space and slow Qi down.

⦁ Use natural lighting to avoid gloominess.

Beams:

⦁ Overhead beams in a house is oppressive, particularly if you are lying or

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 sitting directly underneath.

⦁ Soften the beam by decorating it with a piece of fabric, banner, or swag.

⦁ Make it appear less heavy by painting them in a lighter color.

⦁ Balance the wood element in a beam with the qualities of a metal element
by using light colors and round shapes.
Gardens:

⦁ Use colorful plants to help ward off bad luck.

⦁ Rocks make a good contrast for soft plants and help balance the yin and
yang in your garden.

⦁ Climbers (jasmine, wisteria, clematis) make excellent cover for corners

and edges which generate negative Qi.

⦁ Fragrance helps the flow of nourishing Qi. Plant some daphne, gardenias,
honeysuckle or roses.

⦁ Avoid leaving rotting leaves or grass cuttings because they generate too
much Yin Qi.

⦁ Paths or driveway that are too straight can be softened by placing pots,
stones or ornaments along one edge.

⦁ A horseshoe style driveway is ideal.

⦁ Ponds or other water feature should have a natural shape rather than
square or rectangular. Goldfish will bring prosperity and a tortoise will
bring longevity.

Bonus slides:

⦁ February 10, 2024

⦁ Wood Dragon

⦁ Lucky Colors – Violet and Blue

⦁ Love – Pink

⦁ Brown Beige – attract friends

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 ⦁ Green – Career, Authority

⦁ Which is the sign of the Chinese Horoscope, according to the year of

birth?

⦁ Rat: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 and 2020.

⦁ Ox: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 and 2021.

⦁ Tiger: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and 2022

⦁ Rabbit: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 and 2023

⦁ Dragon: 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 and 2024

⦁ Snake: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025

⦁ Horse: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 and 2026

⦁ Goat: 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 and 2027

⦁ Monkey: 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 and
2028

⦁ Rooster: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, and
2029

⦁ Dog: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 and 2030

⦁ Pig: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2031

⦁ Connection with the elements in the Chinese Horoscope according

to the year of birth?

⦁ Metal: Ending in zero or one

⦁ Water: Ending in two or three

⦁ Wood: Ending in four or five

⦁ Fire: Ending six or seven

⦁ Earth: Ending eight or nine

From unluckiest to luckiest 2024:

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 1. Dog- not so good, depressed, distracted, decisions

2. Dragon – Tai Sui

3. Monkey – competition, stagnation

4. Horse – hardwork, attention, achievement

5. Tiger – ups and downs, travel

6. Rabbit – opportunities, major changes

7. Rooster – luck, kindness star, don’t be conceited

8. Rat – wealth star, finances

9. Goat – star of aid, lucky

10. Snake – happy, success, don’t be compliant

11. Ox – guidance, so many lucky stars, goals easy to achieve

12. Pig – luckiest, prosperous, emperor star, wealth

Points to remember:

⦁ Good Feng Shui involves:

⦁ Understanding the existing and potential Qi pattern

⦁ Taking into consideration the cyclical change of nature

⦁ Keeping the Qi flowing but contained

⦁ Eliminating or deflecting harmful Qi and maximizing and cultivating the

nourishing Qi

⦁ Making sure the flow of Qi is appropriate to the situation and the needs of
the humans in the environment

⦁ Making changes without destroying the harmony and balance between

heaven, earth, and humanity

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