Pressure on the Profession
Our field
has started to put too much pressure on ourselves to solve more problems than
just the architecture related ones. For instance, very few architects today are capable of
what Frank Lloyd Wright or Corbu were able to accomplish-- designing every inch
and item down to the utensils. It just isn’t the focus today. This is not a bad
thing. If you think about it, successful, famous architects such as the ones
mentioned above didn’t have families or a successful, happy marriage. Of course
they were able to design everything because they didn’t have kids and soccer
practice competing for their time, like most do today. It’s just different
times today and that’s not to undermine or throw shade at the work they accomplished.
Frank Lloyd Wrights Falling Water Kitchen
Additionally, means and methods of the past don’t serve the changing
needs we have today. As Habraken stated “architecture finds its place in the
common fabric.” This is so true, architecture is within the everyday or mundane spaces and can be improved upon with some creativity and ingenuity.
Schroder House by Rietveld- adaptable housing
It is okay that we are different designers in
this generation and we don’t have to pressure ourselves to produce something
phenomenal. As long as we provide quality work to help make life easier for
those who inhabit our space while designing with an environmental approach we
are doing our part. We will need to focus on the balance between “what will
change and what remains as architecture becomes larger.” With that being said, I believe adaptability and sustainability will be an extremely important part of what we face; this pressure from society with adaptability will need to be solved-- not chosen to be solved during our architecture careers.
I think that its better we don't design every square inch of the built environment. That we allow users to fill it with objects they like and not feel like they're living in a museum where nothing can be changed or touched.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how much architecture has changed since the time of FLW. I agree it is ok that we are designing with flexibility in mind, but on the other hand I wonder what we have lost by focusing on the adaptability and future of the building, as opposed to designing with the idea of "now" in mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree that not every building is special, but I think every project is important. If we approach designing in that way, we might leave some of our ego at the door and begin to work more in the context of "why". I agree that we shouldn't be designing down to the chair, but I also believe that the small details are just as significant as the large and that if architecture looks too much at the big ideas we can actually miss the trees through the forest
ReplyDeleteDuring the last class, I was thinking about this idea that you've mentioned: the trend in recent years/ decades, is that the architect (and if we're being honest, every profession and trade involved in the project) is expected to be more involved, knowledgeable, accommodating, and subservient. There are also the pressures to be more socially, politically, and environmentally aware of the ramifications of the built environment on these issues.
ReplyDeleteI share a lot of your same sentiment. But I'm going to play a little bit of the David Franco devil's advocate. There's a difference between what we aspire to do as architects, or any profession, and what we accomplish day in and day out. In other words, just because we find roadblocks along the way to creating incredible architecture doesn't mean we stop shooting for it. How does the old saying go? Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars? Cheesy I know but I think it applies a bit.
ReplyDeleteYeah we spend a lot of time in school dreaming like we're going to solve the world's biggest problems (affordable housing, poverty, homelessness, stagnant wages, etc.). We all know we're not going to solve those things come June. But if we carry those aspirations and apply them, changing one person's life for the better in the process is worth it.