What is an Architect?
An Honors Thesis (HONRS 499)
by
Matt DeLoughery
Thesis Advisor
Wes Janz
Ball State University
Muncie, IN
7/19/2009
Expected Graduation: Summer 2009
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ABSTRACT
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Humans construct buildings to meet some of their most basic needs. )2 ople
have always built, and will continue building with or I,vithout architects .
Architects and their designs are often given too mu ch cre di t. DeS i gners l i ke
to think their work contributes to our society positively, when in rea l ity the
contr i butions are minor. People want to f eel safe, legit i mate, and dig ni fied.
Beyond the fulfillment of bas i c needs and desires, the specifics of design are
les s i mporta nt . The field of arch i tecture today rewards desig ners more for
aesthetic and techn i ca l beauty an d i nnovation than for act ual contributions
to the communit i es in whic h they work . I provide examples from stu di es which
explorewhat people r ea lly want in design , examples of designers working to truly
improve peopl es' 1 i ves, and projects I have wo r ked on that have th e same goal s .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I woul d 1i ke to than k Dr. Wes Janz fo r advi s i ng me through thi s project an d pus hi ng
me to stri ve for more. I al so want to thank him for provid i ng me wit h opportun it ie s
to explore what I think i s important in the work I and my peers are do i ng.
want to t ~dn k Or. John Motloch and Rosane Bauer for their work
with tl :e US Brazil Sustainabi l ity Consort i um and for providing me
soc ial
s us tainability .
w~ t I'
fir st · '1 and
ex per i en c e i n w0 r kin 9 for
IS ARCHITECTURE?
WHAT
Arc hite ct ure students are asked to def in e arc hite cture many times t hroug hout
their years of schoo l. They are as ked in studio courses, ar ch i tectuloe hi story
courses, and theor y courses , j ust to name a few. A defin i tion of ar c i tecture
can be sought from the dict i onary, professors, theor i sts, archi t e cts, and non architects . As students, we are often gui ded to the like s of Frank Ll oyd Wr i ght,
Zaha Hadid , Le Corbusier, or Frank Ge hr y to find def in itions of arc hi tecture
which we can use to guide our work. Whi le the work of t he se design stars i s often
given hi gh praise, I would argue it mi sses much of des i gn ' s true pot enti al.
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-Public Architecture
Des i gn facilitates human activit y , rat he r than dictat i ng it. Architecture
provides a ph ysi cal infrastructure wit hin which the needs and desires
of people are met. Academia and professional pra ctice are filled wit h
definitions of ar c hite c ture that drive designers' wo r k. At th e culm i nation
of my undergraduate studies in the field of archite cture, this quest i on is
stil l unanswered. There is an even mor e imp ortant quest io n though. As I am
about to embark on my ne xt step toward wor k in the field of ar chi tecture, the
question on my mind is, "wh at is an architect?" This work atte mpt s to explore
t hat ques t i on by look i ng at innovative work by designers pra cticing today,
exp l oring s ome socio l ogy about hom es, and analyzing s ome atypical projects
I have worke d on du ring my undergra duate studies at Ball State Universit y .
Th e fir s t step i n understanding the ro l e of design i n t his world
i s understan ding that designers work for real people. The users of
the spaces created by architects an d planners s houl d be t he most
important dr iving for ce behind these designer s ' works . In order for
t his to happen, we must explore wli a t people really want from design.
WHAT
IS
HOME?
Arc hitects should not design for themselves or for fame, and t ey should
rarely design f or design's sake . There J re bigger and more i mportant factors
t hat s hould drive t e work of de s i gners. : n order to understand these factors,
it i s i mportant to understand what people really want from architecture.
Home is more tha n a house, more than a room, and more t an an apartment.
Accor d i ng to Lee Rainwater, ho us i ng on t he most pr i mitive l evel has to do
with sheltering t he individuals who reside wit hi n it, and s ho ul d be evaluate d
on how adequately it achieve s th i s. He notes t ha t the house become s t he place
where one can maximize individual autonomy and minimize conformity to the
formal ru l es of public demeanor . He also mentions the concepti on s of the
house generalized to the area around it. The suburb, village, farm homestead,
an d city neighborhood can all be seen a s one large protect i ng an d gratifying
home. When discu s sing housing, people tal k of the inside as deep l y affe ct ed
by what goes on immediately outs i de. The definition of home is not t he same
for everyone. It often varies by s ocial cla s s. Marc Fri ed stu di ed relocated
slum dweller s from the West End of Bo s ton in t he 1950s. He found th at i n
general, people in a lower social or economic class had a hi ghe r need for
externa l stab ilit y . He noted that the s e people' s fee li ngs of be i ng at home
and belonging are integrally tied to a specific place. Thi s is du e to the
ne twork of i n terp e rs onal relation sh i ps and group identities connected with a
spec ifi c neighbor hoo d or home site . Home is the li ving room where birthdays are
celebrated every year, it i s the neighbor's porch where c hess is played every
Wednesda y afternoon, it is t he gar den that i s tended to every summer to yield
zucc" ' ni for family dinners. Home is a specific building, a s peci f i c back yard,
a specific neighborhood, but it is less about the designed details and more
abo ut the refuge, stabil i t y , and fam i l i arity the area and neighbors provide.
Home is also attac hed to memor ie s and events . I n t he Sou th , people
often ref e r to home as the pl ace where one grows up and the ori gi ns of
fami l y roots. It is the place for reunions, fish fries, and late '1 :ght
"do you remember when" sessions. Alt hough home site s are often tied to a
specific place, t he y can be tied to multiple specific places where objects
of remembra nce are collected or rituals of everyday life are practiced.
Families in a l ig her econom i c or soc i al class ar e less reliant on a spec i fic
building as the source of a sense of home . Th i s is not to sa y that Ulere
are no fond memories of growing up or emotiona l attachments to the places
t hat pro v ide d spa c e \'1her e g rea t mom e n t sin 1 i f e 0 c cur red. Be c a use pe 0 p1 e
in a higher econom i c cla ss are l ess rel i ant on their neighbors for a
sense of support, they are l ess tied to a specif i c house or neighborhoo d .
Another difference between social
People in lower s ocial class es
safe place , whereas that battle
Onc e s afety has been achi e ved ,
classe s regarding housing concerns safety.
are st i ll battling to make the home a
has long been won in the middle class.
funct i ons r e l at ed to s e lf-expres s ion and
self-realization are added to the definition of home . Mi ddle class homes
become the locales to a wider range of social interaction . The home's
specific location becomes less i mportant as social circles are more
dependent on work , leisure, or interests rather than physical proximity.
Rainwater, as well as others suc h as Herbert Gans who studied Bo s ton's West End,
found that many lower class people are content with much about t heir ho using,
even though it i s "below standard" in the eyes of housing professiona l s , as
l ong as the housing pro vides security against the most blatant of threats .
Th ese people are more concerned with co mfort and contentment than improved
hous in g . Tiley often economize on hous in g to have mone y to pur s ue ot he r in terests
an d needs . They put resources into ma king the home life as comf ortable and
easy as po s sible , often resulting in man y major appliances centered on the
kitc hen. The y are also much more interested in having neighbors who are
similar and ma i ntaining easy acc ess among people wh o are very ~vell known .
No matter the cr i tici sms and stigmata of public hous i ng project s , there
i s little doubt t hese situations are preferable to slum dvvellings.
>1 Rainwater's inter view s i n public hou s ing proje cts. he found t :' a t
but very few
most res i dents con si de r the i r apartments imperfect,
complained about design aspects of th e inside s of the i r apartments.
As social s tatus rises. demands on hous i ng increase . People in t he middle
class are more interested with owning t he ir own home, and often their own
front and back y ard . Decoration on the i nside and outside also become mu ch
more important, as noted by Rainwater . Th at is not to say, howe ver, th at
people in the lower class are not interested in decoration and aes t hetics.
The yard becomes a place whe re both adults and children can relax and
enjoy themselves and each other . . n hi ghe r social classes, there exists
s t ron gere 0 nee r n 0 f pro t e c tin g t he ne i g hbOl h0 0 d fro m t he in c ur s ion s 0 f
l ower class people who might br i ng violence of one kind or another .
o
What t his means is that home has to sa ti s fy needs of safety and comfort . The n
home can be embellished ac co rding to the desires of the home owners. Home
i s less about design, and more about a satisfaction of needs, wants, and
desires . People do not remember whether the wi ndow s in their house are placed
i n a ce rtain pattern or i f the roo ms are organized on a grid o r not . What
i s important is the activities that home ma kes possible. The build i ng and
neighbo r hood are t he phY Sica l infrastructure necessar y for life as we know
it to happen. The des i gn of this infrastructure ca n i mpact how peop l e use the
space , but it is really the use of t he space that is important, not the design .
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An important problem with design in g for poor. home l ess, o r di splace d
peo ple is t ' at t he clients cannot pay for the desig ner s ' work.
This caus e s ma ny pr ac ti ce s to avoid these people altoge th er. So me
des i gne rs, however, are doi ng wond erf 1 wor k wit h t hese peo pl e in min d.
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Much of t he work by Se an Go ds e l l Ar c hi tects
demon st rates the po ss ib ilit ies of arc hitecture
to tru ly ai d in bettering peo ple s' l i ves, ev en
when t he y cannot pay for it. On e good proj ec t
is called t he Future Sha ck . The project is a
tempor ary housing un i t t hat uses a sta ndar d
shi pp ing contain er as it s basi c un i t. The
house ca n be sh i pp ed to l oc at i ons a l lover
t he world to provide sh e l te r for peo pl e who
have l os t their ho mes to war or natural
disa ste r. I t can also serve as hous i ng for
t hose i n t hi rd worl d countri es, or anyon e
who ne e s temporar y or r emot e she lter.
Another project by t hi s office is the Park
Bench House. The nature of th i s prr:ject is
very s i mple, but its i mpa cts can be bey on d
measure. The Park Bench House project is a
way to in corpor a te s he lter for the homel ess
us in g ex ist ing c i t y in f rastructure. At night,
the top of the bench ang l es up to prov ide
a more comfortable place for sleep ing and
a roof for protection . Beyond provid i 19
a plac e for homele ss people to sl eep an d
keep dry, t hi s project of fe rs inclusion of
homeless people into the ci ty fabric. Th ey
are no longer viewed as problems that ne ed
to be hi dden , but instead t hey are treated
l-ike equal humans. WIIU ~ave nee ds ju st l ik e
everyone else . Anot ner similar project i s the
Bus She lter Ha u e . Again, t he i de a beh ind t hi s
i s to use city infra s tructure to acc ommodate
displaced people in s tead of s hunn in g t he m.
Many designs and ideas di s cussed previously have bec1 related to
poverty, home lessness, i nformal i ty, disaster, and extreme cases of l i fe.
It is important to also note innovation regarding the relationship
bet ween
design
and
people
in
le ss
vo latil e
living
situations .
One firm that has good examples of these innovations is LOT- EK.
LOT EK uses ex isting indu stria l objects as the raw materials for new spaces. A
few of their projects push the boun dar ie s of t yp ical design, not in a flashy or
arroga nt way, but rather in ways that rea ll y impact how people li ve and inter act.
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UNIOLO container stores
aremobileretail stores
that can be shipped
anywhere in the world.
W i le these projects seem to cater to the wealthy who can afford to travel and
mover their homes allover the world, the ideas behind t hem are a contemporary
spin on a nomadic lifestyl e . and can also be applied in many situations.
Shipping houses acros s the country or even the world is not the most
sustainable pract i ce. But demolishing building s i sn't either. It.Jhen one
of t hese dwelling units becomes abandoned, the entire unit can be reused
wi thout demolish i ng or wasting anyth i ng . These units can also be used in
temporary housing s itua t ions, si milar to Sean Godsell's Future Shack.
Containers wh ich ho ld reta il stor es or services including grocery stores ,
laun dry services, l i brar i es, or me dical un i t s can be mobile throughout big
cities. They can bring services to people who do not have transportation or
cannot journey far from home. Building one permanent med i cal unit in a slum or
poor part of a city can be expensive and only benefit one neighborhood, while
building a mobile unit can benefit multiple neighborhoods for the same cost .
CONNECTIVE
BEAUTY
I ha ve had the opportunity to work on a few proj ec ts dealing with people who
cannot afford to pay designers . The fol l owing are tl;JO of these projects .
Fo r five wee ks during the su mmer of 2008, e i ght students and
worked
with professors, s t udent s , and an ar ch 'tect in a favela called Villa
Pinto in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The trip was intended to yield a bui lt
proj ec t designed while we were t here. After spending some time in the
area, meet i ng with professors , arch it ect s . and people who lived i n Villa
Pinto, eac h student designed a small project to better the community . The
projects were focused around an exist in g community center (CEA) s i nc e t hey
we re willing to meet and work with us and they would allow us to bui ld
our project on their site . The projects were small since we had lim i ted
res 0 U r c e san d t'j me. The pro j e c t I d e s i g ned i se a 11 e d CON NEe T I VE BE:.A UTY .
B
AUTVO
BE
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A5 WEEK EXPLORATION OF:
the effects of mass urbanization
social
sustainability
favelas
THE ROLE OF DESIGN
outside
i ntervent i on
culture
community development
government
interaction
p
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0
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education
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FAUPUCRS - Ball St ate University
Matt DeLoughery
Connective S"eauty
Rosane Bauer - John Motloch
May - June 2008
Title page of CONNECTIVE BEAUTY expressing goals of the trip and t le proje ct
From analyzing the existing guard stand at the CEA, I concluded that it "'las not
serving muc h purpose at all. It was the inten de d main entrance to the site,
but nobody used it. It was s lightly worn down and could not even function as
a guard stand since it could not be secured, and there was not even a gate. I n
addition, it was not providing a cO l nection between t he community center and
the street. There were no sig ns, and from t he street one would not even knolrJ the
community center was located there. As t e ma-in entrance to t he site, it had the
potential to bring people into the co mmunity center, and center activities to
the people ou ts ide . It could become a hub for Villa Pinto residents to i nteract.
The goals of the project were to restore the stand so t hat it could function,
controll -in g access to the site, and to provide a co nnection between tl~ e community
center and the people of Villa Pinto. In this case, the university was will~ng to
donate mater i als. Other projects, howev er, could see k donation s from c haritable
groups. They coul d even use scrap materi al s from other bui 1di ng si tes. ~ ~e project
was designed toemploy inexpensivematerials in casedonations could not be found.
All of the renovations and add iti ons to the guard stand would be done by
comm unit y members dur i ng classes taught at the CEA. Th e co nstruction process
would teach Villa Pinto residents s kills that could be used -i n other areas_ The
investment of th e i r time and energy into enhancing the commun ' ty center would
instill a sense of pride and ownersh i p i n the resulting pie ce of "architecture."
Wh en people feel a co nne c tion to a bui ld ing , they are les s li kely to deface
i t , and more likel y to protect it. Contributing to t he complet io n of a
project, especially one which enhances a person's community, instills a sense
of pride with i n that person. When an outside entity comes into a community,
buils a project, and qu i ckly leaves, much of this pride and owners~~p is lo s t.
Th e proposed project inc ludes a new ski n, made of PVC pi ping and durable
fabric, for the roof. The skin i s colorful and extends the roof to provide
prote c tion from the sun or rain. There i s also a new sign made of the sa me
materials that is used to announce the presence of t he CEA and inform
people in Villa Pinto of the act i vities, services, and c lasses offered by
the center. The proposed project also features versatile displa y surfaces
constructed of PVC piping and fabri c by the community members. The surfaces
attach to the outs i de of the guard stand. They can protrude hor iz ontally
from the stand act i ng as a table to display objects create d within the
ce nter, or they can be ra i sed to act as a hanger to display clot hin g,
artwork, or other larger products made during community center classes. The
surfaces can also s i t or hang parallel to the guard stand walls, allowing
them to be addit i onal signage. Th ey are built to survive the weat he r, and
can be easily remove d at night or when nobo dy is around for security.
The proposed project would hopefully make the guard stand more functional
and aesthet i cally pleasing. It would also create opportunities to share
happenings within the CEA with people in Villa Pinto, including crafts,
c lothing, food, or even musi ca l performan ce s. The project i s des igned to be
flexible for when needs change throughout time. The process of completing
this project would allow community center members to gain skills and also
pride and owners hip in the enhancement they helped bring to their communit y .
Existing Guard Stand:
---
A
N A
L
Y SIS
Guard stand is the intended main
entrance to the CEA, but people
don't use it.
Entrance lacks all connection
with the street and square across
the street.
Proposed Guard Stand:
IDE
A
S
Stand has potential to be very
visible to the community.
Stand can be covered with a new
fa<;:ade, which will maintain the
structura 1 i ntegri ty and securi ty
potentials.
Stand can be demolished and
rebuilt, which will require more
labor and materials and could
damage the structure.
Improvements to the stand can
be built by community members
using skills taught through CEA
programs.
I N TEN T ION S
To enhance the aestheti c qual i ti es
of the CEA entrance.
To
create
a
venue
for
advertisements of CEA programs,
events, and products.
To attract community members to
participate and interact more
with the CEA.
(l) roof panels
0 CEA
To include community members and
CEA in design and production of
project.
for overhang
sign a d cal e ndar
mul ti -functi on panel s as
tab l es , hang er s . or s i gns
To be flexible for the future.
To allow collaborative work
between students, university,
and community members that passes
knowledge to all parties.
Flexibility:
This project employs panels made from PVC pipes framing fabric. These
panels are used for signage, shade, roof overhang, shelves, and hanging
racks. The panels can be made by community members attending CEA
programs like sewing classes. The panels are flexible in that they can
be created in any size needs and can be plugged into different places
for different purposes. They are removable for security and durabil ity.
Construction:
PVC connections to brick wall. Allows for f l exibi l ity, movement, and removal.
Construction:
The PVC frames can
be cut and assembl ed
by
Villa
Pinto
res"dents . Th e fabric
can be cut and sewn
during
C~A
classes
,
." ,
Models:
A sm al l model of the proposed guard stand was constructed to present t o pe opl e at t he
CEA . A rou gh mo del of the multi-function panels was also constr ~ cced and present ed.
Results:
After presenting our projects to the CEA, they chose three that the y would
like to see bu i lt. C.ONNECTIVE BEAUTY was one of the three they c hose ,
but ultimatel y not built. As a group we decided t o clean an area beh ind
the CEA and in s tall outdoor flo or ing to c reate a space for activities to
il appen outside . We quickly learned that a s foreign students with little
resources and little time, producing a built pr oject was unlikely. We cleaned
the area, but ult imat ely c ould not produce a built project. Some of the
students were e xpect i ng to leave Brazil having built a proj ec t to add to
their portfo li os. They were upset that this d id not happen. Other students
really wanted to leave something that would better the communit y . Noth i ng
tanglble was left. After th ink ing about the supposed Hfailu re" of t he trip,
it became clear to me that it woul d have been inappropriate for us to
construct a project. Life in a favela is very cha lle nging , and as people
who were not familiar with Brazil and even less familiar wit h povert y and
s lums, how could we think that we would have any answers to make their lives
better? We left them with ideas and plans for bettering the i r c ommun i ty
center . Fo r us to come in, bui 1d a project, and 1 eave, vvoul d deny the
people of Villa Pinto all the benefits of the proce ss of Harchitecture ."
CORE •• SIDAREC
Th is project was an entry i n the 2007 AMD Open Architectur e Network Cha llenge
Af rica. It was a co llab oration between myself , Ben Mc Hug h , and Ben He rring.
The cha lle nge wa s to empower the you t h of Mukuru Kwa Njenga, an informal s lum
sett lem ent of 250 , 000 , to connect with other youth and create posi t i ve c hange in
t he i r commu 1i t y by bui 1 d i I1 g a technol ogy med i a 1 ab and 1 i brary. Th e c l ie nt was t he
Slums Information Development & Resource Centres (S ID AREC) i n Nai robi, Kenya.
One driving force be hi nd this design i s the fact t ha t a compu ter i n a
slum in Africa is often used by many ci1 ildr en s i multaneously. The design
of the space and how people interact wiUl the comput er s s hould f oster
multi-funct i onality and multiple users. Another driv in g for ce be hi nd the
design of thi s project i s the monetary value of the computers compared to
t he income of t he users of t he space . One co mpu er monitor cou l d be sol d
for what one famil y makes i n one or two months. Poverty and hunger cou ld
lead some people in t he slum to see these compu ter s as an opportunity to
fe ed t he ir family for a few mont hs. We wanted t he project to be flexible
and a l low r e arrangemen t of spaces and build i ngs t o fit c hanging needs. We
also wanted t hi s des i gn to be app l i cable to proj e cts a ll over the world,
wh i c h is quite fitting with the purpose of the Ope n Arch i tecture Network .
Pro.i ect:
Th e idea of bringing computer access to people in the developing world is
bi gger than one s ite i n Kenya, though t his one s ite i s as important as al l t he
rest . The CORE project is one that provides a si mple, sta ndard, and i nexpens ive
system fo r bringing computers to people allover the deve l op i ng wor l d. Th e
LORE ; SlDAREC proje c t sho\l,ls how t hi s system is applied specif ically to this site .
The biggest issue that arises from introducing va l uable and fragile
technology into de ve l oping parts of the world is contro l. T e tec h ology
must be seCLlI~e from theft and protected from environmental e l ements . By
crea ting a sm all and controlled CORE to house the va lu ab l e and frag il e
equipment , the amount of uncontrol l ed and free sp ace on the site is maximized.
The CORE is constructed of reinforced concrete ma sonry units with availab l e
material s support i ng the roof . Th e SIDAREC project employs open web st eel
joists . The rest of the buildings will be site sp ec ifically designed . In thi s
pr oject, the bui lding wa lls are gabion walls . Gabion baskets are che ap and
can be ine xp en s i vely filled wi th discarded s tone from local quarr i es. These
walls can eas i ly be d i sassembled and moved in the future if nee ded. Gabion
walls a l so have many interesting l evels of permeability includ in g li ght, air,
and sound . Th ey can be easily built by people in the community , giv in g them
ownership and ma king the project rely on the people who will be us i ng i t.
Projectors will disp l ay infor mation from the computers onto scree ns
within the spaces. The computers can be accessed by multiple people
simultaneously, wh i le the actual co mputers are kept secu re in the CORE .
Thi s al l ows for ma ximum flex ib ilit y . It also allows teacher s to project
work in front of a whole class , and to look at all of the work at once.
There are scree ns on the street fa~ade to show what i s happening inside,
draw people to the site, and aid with performances on the amphitheater.
Thi s provides an opportunity to connect the si te with t he community . Th e
s ite i s designed to dr aw peop l e into the courtyard, to mix and mingle.
PV pan e l s will be used to generate power which is s tore d in batteries
in the CORE . Rainwater i s harvested on the roofs and freely stored in
cisterns which are available for anyone on the site to draw water from.
The CORE project brings computers t o peop l e . The CORE:SIDAREC project br i ng s a
co mm unity learni ng cente r to Na irob i. These idea s are a sta rt ing pOin t . They are the
beg inni ng to an adaptab l e pr oject or the peop l e of the commu ni t y t o mak e the ir own.
Technology:
I
I
consumer
products
used
CD
persona I computer
(2)
Ni ntendo Wi i remote
to
create
multi -u s er,
wireles s
computer
access
0e
ro jector
(4)
screen
( 5 ) handheld infrared lig ht
Nintendo Wi i remote can re s pond to multiple infr ared 1 i g ht sour ces.
to a computer , theses ca n be used to control the computer
almost 1 ike a touch-screen. Th is system i s similar i n price to a
security
system,
for
increased
traditional
computer
allows
but
and i s better suited for multiple functions and multiple users.
A
If connected
Te c hnology:
A mock-up of the computer system was assemb ed and used to present t he proje c t.
CD
per so na 1 co mputer
(2)
Ni ntendo Wi i
0
proJector
remote
(4) sc r een
(5) hand he l d i nfrared 1 i ght
CORE:S IDARE C
(i) eoRE
library and computer work
space
(3) gabiOn wal l s
(4) water cisterns
(5) cl assrnom
(5) meeting Rooms
The library has space for book s and
tables for single users or mult i ple
users . Computers are on screens along
the walls in the library. There is a
classroom for programs offered by the
center. There are also smaller meet i ng
areas and space for the security guard
to l i ve . The roof collects water whi ch is
stored in cisterns for people to access .
CORE walls are constructed of CMUs,
wh i le other wa ll s are constructed of
gabions to allow for the expansion and
rearrangement of spaces as needs change .
CORE:SIDAREC
0 ) COR[
(2) compute ra nd proj e ctor
o .
t ' 0 n s c r e en
\... . .) ) pro J eel
This sec tion s how s the rel ationship between the CORE and th e 1 ib rary
space . It desc ribe s how people acc ess t he comput ers by us i ng the
sc re en system and how the equipment i s sec ured wi thin t he CORE .
Many large sc reen s maXlmlzes the number of co mputer users at any time . Multiple
fun ctlon s can be performed on any co mp uter to meet th e needs of mul t i pl e users .
PROJ ECT
DISCUSSION
FLEXIBILITY
T ese projects were both designed to be very flexible. Movement of panels
in the CONNELTIVE BEAUTY project allow the guard stand to serve multiple
functions. The use of gabion walls in the COR~:SIDAREC project allows for
t he building and spaces to change shape, grow, or shrink to accommodate
users' needs over time.
I f a building is truly going to meet the nee ds of its users for deca des, t en it
must be flexible. Fle xibility is achieved by ha ving open floor plans to allov.! for
changes wit hin . It can be ach ieved by using materials and const ru ction met hods
that allow for easier changes to the bu i lding layout. However flex i bi lity is
achieved, arc hi tects must design buildings with attitudes that promote and
encourage change if necessary. The architecture field as a whole must not treat
buil d 'ngs as sacred . Overwhelming criticism, scrutiny, and pos s ~ble outcry
would occur if a curator at the Guggenheim in Bilbao wished to expand the museum,
move a few walls, or knock a few down. Because the building is seen as so sacred,
an expansion would requ i re an international competition i nstead of simply a
local arc hitect and contractor expanding the museum to meet its current needs.
LOCAL INVtSTMENTS
Both of t hese projects employ build i ng materials and construction techniques
tailored to t he communities they would be built in and the people using the
spa c e s. Th e ~ Ij NNE CT I VE BEA UTY pro j e c t use sma t e ria 1 s rea d'l 1y and i ne x pen s i vel y
available and construction techniques that can be taught during classes at
the community center . The CORE:~IDAREC project uses local materials and
construction techniques that probably many residents in the slums ~;ave
skills to work on, such as welding an d constructing eMU and gabion walls.
Th e construction of a building is a very complex process and has the
potential to spread wealth and enhance local communities . By purchasing
local materials, jobs and wealth stay within the community . Thi s also
results from hiring local construction workers. Building projects not
only enhance a community by provi d i ng new and useful space , but t hey
can really reach out much further and enhance a community in many ways.
AESTHETICS
Both of t hese projects have certain aesthetic characteristics, as is i nevitable
with any design project. The CONNECTIVE BEAUTY project used enhanced aesthetics
to make people feel a little better about t he space. Th e CORE:S I DAREr project's
aesthetic qual it ies were a result of the combination of materials used.
Aesthetics in any arc hit ectural project are important. Nice looking surroundings
can make people feel good about where they li ve or work. The people in the
slums decorated t he insides and outsides of their hou ses , even t~ough the y
barely had enough mone y to eat . Ae s thetics shoul d not become more import an t
than the function of the space or its users . During the design, co ns tru ction,
and life of a building, the needs of the users should always come first.
PEOPLE
Wh en discus s ing arc hitecture, people judge a buildings' success or failure
related to many issues. Th ese discussions often exclude people. Ult i mately
th ough, arc hitecture i s about people. Thi s should be the driving force behind
most design projects. There are some projects which are only for art's sake,
or for des i gn's sake, but tho se should only happen if t hat is the e xpressed
goal of the client. No architect should ever treat the design of somebody's
house, a new build-ing at a school, or a company's corporate of fi ce as an
artistic exper;ment. Buildings are not experiments, they are huge investments .
Even the way we talk about buildings gives ownership t o the arc hitect. We
discuss Frank Gehi'Y ' s Guggenhe i m instead of tal king about the Guggenheim
Museum in Bilbao. We talk about Peter Eisenman's art museum in Oh i o, instead
of calling it the We xner Center for the Arts at Ohio State. Maybe this
is just a wa y to ease conversation about architecture, but it ma kes the
buil di ngs mor e about the designer, and le ss about i ts fun ction or users .
WHAT
IS AN
ARCHITECT?
With or without school - tra -ined architects, people would build . Structures
would r i se to meet the needs of people, families, and communities. Soc i e ty
entrusts the duty of designing sa fe bu i lding s to architects, and c lient s expect
architects to meet their needs wit hi n their budget. So what is an ar ch i tect?
Rather than shaping human activity, architectural des i gn complements t hi s
activ i ty . Design e r s think they can cause people to behave certa i n ways
through des i gn. While it i s tru e that design can influen ce how people
use a space, the primary influence is ultimatel y the user. People wi ll
cut through open lots instead of taking th e sidewalk a ll the way around .
Arc i tecture ' s prime social funct i on is to facilitate people's do i ng
what they want or have to do . The primary funct i on of an architect i s to
design structure s that are able to meet known and predictable activities .
When an architect becomes a star, his or her work becomes about the
author. Although buildings and star architects can bring attention to
cit i es or campus e s , arch i tecture is not ab out fame. When an arcnitect
or instituti on is pursuing a project for attent i on, they miss the
point. The y forget about the cost, the users, and the builders. Projects
go wa y ov er budget and build i ngs do not fun ction as they should.
At t he end of the day, an architect i s hired to complete a buil d i ng
project . An architect should put the needs of a client over any
desire for
artistic experimentation or attention,
unless t ha t
is
what the c lient wants. Even then, an arch i tect cannot forget people.
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REFERENCES
Berke, D., Harris, S. (1997) . Architecture of th e Eve ryd ay. New York :
Prin ce t on Architectural Pre ss
Gutm an , R. (1972). People and Buil dings . New York : Basic Bo oks , Inc.,
Publi s hers
Wien. A. (2 00 7) . Le ssons from Bernard Rud ofsky : Life as
Bi r khauser
www.da y lab or stati on.org
www .l ot -e k.com
www . publicarchitecture.org
www . seangod se ll. co m
Voyage. Boston: