Architecture By Whom?

John Habraken speaks poetry for some of us in this class: attacking studio culture, questioning the need for unique and special buildings, and instead asking us to look to the normal, the everyday. While I love the idea of examining the natural rhythms and wants of human nature and using this to inform our designs, I hesitate at this type of fetishized dislike of the architect’s role. First and foremost, I would challenge the assertion that academia is still like it was when Habraken wrote this lecture. Academia has become much more varied, leaving room for many schools of thought. I would argue that Clemson in particular does a good job of teaching that constraints make design better, and not vice versa. Similarly, the professional world has room for multiple schools of thought too, and our world is not missing firms that take pride in ‘background buildings.’

 

My other point is simply that there seems to be a pride in saying that architects don’t know anything and must listen to everyone else. There is a middle ground that I would urge us to remember: the architect is the mediator and the leader. The architect is looked to as the problem solver, as the one who knows just enough about every part of the process that he or she can intelligently propose solutions to complex problems. Yes, we must rely on others as experts of their field, but we are the figure head of the project. And there should be pride in that. Yes, we should design for the people, for the users, but we are the designers. Not every building can be “special and different,” like Habraken asserts. But is it so wrong to want to design one? And, more to the point, to believe that you are capable of designing one?

 

(Something I love about this class: I wrote this before the debate and purposefully did not post it, wanting my question to be more of a surprise. I really enjoyed hearing the class’s answers and my own point of view was altered after hearing more opinions and David’s input. I still want to post this, however, if just to be true to my thoughts at the time).