Vastu is the new feng shui – or, rather, the old one, given that some say the former inspired the latter. Before sceptics throw themselves into their latest water feature at the thought of another eastern design philosophy, however, they should bear this in mind: around 40 per cent of the world’s most expensive real estate is bought by Asian buyers for whom the “energy” of a house can be important – and vastu is already impacting on non-Asian design.
Water is a particularly important element of the five (earth, air, fire, water and space) that must be aligned in a home designed to fit with the principles of vastu, an ancient Hindu system of architecture and design. In return, according to vastu followers, the homeowner sleeps better, gets richer and enjoys domestic bliss.
Chris Godfrey, head of design at 1508 London consultancy, describes a recent project in which he created a large reflective pool in the entrance hall of a house, with residents and guests traversing stepping stones towards the north-east. “This design works best in bigger houses where we can create the feeling of a calm journey,” he says. “For other clients we have built running water installations in the corner of the room and water walls in wet rooms.”
Water in the north-east of the house bestows health, wealth and happiness, he says. Traditionally, the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the symbol of wealth, is portrayed sitting on a lotus sprouting from water. In rural India the custom has been to dig an open well in the north-east corner of a plot and use water from the well in the construction of the house.
“The deeper and wider the pool the greater the income, and also the more profound the peace and tranquillity of the family,” says Godfrey. “Even for people who don’t follow vastu, water has long been associated with calm and relaxation.”
The body of water should be as large as possible. “There is no point combining a large stone piece with a trickle of water. That doesn’t work as a water feature; it would work better in the south-east as an earth element,” says Kana Butkovic, a consultant for the UK’s Vastu Design.
For one client he placed a swimming pool in the north-east corner of a mansion in Surrey. For another, in a property near Regent’s Park in London, he put a cascading water wall in the entrance hall.
Even dedicated disciples of vastu may be daunted by the thought of a fountain inside their home, in which case a tamer alternative is an aquarium. “Placing a fish tank in a specific location can increase wealth, prosperity and success,” says Kati Curtis, vastu consultant for Nirmada Interior Design in New York. She says people can introduce calm by placing a small fountain or fish bowl in the north-east corner of their home or office. The key is to ensure that it has flowing water, because stagnant water promotes negative energy.
Global developers and property consultants are also beginning to recognise vastu. “Many of our Indian clients are into vastu and so we have had to learn the principles behind it to help them with property searches,” says Camilla Dell, managing partner at Black Brick Property Solutions in London. “The critical question for us is the positioning of the front door,” she says. “If it faces south there is no point in us even showing the property to a client. South is the energy point; the belief is that if the door faces south then all the energy will flow out of the house.”
Vastu certainly has echoes of feng shui, which has become the butt of mockery in some circles. Direct the bed away from the door. Shift that vase from that window. Better still, move the window. Or perhaps even the house. Whatever anyone believes about the efficacy of the Chinese art of space, literally meaning “wind and water”, it has made many an interior designer rather rich and happy over the years. Which is why India’s answer to feng shui – vastu shastra is its official name – is being taken seriously by many who may once have been tempted to lampoon it.
The cost is certainly serious: a vastu consultant can earn from £400 per sq foot to “fix” your home and give you a better night’s sleep. While it is still more commonly found in India, stressed and busy people around the globe are getting more interested in vastu’s claims.
Trevor Abrahamsohn of Glentree Estates says Indians now make up 10 per cent of buyers in prime central London and that he often calls in the services of a vastu expert to come to make sure a property is “cleansed” before the buyer moves in.
Butkovic believes the philosophy is gaining popularity in the US and Britain among both Indian and non-Indian clients because people are more spiritual, with vastu as the “third phase” after yoga and Ayurveda medicine. “Ayurveda treats the body, yoga the soul and vastu is the holistic science of home and environment,” he says.
The thinking behind it is based on the story of the demi-god Vastu Purusha, whose followers believe he exists in every plot of land, with his head resting on the north-east side and his legs folded in the south-west. Each of the elements is assigned a direction – earth the south-east, water the north-east, air the north-west, and space in the centre. The placement of water, doors and furniture can all create positive or negative energies.
The building that most obviously embodies vastu is the Taj Mahal, which is a perfect square aligned to the compass points, with a river in the north that flows east, a high entrance to the south, a lower one to the north and all structures symmetrical.
High-end Octagon Developers include many elements of vastu in many of their designs. One property on St George’s Hill in Surrey centres on a large water fountain in the hallway. “Because we have sold a lot of properties to Chinese and Indian buyers we now recognise the significance placed on water in the home,” says Tony Taylor, head of design at Octagon.
Other developers have incorporated water into the shape of the building. Thomas Guss, president of New York Residence, describes the Centurion, a 19-storey luxury condominium in New York City, as the perfect example of how to incorporate ancient principles into modern construction. The building is shaped like a waterfall and has a water garden.
Should developers pander to what some may call superstition? Jonathan Godfrey of Hamptons International says there is a fine balance between attracting buyers and putting people off. A development based too obviously on vastu would not suit everyone, and could mean it would “languish on the market for years without a sale”.
"And what about the homeowners who redesign their homes in the hope of a better life? “While it is vital for some homeowners, vastu will not fix your life alone,” says Butkovic. “It is not a miracle but a tuning of energies, a bit like tuning a piano. Consultants can make it sound better but they can’t play it for you.”