Seijaku meaning “silence” is a Japanese design principle to create quiet and silent spaces that have a soothing effect. This means the gentle and spare use of primary colors.
Mente, Boye. Elements of Japanese design : key terms for understanding & using Japan’s classic wabi-sabi-shibui concepts. Tokyo Rutland, Vt: Tuttle Pub, 2006. Print.
Example #1 – Tea Ceremony
The book gives tea ceremony as an example, where most of it is accomplished in silence.
Example #2 – Autumn Stroll
Example #3 – Embarcadero near Bay Bridge
One of my favorite places to stroll around and enjoy the scenery. My capturing the first time I visited it six years ago – there’s the old bridge. It’s a place where sound falls away and peace can be found. As Melville wrote it best: ““Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off – then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.”