back to reality
I really enjoyed this reading. I feel like it said so many things that I have been thinking on my own.
I loved the quote "too bad nobody wants to do a background building". pointing out that everything can't be "special". Common buildings can be good quality. Additionally, I liked the commentary on the changing role of architects and the 'real world'. We are not, or at least very rarely, tasked to design in a completely top down approach. We are a spoke in a wheel of construction. Architects are very important but so are all the other spokes. I think too often architects forget that (at least through the lenses of higher education).
The real word is all about creativity in constraints, problem solving, and working with others. It is about quality design in every day projects. Something I wish was more prominent in the current architectural education system. Why don't we do more small scale or realistic projects? Why shouldn't we have a studio project that is associated with a budget? At least one. I don't believe our creativity would be stunted with a budget, rather it may be fertilized. Why don't we have projects that are collaborative with the engineering or construction science programs? Those are the projects and people we are going to be working with out of school and it would do them good too.
I think that is a really good point Tre. Would our studio projects actually be enhanced with a budget? I think that would make for a fascinating studio dealing with low cost materials in a creative way.
ReplyDeleteTre I quoted the same thing in my post, twins!!!! Also to go off of what Shane says I do think that studio is a lot of the reason we get this bad impression of everyday architecture in our minds, although they are fun and amazing projects, I think what is missing is the application into what our lives may actually look like as architects
ReplyDeleteThis is a great point. Though I would argue that placing budget constraints on a project (as realistic as that may be) could threaten to stunt creativity. I think the incorporation of budgeting is something that comes more so with working in a professional environment. I think it is important to place the focus almost completely on creativity while in school: something that may not necessarily be easy to learn once you get out into the real world. I do, however, completely agree that it would greatly benefit us to be able to work more collaboratively with students in related fields to get a better sense of the bigger picture outside of just architecture.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Tre. I think that it's incredibly important for architects to realize the real world constraints and speak to the other "spokes" in the wheel to come to creative solutions. I liked also the quote that you used about architects not wanting to design background buildings. Imagine how great a grocery store experience would be if the architects of that space took just a little more time to make it a better experience. It doesn't have to be special or breathtaking, im just talking about raising the bar a little.
ReplyDeleteTotally true. We are not the be all-end all in the built environment. There are so many other factors (or "spokes) such as the owners, contractors, sub-contractors, etc. When it comes to teaching the reality of architecture, we have the rest of our careers to deal with that, but I do believe there should be a hint more of that in academia. A studio project with a an actual budget could be really interesting and could allow students to push that fantastic design can be within (or even under) budget.
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