Origins of a Concept
Leisure design style is not a classified style per se, as much as it is an architectural response to the evolving dynamics of our ever-changing modern world. It can range from the playful and whimsical to the refined and stately. It can eclectically borrow elements from other styles as needed. Leisure style architecture expresses an attitude whose time has come; a philosophy of man's aspirations as supreme. It embodies a departure from mere existence and a freedom from the mundane to pursue that which fulfills us as human beings and makes us complete. Leisure design style evolved from the need to accommodate the increasingly sophisticated tastes and requirements of the modern age man. As our world continues to industrialize and modernize, an ever-growing population is suffering from the effects of pollution, overcrowding, and work-related stress. As work requirements demand a greater amount of time and energy from the average person, free time becomes a much more valuable commodity and taking advantage of it to its maximum benefit becomes a much greater priority. Leisure design style recognizes that we are searching for a deeper understanding of ourselves, a yearning for new experiences, and a reconnection with the natural. A return to nature becomes akin to a sought-after pilgrimage to a sacred place that now seems to exist mostly in dreams.