Everything we see and feel around us is architecture. Architecture is something that can be found both naturally and made by man. The bees that fly around are also architects of sorts, and the honeycomb is their built structure. Starting from the site selection, the foundation (that should be able to carry the entire weight), the rooms with perfect hexagonal patterns and so on. The architectural idea from the bees can be seen influencing our daily lives beginning from smaller examples like decors to bigger examples like The Hexagon building.
Architecture In and Out of the field
An architect is a creator… A designer… A dreamer… A person with the ability to bring that dream into reality… But the conversation between the architect/student and the public in day to day life has been a problem. Imagine taking your car to the mechanic, and the mechanic says, “Pressure is applied to the braking components using both hydraulic and mechanical means. Wear causing excessive play, improper lubrication, and lack of repair to clevises, pushrods, and bell cranks can lead to ineffective braking or failure.” Anyone would be confused for a moment. It would be much easier when said, “A brake failure”. Couldn’t that be easier for the customer to understand? The same goes for the client. A 3D view of a project or a rendered image could make them understand better rather than a detailed plan of the project. It is a fact that an architect can complicate the conversation by using terms and phrases which a person outside the architectural field cannot understand. This is the impact that architecture has on architects.
From an architect’s perspective, whatever they see around them, they grasp every detail possible. It may be a utilitarian space or a clustered formation just for aesthetics. The difference between an architect and a common man’s vision is that the man sees what and how the architect wants them to see. The architect here plays the role of an inducer, and the man reacts accordingly. For instance, a clothing store display is designed in such a way that the person walking across the store can’t take their eyes off the display. This is the illusion that the architect creates using the lighting to lure in the customers. The warm white colour on the clothing gives out a royalty nature to it. And also, the decors play an important role in enhancing the product.
Passive design is one of the finest examples to show the impact of architecture in our daily lives. To keep us thermally comfortable and also eco-friendly. Using this process, the occupant can cut down lots of expenses on electricity and other products like air-conditioners/heaters and so on. Passive heating and passive cooling can be seen in our day-to-day lives. Long windows to let in heat during the winter and an exhaust hole on top of the wall to let the heat out during the summer. This type of detail can be felt by a common person and seen by an architect.
Every part of the world is bound to have an impact on architecture. In the Sahara desert, the type of shelter built to avoid the heat from coming in is called Pueblo Revival. Since it’s very hot during the day and very cold during the night, they incorporate the low, thick walls of the adobe, which locks the warmth during the night and coolness during the day. On the contrary, in the rainy area, the type of architecture adapted is the Stilt house. The raised platform/slits and sloped roof protect them from flood and water stagnation. These architectural characteristics come in handy for them.
Education
Architecture is not just an education; it is a foundation for a different lifestyle. An architectural student’s mind turns into a fabulous blossom during their final years in college. The guidance of the past makes them look at everything from a different perspective. One way to reach this guidance is through case studies. It is viewing every little detail that was once created during a golden era where classical architecture has made everyone astonished by its creation. We could always hear our senior architects say that they had to travel to know about stuff. But at present, a single search on the internet could filter down multiple contents. Just like the saying goes, “The coin has two sides” there is always a pro and con in everything. The current online education system can be a safety shield for the health of the students but lacks exploration. A live case study that allows the student to feel space and how it would interact with its user.
Brainstorming is one of the best things a student could experience. As Maggie Wooll (Managing Editor from BetterUp) says in her article, ‘face-to-face conversation is more efficient than a long email or an audio call’. Hence, The students must come together again for the process of learning. An architectural student, in the beginning, would look out through the window and enjoy the scenery. Whereas a senior student would think of the landscape arrangement and how the aesthetic or functional aspects should be. The switched thinking of the student is evidence of evolution within them.
The difference may be oceans apart, but all it takes is a little effort to start the journey of understanding. A few years ago, the word Architect itself was foreign to most people. Now numerous people have learned to trust us and would want their space to have meaning. They dream, and we bring it to reality. The future would be brighter when the architect and the common man could go hand in hand. As far as education goes, we are just like pebbles on the shore; we shape ourselves as the wave of knowledge hits us. As architects, we should take forward the advancement in technology that helps the user to feel more comfortable and hassle-free. This generation, as frontline runners, should take more responsibility for making the appropriate decisions and be an example for the generation to follow. It is never too late to begin, and there is no end to learning.
References:
- American Bee Journal. n.d. Comb Building: Watch Out for Wrong Turns – American Bee Journal. [online]
Available at: <https://americanbeejournal.com/comb-building-watch-out-for-wrong-turns/> [Accessed 1 April 2022].
- Your home. n.d. Passive Design. [online]
Available at: <https://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/passive-heating> [Accessed 1 April 2022].
- Lisbdnet.com. n.d. what are desert houses made of – Lisbdnet.com. [online]
Available at: <https://lisbdnet.com/what-are-desert-houses-made-of/> [Accessed 1 April 2022].
- Wooll, M., 2022. Why face-to-face communication matters (even with remote work). [online] Betterup.com.
Available at: <https://www.betterup.com/blog/face-to-face-communication> [Accessed 1 April 2022].
