Inferior Architecture + inferior essay structure

         Martin Heidegger's thoughts on place can help us understand the facade as a boundary or perhaps a 'last frontier'. "A boundary is not that at which something stops but, the boundary is that from which something begins its presencing." The role of the architect in producing a facade for a building is what shows the face of the architecture to the world beyond the interior and function of the building. It is therefore highly social, highly political, and is in an active relationship with the city, town, streetscape, community, etc.

        Designing the exterior of a building is equally as important to designing the interior of a building. However, designing the exterior façade is one of the more political aspects of the design process and I think that is why I hate designing facades just on their own - I can't get no relief from the politics. Its not political because it has to be, but because we all want it to be. I know we only enter a small percentage of the buildings that we pass by or encounter. But, for some reason, we have to show passersby a clear image that tells them if they are allowed to enter or not. OR, the exterior must say we fit in or are intentionally trying to stand out from our neighbors. OR, we proclaim a brand as big as possible so you know we have some stuff we want you to buy. 

      

        The reason that architects might be transitioning to 'exterior designers' is a result of how much time humans spend indoors and how much designers want to ignore the political and social issues in the design profession, generally. We spend a lot of time indoors and therefore have a solid understanding on how to make life comfortable for ourselves. We feel empowered when we paint walls, or move furniture, or use a room. It is easier to design interiors than exteriors because we spend so much time indoors - comfortable and sheltered. We have this perception that the walls that encapsulate us are a mysterious assembly that we can't change without research or professional consultation or that someone might notice us if we change the exterior.  Instead we dream of the next kitchen renovation or DIY project because it is a low risk approach to crafting atmosphere. I think to really feel empowered is to treat the exterior as equally difficult to designing the interior. Don't paint a wall, or choose a new lighting fixture to increase some aspect of a space when the actual issue is a poorly located window or absence of a tree just beyond it. Planting that tree or moving that window are equally viable solutions in crafting the atmosphere.

        The design profession tries to avoid the political issues as much as possible or actively works to partition the profession to certain firms dealing with exteriors and others dealing with interiors. Architecture will always be political regardless of how stratified we make the design process.

            Personally, I don't find any joy in designing an interior irrespective of the exterior. The exterior plays an equally important role in creating atmosphere. The exterior is a change, its an invitation, its a political gesture, and it is the last effort of the architectural object to shout its opinions out to the place around it. If architects transition to exterior designers than the only true architecture, that is the parts that cannot be replaced of must remain as true to itself, is the bare bones structural elements that support the skin and act as a shell that sets the boundaries of the interior. If this is the trend, that exterior is replaceable, amendable, and reconfigurable just as much as the interior, then I might just go pursue structural engineering.