Working with what you have
More and more often we are taught to look local and work local. Make the materials you have in hand work and make it look good. For some this is a real challenge but from my perspective it shouldn't be that hard. Having worked in two different countries there is a distinct difference on how we approach the "scarcity" of materials. I find it very interesting because in Mexico the "lack of something" is always an opportunity to make it out of something else; to be creative. It's the typical "pues a pensarle" for those who speak Spanish or "let's get to thinking" on how to make it work. I personally really like that and the results tend to be pretty nice. Don't get me wrong though, having almost any material available to you is also very nice and it allows us to be creative but in a different way. I think that as designer/architects we should always welcome design challenges as a positive and not feel like it is a constrain. A positive attitude can make great Architecture.
Here are some examples from Mexico City:
Here are some examples from Mexico City:
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| Los Manatiales by Felix Candela |
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| Luis Barragan |
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| Museo Nacional de Antropologia e Historia - Pedro Ramirez Vazquez |
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| Tatiana Bilbao |
I love the idea that constraints can be opportunities for designers. While we have the ability to be creative whether we find ourselves in a situation of scarcity or abundance, I think situations of scarcity are better because they force us to push the boundaries of our creativity.
ReplyDeleteGood point!! The architect need fully understand their project when they design something. That what is happened in China a few years ago. The "big name" architect wins the project in China. And they just fly on the site for few times. And use something we need import from outside. That makes the building expensive and it also not look good.
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