A FEW OPINIONS ON ARCHITECTURE AND MYSELF
It has not been long since I wrote about why I want to quit architecture. My frame of mind has since shifted to the other side a bit. This is not to say that I have changed my views about why my profession does not inspire much confidence in me. But there are a few points that have to be mentioned, contrary to my previous essay.
My major qualm was in my comparison of architecture as a profession to other professions. There are perks offered to employees that no architecture office matches; at least as much as I am aware of. The comparison is completely fair from the standpoint of an architect such as myself. But that line of thinking does not lead to other paths, which are not equally damning in their own ways.
Towards some motivation factors in my chosen field, I present below my thought process over the last few months since I have written my last essay on why I want to quit architecture.
Architecture has a certain appeal to it from a creative standpoint. Architects are different from artists (and also interior designers) in that the idea they sell has to be something that can be “used” in a conventional way. If you are an argumentative pedantic, you might espouse the “usability of a painting” or the “necessity of art” for society. But that would be a straw man argument against the actual point being made.
The usability of the product should be such that it makes logical sense for the product to exist. It creates value for the user in one or more ways, with the overall sum of all value generated vs the hindrance caused to be of a positive value. Higher the value, better the product. An architectural product, i.e. a building, can be valued this way by a motivated individual. There are some aspects of the valuation that are bound to vary from person to person, such as the aesthetic, the feel of the textures, the smell of the plants, the shade of wood, and so on. But the measurable, mathematical values of factors such as passive lighting, energy efficiency, carbon footprints, organizational efficiency, and material wastage, are hard facts and cannot be disputed.
It is then the duty of the architect to weigh the tangible and intangible factors against each other and pick on where the compromise is to be made to ensure the highest value of the product. It is here that the variation arises between multiple architects tackling the same project. At this stage of weighing the compromises to be made, many architects choose the easy task of prioritizing aesthetics over function. When eyeball counts are the definitive measure of value, we see the derision of philosophy and the celebration of aesthetics. We are then surrounded by projects that are celebrations of mediocrity paraded as paragons of contemporary vision.
The local Starchitect today is given projects that do not come with a budget tag. However tenacious the architect, they soon succumb to the laziness of solving any issue through money, rather than design. This is a problem I have witnessed first-hand and found myself resorting to more and more. This does not necessarily mean that the end product is a poor one. It just means that it is a lazy one. And for a professional who prides themselves on the quality of the product, there can be no satisfaction derived from it as they know it is a product of laziness that has chosen convenience over thought.
I enter this field today again. Technically, I entered the field almost exactly a decade ago when I joined the course; but it is today that I step into it as a professional of independent thought.
Independent thought has led me to revolt against my present style, and to list out the priorities with which I must push myself to move towards. This intellectual challenge that is put forwards to me is the motivating factor for my work. The potential to bring in change – however minor, through ideas and compromise is a necessary component of the practice. However distasteful the other facets may be, the hope for further clarity on the governing philosophy, the coexistence of artistic freedom and logical rigidity, the accommodation of human psychology, and the expectation of a better tomorrow are what keep me going.
Sai Tejas 