One’s perspective differs depending on their personality or preferences, but as an architect, their perspective solely depends on their architectural view and design-based perception. Architecture blends the aesthetic with technical expertise. Whereas art and architecture have a very deep impact on how we preview something. Moreover, an architect is knowledgeable about the activity of the spaces and the interactions between spaces. Before getting into architecture a visit to any tourist place, museum, or designer house was just about admiring its beauty However, after getting into architecture it’s about examining the materials that are used there, the services that are maintained, and how each element of the design was incorporated there. Everything becomes about art and architecture and somehow everything falls under it.
Understandings through Baby Steps
At the beginning of architecture, as a student, we get introduced to the very first shock- realizing that architecture is not only about design but also about understanding spaces, human interaction, history, and sustainability. Just like that, getting introduced at each stage and our exploration through each segment gains us a lot of knowledge and experience. Eventually, students start to feel a sense of empowerment by looking at the world through an architect’s lens. There’s also an understanding of the responsibility of an architect through it. By closing the degree, from being a student to entering the real world as a professional architect they uplift their perception as not just designers but critical thinkers and problem-solvers who influence the built environment.
From classroom to construction
Viewing the world through the lens of an architecture student now viewing as a professional architect highlights the actual, real part behind the learning of architecture. Attention to detail starts, more with how windows frame light, how materials age, and how public spaces function. Even mundane structures become case studies for them to analyze and learn from. The respect towards historical arts, constructions, and architects and appreciation for it begins. The eye doesn’t stop at admiring the beauty of design but it travels until how the structure is constructed to analyze how each texture of the material is selected and how the connectivity or the interaction of the activity of the spaces is patterned. Over time every visit to any place would be registered as a case study, no matter if it be a cinema hall, shopping store, or even a family function.
From a novice to being an expert
As a novice architect, they visualize the world as a collection of challenges, eager to explore how each principle of architecture is being used as the piece for the puzzle of urban density, housing, or sustainability. They start to view the world more analytically, recognizing the layers of planning, engineering and thought behind every structure. Their lens shifts from addressing the aesthetic of beauty to judging the interaction of architecture with culture, climate, and urban fabric. With more experience, they see architecture as a tool for addressing social and environmental issues, realizing that design goes beyond form to impact quality of life.
Architects observe the connections/relations – the world is an interconnected system consisting of technology and architecture is no longer a business of designing aesthetic spaces/structures, but an endeavor of designing compelling experiences, proposing forms of sustainability, stewardship of heritage, and addressing global issues such as climate change. They think about everything, including the material they use, and the communities that are affected by their work, and are always asking themselves how can they do it better?
Art through two lenses
The way art is perceived by a normal person and an architect differs through different levels, primarily in the depth of analysis and context. While both may appreciate the quality of the aesthetic, an architect brings out a unique multidimensional perspective that involves artistic appreciation. A normal man focuses on color, form, and texture but an architect focuses on geometry, balance, proportion, and how each element relationship works out. An architect often links art with function. The major difference that stands out between an ordinary man and an architect is the attention to detail. They are trained to structure or absorb the study of every minute detail that’s in front of them.
Moreover, architecture teaches architects to think holistically, considering both the macro and micro scales—from the design of a single building to its impact on the surrounding environment. It cultivates a deep respect for history and context while pushing for innovation and progress, ultimately reshaping how architects view the world, with a focus on improving the human experience through design.
Citation:
Borden, D. (2008) Architecture: A world history. New York: Abrams.
Roth, L.M. and Clark, A.C.R. (2025) Understanding architecture: Its elements, history, and Meaning. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
