Feng shui consultant Alex Stark shares his design process for 1515 Commonwealth Ave. (live1515.com). A rendering of the rooftop at 1515 Commonwealth Ave.
Last summer, Brighton welcomed a new luxury residential development that features more than city views and lavish interiors. The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui guided the collaborative design process, with expert consultant Alex Stark on deck. Along with TOCCI, The Davis Companies and RODE Architects, Stark ensured every detail of the 1515 condos and the HEW at 1515 apartments was designed to create balance and harmony on the property and neutralize negative energy—from the rooftop sky deck to the second-floor terrace with a putting green. Here, Stark dishes on the ancient practice and its influence on the building’s design.
Why is feng shui a vital part of the design process?
Feng shui was a vital part of the design process at 1515 Commonwealth Ave. because it looks for ways to optimize the well-being of the residents in all aspects of life, including their health, prosperity, career, reputation, relationships and family. Feng Shui aims to create a home environment that aligns with the resident’s needs, promoting a sense of welcome, energy and fulfillment.
Which aspect of the building did you address first?
1515 Commonwealth Ave. provided some very positive qualities, including a high vantage point with excellent views of downtown and the Charles River, access to mass transit and roads and healthy vegetation. These positive qualities were enhanced by burying quartz crystals along the building’s foundations. On the other hand, the fact that the site had once been used as a quarry lowered the amount of energy (chi) in the land under the site.
A rendering of the building
How did you neutralize the poisoned arrows (whenever a street aims directly at a site) of the building’s location?
Poisoned arrows–aspects of the surrounding environment that negatively impact financial power, reputations and family harmony–are neutralized at 1515 Commonwealth Ave. by adding a protective layer of vegetation between the buildings and the street and placing mirrors on the facade to reflect the “poisoned arrows” away from the site. The gardens at the front of the development are an ideal way to counteract the poisoned arrow. Convex mirrors were preferred over flat mirrors because they scatter the reflection rather than focus it back across the street, where it might harm some other structure.
What values of feng shui does the building prioritize?
Feng Shui is a holistic practice in which multiple sets of interdependent values are considered, including the health, wealth, careers, relationships and families of the residents, the interests and needs of the stakeholders in the surrounding community, the sustainability and health of the natural environment and the finances and reputation of the developer.
What can a resident expect to feel from the space?
Successful feng shui interventions usually provide residents with a palpable sense of well-being that is calming yet dynamic. Stress from the outside dissipates as you enter the property— the gardens and landscaping on the site emphasize this calming effect. As residents enter their homes, a series of welcoming features create a positive sense of arrival that emphasizes harmony as well as social and family values.
Alex Stark is an internationally recognized feng shui consultant, advisor and teacher.
What design characteristics did you enact in each room to ensure feng shui?
Feng Shui relies on two complementary factors: flow and containment. Flow promotes health, relationships and well-being and is most important at the front door and in foyers, hallways, corridors and stairs. Containment promotes harmony, relaxation, relationships and productivity in work in the kitchen, living, dining, bedrooms and home offices. Within each room, the position of beds, desks, couches and other furniture is also considered to provide safe alignments, as well as the optimal position for sleep, relaxation or work.