Knowledge has been passed across generations through different mediums. Written documents happen to be an example of the same. For years, our predecessors have cultivated the art of documenting our history. Understanding history is crucial to any individual involved in the architectural field in any capacity. The designs and techniques employed by previous generations serve as a continual source of inspiration for modern architects. Consider Bauhaus architecture as an example. Founded by Walter Gropius in 1916 it emphasised clean lines, functionality, and technology. Understanding the conditions of the world in that period helps us gauge the popularity of this style. Due to Hitler’s rise in Germany in the 1930s most of the practitioners of this field, who were mostly Jews, were compelled to flee. This resulted in the style’s global outreach causing most buildings of the present to bear an impact of the Bauhaus style. Today, around 2 million books are published yearly. This quantity of releases from all publishing houses is bound to stump any individual. This article will help weed out the authors and books of quality among this vast number.
- Micheal Sorkin
Micheal David Sorkin was an American architectural and urban critic. He has written for various publications such as The Village Voice, Architectural Record, The New York Times, The Architectural Review, The Metropolis, Vanity Fair, Wall Street Journal, etc. Along with these he has authored and published multiple books such as Twenty Minutes in Manhattan, a unique book narrating and describing a walk Sorkin took in the City of Manhattan. However, along with helping us visualise the space he also described every detail he mentioned going decades back into understanding its history. A few other recommended reads of Sorkin would be Traffic in Democracy and All Over the Map: Writing on Buildings and Cities.
2. John Berger
“Ways of Seeing” written by John Berger is one of the most influential books in the field of art. As an architecture student, it helps to understand the importance of the visual medium. How every image conveys a meaning far more impactful than words and how the context of the same helps in influencing the meaning tied to it. This importance of the visual medium is highly relevant in the field of architecture as most times it is not words but rather the images that are shown to clients that help them understand the true agenda of the projects. While explaining an idea to any individual in most scenarios they visualise and imagine what the space can be. Architects bridge this gap and help in the visualisation and this book equips them with the skills it requires.
3. Micheal Foucault
Micheal Foucault was a French philosopher. His ideologies have influenced many contrasting areas of study. His primary areas of research are power and its influences, social control, and liberty. Foucault introduced the idea of the panopticon. The idea revolves around the concept of how surveillance brings about discipline. The fear of being surveilled is enough for individuals to conduct themselves. This theory that was produced decades back is still true today with the influence of technology on the daily functioning of humans. Foucault concepts although seem like they have nothing to do with the field of architecture are highly relevant to it. It helps us understand the psyche of humans which is the most important part of architecture. Architects design spaces for the needs of human beings and every detail in their design is important and relevant.
4. Jane Jacobs
She was an American-Canadian journalist whose work focused on Urban studies. Her famous concept of “eyes of the street” talks about how buildings and public spaces influence the quality of life in a neighbourhood. Street-level engagement and interaction are more important than just constructing high skyscrapers and buildings that cause isolation.
5. Franco La Cecla
Franco La Cecla is a Sicilian anthropologist who examines the field of architecture which in his words, is “an indictment against the laziness of a profession that used to promise a lot and that today is a washout”. He navigates this emotion in his work “Against Architecture” through his journey of working with Renzo Piano’s campus expansion for Columbia University in New York. This book is a must-read for any architecture student. It opens the mind to a critical understanding of what the field offers exactly and helps one better prepare oneself for life after obtaining an architectural degree.
For architects, it is essential to comprehend the writings of authors such as Michael Sorkin, John Berger, Michel Foucault, Jane Jacobs, and Franco La Cecla. These writers provide insights into social dynamics, urban studies, visual perception, and critical comments on architecture itself. Their works stimulate more in-depth reflections on space, society, and human behaviour in addition to guiding architectural practice. Examining architectural manifestos is also crucial since they outline the philosophies and values that direct architects in forming their practice and vision. Other notable authors are David Harvey, Henry David Thoreau, James Scott, Tom Porter, Walter Benjamin, and Henri Lefebvre, who offer a variety of viewpoints that are crucial for a thorough comprehension of architecture and its effects on society.
References:
Sorkin, M. (2009) Twenty Minutes in Manhattan. London: Reaktion.
Sorkin, M. (2011) All Over The Map: Writing on Buildings and Cities. London: Verso.
Sorkin, M. (1997) Traffic In Democracy. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan College of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Berger,J. (1972) Ways of Seeing. Penguin
Foucault, M. (1979) Discipline and punish the birth of the prison. New York: Vintage Books.
La Cecla, F. (2012) Against architecture. San Francisco: Green Arcade/PM Press.
