Background Architecture
“Too bad no one wants to do a background building”, quoted
from Lawrence Anderson in Habraken’s article, “Questions that will not go away”,
really identifies the conception of architecture in the ordinary. A look back on what historically was
architecture (palaces, castles, mansions, churches, mosques), to what now is
also considered architecture (office buildings and homes) demonstrates how over
time our role as designers has changed.
As I mentioned in my last blog post, the everyday or “ordinary”
environment is of way more importance now and in the past then we care to
admit. I agree with Habraken that we are in a bit of denial, but I am truly confused
why there is so much hate on the ordinary. Yes, this means that not all of our
works can be seen as different or special, but the work and the design can
still be beautiful and functional. Just take the background image on your
desktop for example, it is usually a unique image or something you have chosen
that means something to you (and if not fine, but just hear me out), something
that you see everyday but is still comforting in some sense.
So once again, let’s hear it for the ordinary!
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ReplyDeleteThis is a great point. It's crazy to think what design might look like 50 years from now. What we now consider extraordinary architecture may very well become the new ordinary. What will the next generation of extraordinary architecture look like as peoples everyday lives transition and morph into a new normal, I wonder? No matter what these transitions entail, I believe ordinary architecture will always remain essential, even if it begins to take on a completely new form.
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