Perhaps it is helpful to consider a comparison between western spatial organization and its eastern counterpart. In much of western practice we have followed a proverbial Greek concept which says "symmetry in all things". We have thereby been trained by our culture to like, in most cases, equal balance, even numbers, radial and bilaterally divided spaces. Such usage seems to us to be regular and proper and involves straight lines and symmetrical relationships.

The eastern concept on the other hand divides spaces in always non-symmetrical ways, producing an irregularity quite opposite from the western practice. The eastern division of space often appears to western eyes to be irregular, primitive, disorganized, ugly and often just plain awry, askew or amiss.

We could hardly be more at opposites in this principle which requires an about-face reaction for the person entering into the NIWA.