+ Hi, Pablo here +
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Don't hide it, make it beautiful
+I'm currently living in a flat, and my internet connection comes in through my living room. That's where + my home router is placed. However, my main workspace is not in my living room but in my working room, + which is a few meters away. I would love to have a wired internet connection, but unfortunately, with + the router being so far away, setting it up would require running a lot of cable through the walls and + ceilings. It would be a complicated route, and while it would eventually reach my desk, it would also + make my flat look ugly. + + One fundamental and unavoidable reason I don't do this is aesthetics. My partner is very conscious about + keeping our home visually pleasing. I care too, though she probably values aesthetics even more than I + do. She likely doesn't see an internet connection as essential as I do. So, for now, I have to rely on + Wi-Fi to connect from my workspace to the home router. + + When I was on holiday in Thailand a few years ago, I noticed that Thai homes are far more practical than + European ones in such matters. In Thailand, plumbing, electrical systems, and other maintenance-required + installations are typically very visible—just out there on the wall. They don't hide these things behind + fake walls or ceilings. I believe they do this because they highly value the ability to access and work + on their home's systems themselves. Many Thai people build and maintain their own homes, so they leave + everything exposed for easy access. + + I sometimes envy this approach. I don't think they do it for aesthetic reasons but out of necessity. + Still, when I saw a Thai homeowner fixing their plumbing outside their house, I thought, Damn, you're so + in control of your home. If something bad happens—like a fallen tree damaging the plumbing—they can fix + it themselves. Meanwhile, if that happened to me, I wouldn't even know where to start. I don't even know + where my plumbing is because it's all hidden behind walls. + + That makes me wonder: Is there a way to make these essential systems both accessible and aesthetically + pleasing? Could we have the convenience of exposed infrastructure without it looking ugly? I believe we + can. + + I find the problem is that we have decided certain things—plumbing, electrical wiring, visible + infrastructure—are inherently ugly. But they don't have to be. Some household items, like lamps, must be + visible. Since they can't be hidden, we put effort into making them look good. We choose stylish designs + that complement our home's aesthetics. Why can't we do the same for cables and pipes? + + Imagine if all the wiring in your home was encased in beautifully braided, colorful threads, arranged in + elegant geometric patterns. The connections, junction boxes, and fittings could be crafted from + high-quality materials with artistic designs. Wouldn't that be nice? + + Now, you might think I'm crazy—that these things are just ugly by nature. But they're not. In fact, many + aspects of modern design have become uglier over time, and we've just accepted it. + + Consider street lamps. In most cities today, they are dull, industrial-looking poles—rusty, uninspired, + and purely functional. Yet, in older parts of my city, we still have beautiful, ornate lamp posts from + over a hundred years ago. They were designed with care, meant to serve a purpose, to be visually + appealing, and to last ages. Take a look: + + pics here + + The same goes for train stations. Modern stations are bleak, sterile spaces—metal, plastic, and harsh + lighting. They resemble hospital emergency rooms. But look at the older ones, like this one. + Those stations are masterpieces, designed like grand halls with chandeliers and intricate details. + + pics here + + Hospitals are another example. Most modern hospitals have the same white, cold, spaceship-like + aesthetic. While cleanliness is important, there's no reason they have to be so uninviting. In my city, + there's a hospital built over a hundred years ago that's so beautiful people visit it as a tourist + attraction. On the other hand, the hospitals I visit personally are plain depressing, soviet style + atrocities. + + pics Here + + I think we can bring things back, if we care enough. + + Look at computers. Most office desktop cases are dull, gray boxes—uninspired and purely functional. + Naturally, many of them end up buried inside desks, or if they are small enough, simply hidden behind + the screen on a VESA mount. But gamers, who deeply care about their PCs, go the extra mile to make their + setups look amazing. They invest in custom cases, LED lighting, and stylish cooling systems. They turn + their computers into art. They are testament to the fact that we can make practical things also be + beautiful if we choose to. + + If we put the same effort into our homes, we wouldn't need to hide cables and pipes. We could proudly + display them as part of our interior design. Infrastructure could be both functional and beautiful, + giving us accessibility without sacrificing aesthetics. + + I guess the take-away is... Don't hide it. Instead, make it beautiful. +
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