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"Thinking about spaces in a more ‘Japanese’ way can open up new ways of organizing our lives and focusing on the relationships that matter to us. Building spaces that deepen relationships (wa), generate new knowledge (ba), connect to the world around us (tokoro), and allow moments of quiet and integration (ma) can enrich our experience of the world and that of those around us." Instead of thinking of space in terms of surroundings, the Japanese consider what is going on between people in terms of interactions and relationships. When spaces are designed with this in mind, it allows people to be social, independent, or anything in between--to have a conversation, meditate, exchange ideas, or share feelings. This piece from Quartz invites us to consider how spaces affect our outer and inner lives.