The imaginative possibilities of architecture are much more than vertical concrete jungles. One might come across things that are not quite architectural yet it has something profound to say about the discipline.
That thing might be an image, an excerpt, a comic strip, an artwork, a scenario, a very particular detail or joinery, a construction technique that might have intrigued you; or a very specific problem of a community. Within Architecture, you might start questioning, thinking, analyzing architecturally a particular thing that may or may not interest someone who has yet to do architecture. Architecture is much deeper than built forms, it offers an aperture to a new space, a new insight.
Architecture is constantly evolving. The way we used to look at different spaces, be it home, workspace, public space, etc. everything is constantly changing with respect to time and technology. Hence our perspective towards looking at these spaces also changes. Over the period of 5 years, you’ll realize How architecture is not a bunch of plans alone (or understood 2 dimensionally) but also it’s a series of sections as well which requires looking around, gazing, experimenting, and exploring. Here are 4 ways that will change your perspective.
Architecture changes the way you look at the city
Without architecture, wandering around the city makes you appreciate the space for its aesthetic or face value. But during your time in architecture, you start to appreciate the little things about the city. Sometimes the elements on the façade are interesting, sometimes a figurine on the compound wall might tell you about the history of the place, and some built structures are relatively old; You might figure that out by its architectural style, sometimes built forms are restored to gain back the original value, sometimes art is infused in architecture and sometimes availability of material or technology can determine a particular form.
One might also start noticing the nitty-gritty of the city and how it functions. The way street vendors or sellers use the cityscape as their marketplace and the constant negotiations between them and the people. Sometimes these street vendors also use the city as their home or resting space. It’s interesting to provide certain architectural solutions to their problems.
One might also question, who made the city and who governs it. The larger service sector from auto drivers to taxi drivers, carpenters, artisans, vendors, construction workers, and plumbers are the people who constantly work in the background to build the city and add value to it. However, these are the people who are sometimes betrayed by the city.
Designing around Concepts
Architecture is not plain and simple, it’s always based on a concept. It’s important to question, criticize and understand the aspects required to construct a built form. The lack of identity and placelessness can make a building highly unresponsive. Therefore architects always look for inspiration through books, other architects’ work, articles, images, films, etc.
With the advance in technology, architectural references are also advancing and hence we are in a constant struggle of producing something better and sustainable. However, context is an important exercise to put your diagrams or concept on site. Context helps to understand the site situation better in terms of access to the site, footfall, sun path, wind path, site situation, access to roads, waterbodies, etc. Hence it is helpful for us to design an experience for the client.
Bharat Bhavan designed by Charles Correa is a great example of different concepts blending with the context. It is a public space that is designed on the basis of the Vastu Purush Mandala, therefore is applicable simultaneously in the plan as well as the section. The three basic themes to design the place were the void, interlock, and the world of worlds. The feature of non-building in the form of courtyards and open spaces acts as a meditative focal point and allows free-flowing spaces for more public interaction.
Curiosity for details
Within Architecture, we are always designing something for the greater good, hence details and joineries become essential for design. Day-to-day interactions will shift towards day-to-day observations. Every little detail gone wrong will make you question the work. The details could range from floor tiles alignment with the wall tiles, material selection with respect to the context, window jamb detail, partition alignment detail, molding detail, handrail, etc.
Having an eye for detail is suddenly your thing now. Even the slightest detail would make you want to know the engineering behind it. Sometimes details and joineries are so well curated and carried out on-site that it makes you wonder what made someone think about this detail. Santiago Calatrava in his project Milwaukee Art Museum, aims to achieve the movement of a flying bird with its wings spreading outward, these are huge white wings made of glass, structural steel, and concrete. The kind of engineering behind the structure to make it look lighter, the focus on details to make it more efficient and fluid along with the usage of materials are exceptional.
Temporal spaces will be more important than permanent ones
Architecture can make us question the permanence of a space. The architecture related to permanence can be static, passive, and deterministic. With the evolution of time, there is a constant rigour of change in space hence temporal dimensions become more important without locking yourself into one permanent solution. Architecture can be seen as a transient formation of tangible and intangible constituents therefore material formation, symbiotically linked to cultural transience depicts an architecture with no absolute state rather, it is constantly building and becoming..
Temporality allows for more interactions, more flexibility, and changeability. It might include the spaces that are formed for the people and there is some degree of authority with the people themselves. Temporal spaces can cause less damage to the city and help enhance the interaction between the city and its people. Temporal spaces can also cater to multiple functions at different points in time.
If you’re pursuing architecture, you’re a dreamer and an achiever, there are a lot of things that you enjoy doing that will help you shape your own perspective towards architecture. Keep exploring and keep enjoying.
