It's Fundamental to be a Citizen
WEEK 09 -
“We are citizens, we can intervene. It is fundamental” (Santiago Cirugeda)
As some
in our class know, I recently have been in conflict of what it means to be an Architect.
I surely thought I knew after undergrad and after working for a year. I worked
in a nationally corporate firm, making a difference in K-12 design. And if you
asked me then, this was my passion. Creating spaces for children to learn and
make a difference in the future. I liked the business aspect, I liked the RFP
process, the interview process, the schematic design and the construction
administration. I liked it all, because that is what I was supposed to
like as a designer wishing to be an architect. I even started my
licensing exams early in hopes to get an edge and graduate with my Master’s
degree on the verge of being a licensed Architect – ready to go back to the
world of systematic design.
So,
what changed? I reflected on my role as a citizen. Not as an Architect.
My
undergraduate degree taught me HOW to design. What a beautiful building should
look like, and the process to get there. My time in an office taught me how to
PRODUCE a design and make money. My graduate degree started as a way to further
my education to be better at producing designs… And then I went to Charleston
and met David Pastre, Leslie Wade, Jesse Blom, Nathan Burnell, and so many
others working to make a difference in people’s lives at a grassroots level. I
helped design and build two structures to give back to the community. I used “the
tools of my trade to restructure my surroundings”. And now I am back in
Clemson, about to graduatate from a prestigious university with a Masters of
Architecture and communityBUILD certificate…. So, what do I do?
“Wouldn’t it be easier to do a normal job? Yes, but it wouldn’t fill
your life.” (Santiago Cirugeda)
I don’t
have the answer, I am searching outside the realm of the “typical” desk
architecture to redefine the profession. Below are some amazing organizations I have
come across in my search:
*claps hands*
ReplyDeleteI love this and feel some of your pain. It seems that there is a huge difference in school versus practicing in a capitalism society. I'm wondering how we can maintain the values and skills we learned in the past few years while dealing with clients and budgets and politics. I have hope because I do agree with Franco - that in our generation we will see a shift in the practice. I just hope it doesn't take to long to get there and/or that the process of getting there will be fulfilling and worthwhile.
ReplyDelete