Recycling Utopia, idea by Goda Verikaite, 2020. Image © Future Architecture Platform
Giancarlo De Carlo's book, Architecture's Public, argues that the public realm has always been an essential part of architecture and that it has been a tool to help create a sense of community and identity. He is apparent in the direction architecture must take, that what we face today should not be led by architects but by the public to decide.
Architecture today is very telling of how architecture students are taught and prepared to be architects. As students, we tend to believe we understand our user group, but it's the people using the building that actually know what they want. Architects must carefully listen to the public to help guide the user group's design, which is something that architecture school doesn't teach. We are taught to research our user group and understand what they might need, which can be unique in every area. As Designers are constantly convincing the community of what they might need, but the people should also have a say in the design process.
I definitely think its critical to understand that we as architects can learn from our clients as well. We definitely are not fully knowledgeable on every topic, and especially for projects in which there are specialized user groups, we should be heeding their advice, rather than design another piece of architecture for architects.
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