אדריכלות ישראלית

Architecture of Israel #

114

August

2018

The Green Room

page

english readers

"In theatre history, the green room was the

passage way between actors' dressing

rooms to the stage. During the Middle

Ages it also served as their waiting area

before going on stage."

I wonder if Father knew the historical

meaning of the ‘green room', I mused,

continuing to page through the History

of Art encyclopedia. I wonder if he was

aware of it when he decided to cover the

floor, walls and ceiling of the room with

a revolting, snot-green carpet, I said to

myself, looking around the room.

It was a very narrow, claustrophobic

room, 3 meters wide and 8 meters long,

with a kitchenette and a small bathroom.

The house was on Dizengoff Street, on

the way up to Habima Square, adjacent

to the architectural office located in a

large basement. The green room had

a separate entrance leading directly

from the street to the basement – a big

space with English windows that let in the

daylight. This large space was, for a long

time, my grandfather's architectural office,

Editorial preface:

Our relationship with the environment is to a great extent affected by colors. This has, over

time, generated myths that are sometimes contradictory in relation to various shades. For example: yellow

symbolizes happiness, cheerfulness and optimism, as well as aridness and withering; red - passion, fire and

power, but also danger; purple symbolizes fulfilment and spiritual awareness; blue - peace and serenity as well

as depression, or sex; pink symbolizes feminine tenderness; white - innocence, purity and cleanliness; green

- nature renewal but also jealousy.

This connection between a color and its psycho-physical sensation causes the human brain to organize the

color spectrum in categories, although it is comprised of a continuous mixture of three basic colors – red, yellow

and blue. Within that, a sub-mixture defines a family of shades that are divided in turn into sub categories: such

as orange, which is made from red and yellow; purple - from blue and red; and green from blue and yellow.

Thus, an harmonious mixture is translated into comfort, while a disharmonious mixture might cause disquiet.

Since this is all about an emotional response to an object without any real physical characteristics, apart from

the changing length of a light-wave, our relationship to various colors is subjective and mainly associative.

Thus, what is perceived in one situation as an expression of a positive sensation might in a different situation

be perceived as a negative expression.

Taken from the book "The Rat is Saved" by Architect Arad Sharon, the story presented here demonstrates how

an emotional point of reference changes the observer's sensation regarding the color green, which in recent

years has been perceived as a definite symbol of climate and environmentally aware architecture.

before he moved it to a building he bought

on Hayarkon Street.

For Father, who was given this room by

his father after becoming his partner as a

young architect, it was an ideal place to

slip in unnoticed, whenever he pleased,

and enjoy making love to any woman who

agreed to go there with him.

After finishing my army service, I wanted

to be independent and father allowed

me to live in the green room. I moved all

my belongings in there together with the

History of Art encyclopedia I'd received

from grandfather after my discharge.

Naturally, my father didn't give up the

services of the green room, and would

occasionally ask me to move out for a

few hours, or overnight, so he could bring

a woman there. But even without these

recurring requests, I could sense the

lustful atmosphere in the room.

Particularly at night, when the green

color dimmed, creating mysterious, dark

shadows that played on the walls.

One hot July morning, before going up

the stairs to the red office door, I was

preoccupied with thoughts of my career.

Grandfather had decided that I would

succeed him - a decision that bothered

and embarrassed me because of the great

responsibility of bearing the burden of two

generations of well known architects on

my shoulders.

These thoughts made me climb the stairs

slowly, and when I got to the top, my glance

rested on a picture that had always hung

on the office entrance wall. It was a large

well known print of the "Vitruvian Man" by

Leonardo da Vinci. A naked figure framed

in a circle within a square - reminiscent of

Jesus on the cross.

For a second, I imagined myself located

there, crucified on the print. Trapped in

an inevitable vocation. In time, the large

yellow print became the office symbol.

Grandfather, the adored office founder,

ordered the picture to be hung there,

because in his eyes, as he used to say,

it symbolized proportion. And grandfather,

from a personal point of view

the green room

grandfather father and son

Arad Sharon