All Hail, The Architect

[Marcus Allen]

Whatever your preference, ( incidentally, mine is Gehry, Calatrava, Meier, Rogers, Pelli, and SOME of Libeskind) I think architects are some of the most amazing people in our society. They are obviously, artists. But what I admire is the fact of the hoops they must jump through. First off, they are artists. So their visions are going to be fringe to say the least. Then, they must be reigned to fit developers costs. So, how on Earth do they reconcile vision with practicality?? AND still come away proud of their results? Thoughts? Even some of the low rises are compromised by.....whom? I look at vibrant colors and bold designs. Who decides those must become mundane colors and scaled back designs? I don't get it. Help me, my HAIF friends.

[Montrose1100]

Perhaps these topics belong in the architecture and design sub forum?

[bachanon]

moved...

[Marcus Allen]

Where would I go to access the sub forum?

[strickn]

Wendy Kohn: Clearly you see the issue of the way we experience the built environment, or the issue of what the built environment is like, as a life or death issue. Is it just architects who feel this is a life or death issue? (10:05)

 

Chris Alexander: That’s very interesting. That’s fascinating. I think I’ve not heard it put that way before. I think it is a life or death issue. And it is true that it’s very very difficult for people to grasp that. That is, they feel something terribly wrong, but I don’t think they represent it to themselves in that form, as you’ve just described it. I don’t think they put it to themselves in that way. I think they feel terribly disturbed, but I don’t think they put it to themselves that way. And it’s kind of invisible.

          I remember some cocktail party I was at in New York, and the hostess came up to me and asked what I did, and I said I was an architect. Oh gosh, how wonderful. And there was a magazine laying there, I don’t remember what it was. And she said, isn’t that marvelous? And there was a picture of a very sort of exaggerated slick glass and chrome living room. And I said, “well no. I don’t think so, no.” Why do you say that? [she said] And she looked at me, and she said, “you know, I don’t think it is either?” All it took was that one question. All it took was that one, marginal question! And she said, “You’re right!” And I said, “Well, why did you say it?” And she said, “I don’t know…because isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? I mean, look at this magazine.”

So in other words, it was a very very vivid expression of the fact that this is all hype. It was right there, on the surface of her awareness, and yet she was still participating in it.

 

WK: Well, have you met anyone who isn’t fascinated by architecture, or architects? (12:24)

 

CA: Or who wants to be an architect? Yes, that’s true. That’s very true. Of course, because it’s the most visible form of our lives. It’s very clear.

 

WK: I also think it mediates our place in the world…this echo of our clothing, at a larger scale. And we have personal reactions and relationships to it. But it’s larger than ourselves and we can’t make it ourselves.

 

CA:  Yeah, definitely. Yeah, all of that.

 

WK: It’s a superstructure and we can’t affect it, and yet we want to affect it, and we do. There’s this dual reality about it. I wanted to ask you how all of this is related to religion for you. (13:46)

 

Reminds me of your good remark about admiring people in the hoops we hurdle through.  I'll leave your related question of reconciling vision and practicality to others for now.

Edited July 2, 2014 by strickn

[Marcus Allen]

Thank you. That was the purpose of this post. I appreciate you giving an example of my sincere quandary.

[Marcus Allen]

Sincere query. Lol. Sincere query.