Reading a Space

Halcyon Coffe/Bar/Lounge:

6:30pm: Halcyon is located in the warehouse district of downtown Austin on the corner of 4^th and Lavaca. In examining the nature of the space, I experienced mixed emotions. Maybe these emotions are partly altered do to the fact that I spilt hot tea on myself since I was uninformed how to operate the self-brewing mechanism of the hot tea kettle, but also in part to the “triality” of the interior space.

Description of the space is as follows: there is a long over-sized bar located along the back wall of the shop. Various bottles of liquor are house on cubical-like shelves, along with coffee brewing machines, and a few assorted fruits and pastries are housed around the register area. The “lounge space” is occupied by a variety of lime-green sofa chairs, bar stools, tall tables, and niches. There are large double-hung windows on each street façade, along with a garage door window facing Lavaca Street. The atmosphere is that of a modern coffee/ lounge geared toward the younger, social crowd.

The first half hour or so, the space seemed more public and attempted to invite people in from the streets, the lighting of the space was normal, well lit, but as the night proceeded the staff reduced the lighting eventually to candles. This simple gesture greatly altered how I, as an individual, experienced the space. It went from an open, “jamming” bar to an intimate social lounge.

During my hour and half tenure at Halcyon, I noticed a variety of people inhabiting the space. Three young business men sat in the lounge booth next to me and were in a heated conversation and debate on financing issues and the global market. A few couples sat at tables, whispering intimacies to one another, and a few people sat at the bar or were on their computer. A group of girls roasted marsh mellows in a booth in the corner and were constantly giggling and taking pictures. Furthermore, I noticed that most people were in groups or at least pairs, which arose the question of why so few singles in a place such as this?

My mixed emotions of the space derive out of the fact the shop attempts to be three things at once: a bar, a coffee shop, and a lounge. I have contrasting emotions about the shop because it can change in such a short period of time. Why can it not be a coffee shop with a lounge, or a bar with a lounge, etc. Where is the hierarchy? Some may argue that the multi-functionality of the space makes it successful; to me it was almost confusing. However, I eventually enjoyed my stay at Halcyon but it took a good hour for that enjoyment to settle in.

A walk through downtown

After my visit to Halcyon, I wondered around downtown, sometimes following groups of people heading to 6^th street, other times wondering solo, simply observing the city around me. This gave me time to digest the excerpts from Calvino’s Invisible Cities and make observations on the city of Austin and how I could relate the readings to personal experiences and observations. In Cities and the Sky I found it interesting in how Perinthia was laid out according to the axis and lines of certain constellations and heavens found in the sky. Likewise, I thought of the logic behind the organization of the city of Austin and how it has altered and changed overtime. It is also interesting to note as the city evolves, so do its inhabitants. In the next chapter, I found it interesting in how one perceives the city differently based on their location. From personal experience, I have viewed Austin from a variety of locations and each spot yields a different view of the city, thus a different perception. Throughout the reading, I found many ways to relate personal experiences to the examples found in the excerpt. From the tangled network of canals and streets in Esmeralda to the intersecting system of trails and roads in Austin, each section of the reading made me analyze and view the urbanity of the city in a different light.

The Hideout 7th and Congress Ave.

9:19pm: Although classified as a coffee shop much like Halcyon, The Hideout has a drastically different atmosphere. The space seems to be more individualistic. I say individualistic because there is only one couple in the shop, everyone else is reading, listing, and eating, etc. by themselves. The Hideout is what it is: A coffee shop. I felt comfortable as soon as I walked in. I kicked my feet up on a chair and listened to the live music playing, for I did not have to endure the loud, annoying speakers such as that at Halcyon. I often found myself pausing during my readings and writings to listen to the lyrics of the songs the two-man band was playing, and one caught my hear which was titled, “Show me Home.” This further enhanced my thought, for I began to analyze how one begins to call the city their home. “Home” is such an intimate and personal word and each individual has some inner reason of why a certain place is their home. It is interesting to observe how a conglomeration of impersonal, inanimate materials can be arranged to greatly alter ones experience, physically, psychologically, and spiritually until eventually they call the place their home. (Although one must keep in mind there is a wide range of scales when referring to “home,” i.e. Texas is my home, but not all of Texas, Austin is my home, but not all of Austin, my yellow house on Fruth Street is my home, but not the entire house. There are so many different levels and intimacies associated with the world “home!” In analyzing a topic such as this, it is crucial that the architect address and investigate the varying scales associated with each project.) Back to the topic at hand: However, one criticism that I have against The Hideout is that I wish there were more solo seating arrangements, but this criticism could be based on the nature and timing of my experience, for I do not know how the atmosphere of this coffee shop is during peak hours. Although located on Congress Avenue, my experience was calm and gratifying. I had little urge to ponder life passing by on the street; I was content with what was happening inside.