John Brevard is an American artist and designer.In 2007, Brevard started his namesake lifestyle brand, which includes accessories, furniture, art, architectural design, design, and sculpture. His products can be found at various retail stores and galleries around the world. In 2015, Brevard launched the Thoscene customization platform. Thoscene is an online parametric modeling platform that utilizes biominetic structures and astrological algorithms to create unique forms (sculpture, furniture, jewelry, architectural design, etc.) inspired by the user's inputs (date, time, location of birth).Brevard is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and his work has been featured in publications around the world from Vogue to Forbes and Vanity Fair.
The way that we perceive the world is a function of our state of consciousness; such structures unfold in a developmental sequence, from complete unconsciousness at one end of the spectrum, through the various levels of egoism, existentialism and transpersonalism, all the way to complete consciousness or enlightenment at the other end of the spectrum. This applies to all scales of development, from the maturation of an individual organism to the evolution of a species as a whole.
Through the early development of our species humans were embedded in nature and lived off of the land, much like other animals. In this primitive, pre-personal fusion state there was no distinction between self and environment; we were instinctually absorbed in a dreamy immersion and oneness with the biosphere.
As we evolved self-consciousness, humans began to set themselves apart from the world and reflect upon, conceptualize, and analyze their experience. In time, we became less and less alive to the ever-present ground state of being until finally, the separated “ego” no longer identified with the rest of creation and experienced only “other”. This disassociation of humanity with the natural world is the underlying cause of our current environmental crisis.
Our culture at present seeks a higher integration, which lies beyond the man versus nature dualism. Individual and collective perception is progressively shifting and a new baseline structure of consciousness is emerging; it is characterized by the realization of a unitive, transcendent state of being in which the distance between man and nature, self and other, becomes transparent. In such a state the subject moves into expressive unity with the world, simultaneously retaining self-consciousness and autonomy, while uniting in a communion with the larger whole.
This is exactly what Brevard intends to communicate through these works.
After a near death experience leaving Brevard without memory prior to age 14, John Brevard became intensely fascinated with fractals, sacred geometry, biomimicry, and the subtle energies of spaces. This led Brevard on a journey of self discovery and research that help form his practice and design theory.
Drawing from the rich heritage of ancient Eastern design methodologies, Brevard offers a holistic approach to design which surpasses the current emphasis of recycled design concepts.
Inspired by a deep ecological awareness and transpersonal experiences beyond the realm of ordinary consciousness, Brevard uses architectural design to depict his own stage of self-understanding and to point the way to an integrated world culture.
Drawing from the rich heritage of ancient Eastern design methodologies, he offers a holistic approach to design which surpasses the current emphasis of recycled design concepts.
Brevard believes that life and life-sustaining systems emerge from chaos through the coherent, rhythmic patterning of waveforms, and that objects and their associated phenomenon (including subjective feelings and psychological states) can be explained in terms of constructive and deconstructive combinations of these oscillatory fields. Accordingly, mind, body and space can be reduced to fields of pure information which can be modeled, computed, forecasted, and optimized. He and his team's research agenda is directed at formulating computational frameworks for the visualization of these patterns and potentials.
As a designer, Brevard uses the canons of vibrational harmony, proportion and rhythm to intentionally configure these oscillatory fields into a coherent structure which is further tuned to the individuals energetic constitution as determined by a specific set of calculations. Physical structures at many scales are then brought into alignment with the cosmic force fields created by the disposition of the sun, moon and planets. The subtleties of this profound environmental science ensure the full effects of wave harmony between all aspects of life- man, PHYSICAL FORMS AND STRUCTURES, nature, planet, and cosmos- are actualized. The coherence of the energetic field that characterizes such “sacred” space increases the functional efficiency of the body and the mind, supporting the stabilization of higher (more coherent) states of cognition and consciousness.
Although this design technique has traditionally been associated with the construction of temples it is not, in essence, sectarian; it is based on a secular science which depicts the subtle organization of space and time. As such, its logic can be extracted can applied to any architectural genre. We have formalized this through the development of a software program (Thoscene) which encodes the rationale of this ancient knowledge using a hierarchy of variable-controlled design dependencies. The core of the algorithm is a generic code based on the universal principles which govern the formation, growth and development of all levels of morphological structure. A secondary, iterative loop introduces the constraints of program, form language, and environmental pressures, and a tertiary iterative loop calibrates the form to the particular vibratory resonance of the observer. This single formula, when adjusted to relevant parameters, produces drastically different results, each of which are vibrationally, structurally and visually coherent, and energetically entrained with the individual.
Our culture at present seeks a higher integration, which lies beyond the man versus nature dualism. Individual and collective perception is progressively shifting and a new baseline structure of consciousness is emerging; it is characterized by the realization of a unitive, transcendent state of being in which the distance between man and nature, self and other, becomes transparent. In such a state the subject moves into expressive unity with the world, simultaneously retaining self-consciousness and autonomy, while uniting in a communion with the larger whole.
This is exactly what Brevard intends to communicate through these works.
Architecture is a reflection of humanity’s predominate world view. As the collective consciousness of sentient beings further shifts into higher frequencies of awareness, design and architecture will reflect this shift. In some ways we are witnessing these changes now as building fabric begins to no longer serve as a barrier but a uniting element. Space is no longer the unit which holds the physical body but rather a medium through which information is dispersed. A rise in multidimensional architecture will culminate parallel virtual spaces to exist simultaneously. This development in architecture could potentially widen perception and accelerate mass media into altered states of electronic communication. Operating at a macroscale, the internet is accelerating globalization into a new hybrid condition which the global network proliferates and the link between local and global has disintegrated.
On an individual scale, architecture impacts collective perceptions by manifesting and formulating a spatial construct with which the observer interacts. If planners and architects develop strategies to create interactions with nature, hyperspace, and other sentient beings through a spatial experience, the architecture will ensue as leverage for subconscious change. Additionally, the electromagnetic fields created by these digital constructs should be taken into consideration due to the fact that they have an effect on the human energetic field. Ideally this connection would be further examined so the subtle energy is positively engaged by the spaces.
Humans are already beginning to become immersed in an age of electronics where the ability to perceive and interact with space is unconsciously shifting the observers perspective. This architecture is becoming immaterial, multi-medial and multidimensional. Currently, immateriality is commonly expressed by transparency while the widespread use of glass is beginning the process of disassociations with materialism. The multidimensional aspect is seen in our ability to inhabit multiple dimensions simultaneously.
Centuries ago, there was an emphasis on the development of “spiritual spaces.” As human consciousness develops further, we will see a reemergence of this architecture that will elevate the human frequency and realign humans with natural order. This new architecture will be a direct reflection of this great shift in consciousness which is beginning to occur now. These designs will consider the implications of human bioenergy, electromagnetism, astrology, earth energy, sacred geometries (fractals), proportion, sustainability, and the sacred traditions of Feng Shui and Vastu Shastra. Hopefully we can create spaces that will help align sentient beings with natural order, hyper-dimensional realities, and our highest selves.
We have a fascination with the impact of new technologies on design, architecture and consciousness. We are at the forefront of the parametric computational design processes and 3D fabrication techniques. For the past 8 years, we have been focused on how to develop and leverage these innovations to pave the way for the first truly personalized design experience.
We created the Thoscene customization platform to help people connect more deeply with themselves. Thoscene is the generation engine of these forms inspired by you. Through the Thoscene platform, customers can order one of a kind jewelry and accessories pieces that are based on personal inputs such as time, date and location of birth. Thoscene exists for customers and retailers to connect more deeply and have a truly personal virtual experience by tapping into the spirit of design oriented users. As with all aspects of the brand, Thoscene stands to represent an emergence of the timeless with the infinite.
John Brevard applies his background in architecture and multidisciplinary arts to create pieces that are visually appealing, conceptually rich, and regenerative. Inspired by principles of natural order, each creation is symbolic of the inseparable relationship of the part to the whole.
All pieces are extracted in a sustainable manner with the utmost care. The petrified wood used in Brevard’s works have solidified from trees into stone over hundreds of millions of years. With our skilled team of excavators, they carefully dig around each piece with care. We spend weeks with the designer cutting and polishing a single piece. Each piece of petrified wood in Brevard’s collection has a unique color, pattern, and grain. Therefore, each piece is truly unique.
Brevard’s work also uses zinc, as it plays an essential role in the biological processes of all humans, animals, and plants. Zinc can be recycled indefinitely without loss of properties and quality, but also plays an important role during the end-of-life phase by reducing energy use, lowering emissions, and minimizing waste disposal. In Brevard’s pieces, zinc provides high structural integrity and outstanding corrosion resistance. A thin layer of resin is applied to the table to seal the zinc and enhance comfort for the skin.
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