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Feng Shui at the Grove Creates Harmony and Balance Los Angeles- Katherine Anne Lewis of Harmony and Balance has Feng Shui-ed The Grove, a new 575,000-square-foot retail and entertainment center, opening March 15th in Los Angeles. Feng Shui is the ancient art of placement to create harmony and balance. Today, many large corporations are integrating Feng Shui into their projects. Lewis consulted with the architect and developer to incorporate the principles of Feng Shui into The Grove's design. Katherine Anne Lewis of Harmony and Balance was brought on board by Caruso Affiliated Holdings, the developer of The Grove, to consult with Senior Vice President of Design David Williams, AIA on applying Feng Shui principles to the site plan and design. "I am very happy with the rapport and team building we established on this project," states Katherine Anne Lewis, founder of Harmony and Balance, "With the information I supplied him, the architect of The Grove, Dave Williams did a brilliant job incorporating the principles of Feng Shui into a seamless, informed design." The Harmony and Balance philosophy is that the blessing of the land is the most important step in any project. Otherwise, no matter what cures you incorporate into the structure of the buildings, the effects will be minimal. The land holds the ch'i whether it is positive or negative. The key to a successful project is to create positive ch'i, for the land and the buildings. Before ground breaking, Lewis walked the land, and discovered the shape was almost a perfect square, ideal in the Luo Pan Compass school of Feng Shui. Lewis initially visited the site nine times, and at different times of the day, to see the interaction of the ch'i of the land, the sky, and the wildlife in this location. On the ninth day, Lewis performed the blessing of the land and included three cures. When she completed the blessing and the cures, she heard an unusual sound. She looked up and saw a hawk flying overhead. Lewis knew this was a good sign. The hawk represents that the energy of the land is balanced and the land will stimulate the imagination, and create joyous memories. According to Feng Shui, the address of a building is a key factor in determining its success. As The Grove is a new development, it's address had to be determined. Lewis suggested 189, the ideal Feng Shui number to ensure a healthy beginning, to attract prosperity and longevity for The Grove. Feng Shui consulting involves identifying the nine life areas: Career, Health, Wealth, Fame/ Recognition, Knowledge, Family, Creativity/Children, Helpful People/Travel and Relationships. Harmony and Balance worked with David Williams to incorporate the appropriate colors and elements for each corresponding life area. Lewis suggested the placement of the large fountain, which will be surrounded by flowers, lights that shine, various colors and music. These are three key elements to use in Feng Shui. In the park, the types of trees and flowers chosen were in accordance with Feng Shui principals. Throughout the center there are curved lines in buildings, paths and design elements, as straight lines are ill advised in Feng Shui. A curved bridge crosses over into the wealth life area. Wrought iron gates, surrounded by plants, will encase all trash, electrical transformers and trash compactors. The plants will dissipate the negative ch'i from the electricity and trash. Recently, as the project was nearing completion, Lewis was walking the site. She heard a familiar sound. Looking up Katherine Anne saw the hawk flying over again, reassuring her that The Grove would create joyous memories for many years to come. The Grove is set on 20 acres adjacent to the historic Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles. The Grove creates an open-air shopping and entertainment village with an internal pedestrian main street, meandering shopping walkways and plazas set around significant public spaces. A focal point is a large public park lushly landscaped and with a lake and water features and dotted with benches that serves as a major gathering place. It features an array of nationally known stores and unique shops that includes Nordstrom, FAO Schwarz, Barnes & Noble, Anthropologie, J. Crew, Victoria¹s Secret and many more, along with a 14-screen Pacific Theatres' cinema, the Amadeus Spa and a selection of premier restaurants. UPCOMING WORKSHOP
ON MARCH 24TH |