Final Thoughts

As I think about the journey we went through this semester exploring theory in architecture, this is the first time that I feel the history, ideas, and philosophies that have significantly impacted our profession, from past to present, and as we look into the future, have finally began to make a little more sense to me. I believe my approach and thought process regarding architecture going forward has been strengthened by this course and has encouraged me to continue to read and write about architecture on a more critical level. I want to take this last blog entry to revisit a few of the ideas that have made the most impact on me this semester:

Projective

I think one of the greatest benefits an architect can bring to the world as an instrument of the creative process is his or her own humanity. Inherent in this process and what is so amazing about architecture is that it is one of the few mediums in which we try to translate the metaphysical to something tangible. The human condition is a response to societal evolution – political, economic, cultural, social, etc. – which can be captured in a piece of architecture, but being able to shape society through it is projective: forward alternatives, tacit, multiple, cool, Mitchum.

Architecture is more than a “product”, it is an idea and a belief, which should be more concerned with the human condition and how to improve it, to weave people together through “multiple engagements rather than a single articulation of program, technology, or form.” (Somol Whiting, 76) As a result, I feel that in the past we have used architecture as an expression of: this how you make us feel vs this is how we want to feel. And that it reacts to the quality of life as opposed to shaping the life that we want to have.

The Everyday

Everyday life is as diverse as the people and activities that inhabit it, so how can we ask architecture to accommodate all of this in singular? By planting something so concrete within the built environment, we are saying that we have some control over it, this is simply not true. But when we begin to construct a framework that embraces and promotes everyday life, it is here, in this liminal state, where we find common threads that help weave together a fabric for the everyday: people’s values. I’m not talking about morality, but about what strikes at our hearts and souls, the joy, excitement, and sense of well-being. I believe architects have the responsibility in creating places for these multiple engagements and social overlaps, where we allow the story of everyday life to write itself.

Atmosphere

The truth about the building envelope is that it is becoming the only sacred place left where architects feel they can be heard (and seen), a place where fewer constraints have a say in influencing the story they are trying to tell – their thoughts, values, aspirations, desires, joys. At the same time, it is a playground for challenging design applications, exploring technology, testing material compatibility, and so on. What the architect is responsible for is to negotiate these terms in a way that can harmoniously unite the functions of a building with the emotions of the users and the energy of the surrounding environment. A process that culminates all the architect’s “right decisions” and is complimented in the totality of the architecture’s use, not just the envelope. It is this critical point Zumthor categorizes as Coherence and so elegantly describes as “…when the proof of the pudding is found in the eating.” Here, the envelope forms a narrative that subtly encourages people on how to occupy and interact with the architecture, shaping the experiences they have with space (exterior and interior), with each other, and with nature.

Architecture is full of so many layers that it is hard to dissect and understand them all. But the discipline itself, I believe, is one of that can be the most impactful and resonate with people, not only on a physical level, but an emotional level. If we take the time to be genuine with our surroundings, we can truly shape how we act and engage with one another. We can build quality spaces, where people have a collective say in how they live out their lives, and we can truly create an atmosphere that promotes and enriches our daily lives and a better future.