Science and space equal harmony

We've all heard of feng shui. But what do you know about vasthu sastra? It's the Vedic equivalent of that ancient Chinese body of knowledge.

Vastu sastra is the science of space and architecture and dates back thousands of years. It's all about the flow of energy in a building, and vastu sastra design is used to create spaces and environments that support physical and spiritual health and prosperity.

The principles of vastu sastra have been applied to everything from town planning to military installations in India for thousands of years.

Practitioners view buildings as a microcosm designed to be a miniature version of the universe, or macrocosm.

If you've ever been to a Hindu temple or large public building you'll know the feeling of harmony that comes with the territory. It's in part down to vastu sastra design, says consultant engineer and maharishi vastu architect Neil Hamill.

In the home, small subtleties in design will make you feel more at ease in a building designed according to vastu sastra than others, says Hamill who has built at least 60 homes and many commercial buildings in New Zealand encompassing the practice.

Hamill, who recently retired as a director of the Broadway Property Group, says incorporating vastu sastra in a building involves orientating the rooms to cardinal directions and ensuring the mathematical proportions are correct.

He has worked on group housing homes where subtle changes such as the ceiling height to improve the mathematical proportions and the orientation of the kitchens and bedrooms have had an impact on the liveability compared to a seemingly identical house next door.

Bayleys Mt Albert agent Christopher Valladares was an interior designer in his native India and has incorporated vastu sastra for some clients.

He points out that not all Hindu or Chinese buyers are looking specifically for vastu sastra or feng shui in the houses they buy. But it can help.

Often it is those with a little more to spend who want it integrated into the design of their homes or look for those features when buying, he says. It's more difficult once a home is built to orient it to vastu sastra principles. But there are certain subtle changes that can be made to improve the flow of subtle energies. That might include, for example, orienting the bed so that the inhabitants wake up facing east, or placing mirrors to reflect positive energy, says Valladares.

Some Kiwi companies are using vastu sastra in their design of homes and gardens. Hamill cites David and Betsy Kettle who have both trained in vastu sastra and offer engineering and landscape architecture consulting services.

Hamill is wary about recommending books on the subject, because of what he calls the "McDonaldisation" of vastu sastra, but does suggest Vastuarchitecture.com.au