The Rural Studio: An Architectural Gospel
I found the reading on The Rural Studio by Samuel Mockbee to be a breathe of fresh air when considering the role of the architect within its community and, in my opinion, hits the nail on the head regarding our social role and responsibility. First of all its almost necessary to acknowledge that "Architects are by nature and pursuit leaders and teacher". This simple statement comes with a laundry list of implications. How can an architect lead if they aren't engaged with their community? The architect must must be interwoven into the fabric of their context, know the people, their goals and be able to sympathize and relate if they have any hope of leading. The ability to teach also comes naturally (ideally) with the profession. I believe any of us who has tried explaining the work we are doing in school to our parents, has realized how challenging yet necessary it is to translate "archi-garble" to those who simply don't think the way that we do. I feel as though the two big take aways from this article can be summed up in the following quotes...
"The practice of architecture not only require participation in the profession but it also requires civic engagement."
"People and place matter."
I believe that Samuel Mockbee has touched on the whimsical potential and sobering responsibility that we carry as architects and to be aware of these things is of the highest importance.
"I believe any of us who has tried explaining the work we are doing in school to our parents, has realized how challenging yet necessary it is to translate "archi-garble" to those who simply don't think the way that we do." I like how you brought up the necessity of explaining and teaching the importance of what we do to other people. The way we change perceptions and mold understanding is through teaching what architecture is and what it can be to people who have not spent years of their life studying and working in the field.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Samuel Mockbee and you on that architects should be involved with the community to be seek its best interest and outcomes. It seems to me, and I could be wrong, that more and more individuals in the architecture profession are beginning to get more involved in their community. I hope this trend continues to grow as we will begin to see necessary and positive changes around us.
ReplyDeleteArchitects as leaders and teachers is a role we come into easily, yes. But that is a great responsibility as well, and ensuring that we use it to not only push our own ideas forward but, as you say, listen to our community as well is very important.
ReplyDeleteI have read a reading before said that the U.S is the first country that has the community build. The program can make the student really use their thinking hand that is a part of the designer thinking way.
ReplyDelete"Sobering responsibility" is nice to hear because as popular as the Rural Studio has become in certain circles, there is still this sense of quiet purpose that the faculty and students have. They have a very clear goal that they follow successfully.
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