Architecture is not just about the construction of a foundation, walls, and a roof as Corbusier pointed out in Towards a New Architecture in the section “Architecture, Pure Creation of the Mind.” Architecture is an art form. It is the definition behind the process of designing buildings and landscapes; but the essence of it can be applied to other disciplines of design as well. This includes engineering, infrastructure, machines, timepieces, fashion, general systems, etc.
Corbusier believes that architecture manifests itself in mass and surface, and I believe that through mass and surface certain experiences are created. Mass and surface are the basis for qualities of architecture that activate our senses of sight, touch, hearing and ultimately our emotional response (if we have one at all). Through the manipulation of surfaces and masses light may enter a space a certain way at a certain time of day. Through the use of material within a surface or mass a space may feel grand or enclosed and comfortable.
The organization of these masses and surfaces after careful calculation has the potential to create harmonious proportions that are pleasing to the eye and that cause to stop and stare, as Corbusier as explains with the Parthenon. A similar thing happens with music, another form of art. When the right combination of notes is played, and masterfully synced with the rhythm then it causes people a feel away that can only be explained through the experience. These are the type of forms of expression that cause people to get goosebumps. “A profound projection of harmony: This is architecture” is how Corbusier describes it on page 48 of Towards a New Architecture.
I think that one of the most valuable aspects of architecture is the fact that there are so many ways and processes in which a design can be inspired. I think that any tool that has been used to arrive at a design that was effective in addressing the problem is important, but hands on modeling can open up a wide array of possibilities.
Through the process of experimenting with materials during the early stages of a design an architect can come across a wealth of information. Each semester the idea of material exploration seems to be enforced more and more by our studio professors.
We have been taught that model making should be thought of as part of reaching a design solution rather than just as an afterthought, or a method of representing a design that has already been completely conceived through sketches and online modeling.
When an architect is making a model, he or she is given the opportunity to push a material to its limits; whether it be plastic, wood, concrete, metal, foam, paper, etc. That creates opportunities to make accidents that can turn out to be the answers to a problem. I believe that the higher the chance that accidents occur during a design process then the higher the chance for innovative solutions.
The greatest inventions tend to be products of experimentation. There is a science to the art of design, a method that involves taking risks and not being afraid of having to move on to the next idea.
Design thinking is a complex adaptive system, so there is no autonomous method of brainstorming that governs the entire process. It is about trying different things and arriving at a number of conclusions that can help inform one another, or inspire completely new ideas.
Architecture has the ability to positively and negatively impact the world. Architecture has changed the image of Earth that is visible from space. It has transformed the image from natural landscapes and earth forms to cities filled with infrastructural systems, skyscrapers, etc. Ever since the industrial age humans have been pumping toxic chemicals into the air, wasting electricity and natural resources for our own comfort, while causing the earth to deteriorate at a rate that’s seems to grow exponentially. Architects now have a responsibility to not only acknowledge the fact of the changing climate, but to design with a conscious effort to mitigate the effects of human activity over the past century and a half. I think that sustainable architecture also provides the opportunity for the beautification of cities around the world. More green spaces, trees, etc. can help to keep cities cool and allows for a smoother transition from the natural landscape to the urban centers of the globe.
Gene 