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The Role of the Architect
The role of the architect is a question that evokes a spectrum of answers such as Norman Foster’s definition; ‘Architect is an expression of values… the way we build is a reflection of the way we live.’ [Foster, cited in Tholl, 2014: Online] This debate of who and what an architect should be and do is not a recent one to emerge but has lead many architects and designers as far back as Vitruvius [15BC] to produce documentation on what they believed to be the make-up of an architect. In Vitruvius’ ‘The Ten Books On Architecture’ he quickly establishes two fragments that make an architect, the manual skill and the theory and scholarship.
‘…that architect who have aimed at acquiring manual skill without scholarship
…show more content…
A recent study conducted by Building Futures in association with RIBA surveyed the various demographics of the construction industry to establish their thoughts and opinions in regards to the state of architectural profession today, and in the future. The document identifies the concern that conventional building design is shifting from the architects to the various sub-contractors for a multitude of reasons [Jamieson, 2010: 12]. The most obvious being the increased complexity and required specialisation of the building elements, which will further require a specific workforce utilising other educational qualifications. It is ironic that under this opinion architects have reverted back to their initial scope-depth state, having expertise in all but specialising in none. One could contribute this back to Vitruvius, who prescribed an architect to have an expansive knowledge including philosophy, arithmetic and geometry amongst others skills, effectively indicating that an architect should be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Thus an argument could be presented that it is the very nature of our education system, the one that forces us to immerse ourselves superficially in all aspects of the project, that makes us suitable to evolve from a design profession to a managerial role, The issue then arises to whether the title architect should even be relevant in the coming years, and more importantly how relevant is the title
“The architect’s role and their intellectual responsibility is to fight to maintain their vision and little bits get chopped off all the time, but if they’re only little bits, it’s not too bad.’’
By giving the biographies of architects Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander, Hines does nothing to remedy his aimless writing. He writes that Neutra had a variety of experience as an archi...
He suggests that the use of “electronic imaging prevents imagining and promotes thinking about architecture rather than bring architects, contractors, clients and critics to think within architecture” (275). Inspired by Frascari, the strategy of technography is encouraged (278). This is a “different way of thinking about the relationship between a [working] drawing and a future building. Rather than “simply Cartesian, technical lines showing edges, corners and joints these technographic drawings reveal both the symbolic and instrumental representations of the future building.. it is to make visible what is invisible”. Ridgway remarks, “The fact that any of this could be considered contentious indicates that extent to which architects have become alienated from the heart of their profession” (279). He asserts, “Part of any technography must be an acknowledgement of the historical context of construction knowledge. This is not only so we can better understand our rich architectural ancestry, but because it re-establishes a connection with the origins of our profession in building” (279). Rather than a “miniature projected representation of an imagined building, details are drawn as poetic constructions themselves, following the logic of drawing and not building and representing the “built detail symbolically, in addition to instrumentally. The symbolic and practical are one and the same thing” (280). “What are the symbolic qualities we are trying to embody in our buildings and how would we represent them in drawings?” becomes the question (278). These drawing “may not be easy or straightforward to understand or interpret.
True architects are needed to create architectural beauty and they do so by using “elements which are capable of affecting our senses, and of rewarding the desire of our eyes...the sight of them affects us immediately” (16). Le Corbusier’s says that we must standardize architecture with respect to function so that we can mass produce it until we perfect its aesthetic through competition and innovation. Le Corbusier believed that Architecture schools weren’t teaching students correctly and that engineers would be the ones who save architecture. Architecture is a thing of plastic emotion. “It should use elements capable of striking our senses, of satisfying our visual desires…arranging them in a way that the sight of them clearly affects
The success of architects is defined not so much by the problems they face as the act of their creative and practical responses.
Architecture is such a wide thing when we talk about buildings and projects. Architecture is defined as the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. One of the Renaissance man who not only define...
People are made of complexities and contradictions. Venturi recognized that buildings should be complex and complicated, too. He theorized and built buildings inspired by this principle, and succeeded because of his emphasis on individual experience and the interaction between humanity and architectural forms. In pursuit of this goal, his pluralist and revolutionary style of architecture embraced difference and ambiguity and rejected the rigid rules of modernism. While undoubtedly influenced by Venturi’s ideas, later postmodern architects failed to live up to his principles by forming their own inflexible rules and not concentrating on the human experience with buildings.
Simon Unwin, the author of the book ‘Analysing Architecture’ says that the ‘the purpose of architecture is to design buildings’ is an unsatisfactory definition because the definition limits architecture to just the design of buildings. He feels that architecture involves more than just designing buildings. He also believes that the definition fails to explain the real purpose of architecture and transfers the problem of comprehending the word ‘architecture’ to the word ‘building’. This definition doesn’t go in-depth to analyze and understand the essence of architecture in our everyday lives. It fails to relate human life and needs to the buildings built.
Buildings, like individuals, are embellished distinctively, making some look excellent and critical and others plain and customary. Each building has an exceptional history. Like individuals, buildings age and change with the times. A few buildings are offered "surgery" to restore them to their unique state; others buildings "kick the bucket" from disregard, mis chances and ailment. An alternate probability is that a building of one style might later experience a significant conversion into the style of an alternate time period, making it look fully changed. The architecture of the United States has comprised of a wide assortment of styles all around its history. Home styles in the U.S. are locally assorted and the shapes they have assumed have been affected by numerous different sorts of architecture. The outcome is a varied blend of distinctive home styles that can frequently be found inside the same neighborhood, even on the same road or square of that road.
Being an architect is a very important thing, you have a large amount of responsibility. You control a large aspect of someone’s life whether it is where they walk in a shopping centre or where they sleep and eat, and that is why it is very important to design for yourself and your client. You have to imagine the space as if you were there, you need it to be
With the help of architectural engineers, our world has become very civilized and advanced over the past decades. Like all other engineers, architectural engineers use logic and creativity to solve problems. They come up with effective designs to assist people in their everyday tasks. In our daily lives we are surrounded by buildings. Places that were once a dessert are turned into cities that now hold amazing buildings. Houses, schools, shopping centers, offices, apartments, airports, etc. are very essential in our society. These buildings do not only please the eye, but they also provide us with shelter and are made to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes, snow storms, and strong winds. Would these buildings still function efficiently and provide us with a stable shelter if it were not for architectural engineers? There are different engineers with each their own expertise, but for buildings in particular, architectural engineers are needed. Architectural engineering, also known as building engineering, is an interdisciplinary program that integrates important knowledge from different disciplines such as civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering , architecture, physics, chemistry, biology, and economics (“Building Engineering”). An architectural engineering professional has to master all the different disciplines because the design of building systems often requires the application of the disciplines. Architectural engineers are important in today’s society because they possess the knowledge and qualifications to work on complex buildings, lead project teams, and most importantly, to provide us with a safe environment.
Buildings reflect the values and ideas of society within periods. The role of architecture in shaping society and vice versa largely depends on the period in question and who or what affects first. The Enlightenment, and the subsequent period the Post-Enlightenment, reflect the biggest change for current ideas regarding architecture and society and current theories. At the same time, individual identities and understanding of society, progress and truth all follow a similar evolving path. It is during this dramatic shift in thinking that the role of architecture to society and the idea of progress and truth becomes a more complex relationship. How this relationship works and its implications is based on the theory that there is a direct link between the two. One cannot develop without the other. Who leads whom and to what extent they influence each other is evident in architectural trends and pioneering works by architects such as Robert Venturi, Frank Gehry amongst others.
...Focus: Architecture and Building 10). “Employment in this field is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2020” (McKay 1). However, the number of architects depends on the volume of construction, and with the construction industry being sensitive to changes in the economy, poor economics could result in layoffs. On the other hand, architects can find work through self-employment, developing graphic design, interior design, product specialties, and the construction of museums, and display firms. Also, many architects “are employed in government agencies such as the Departments of Defense, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development, and the General Services Administration” (Careers in Focus: Architecture and Building 8,12). Architecture has many positive effects and promising outlooks in society, which makes it a great career to pursue.
Post modern architecture: A revival of architectural elements of the past or a version of aestheticism?
Interior design is a complicated profession. It is sometimes referred to as interior architecture and often confused with interior decorating. It involves the design, organization and planning of an interior structure rather than just refinishing and furnishing existing interior spaces. It involves managing a business, hopefully meeting the desires of the client and delivering to them an interior environment that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot more to interior design than first meets the eye.