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| Source: Architecturerealmix_safetensors.comfyUI.AI |
Design, meticulous in every facet, speaks. On paper, Architecture speaks to select few; trained professionals like you and me. But as it transcends the barriers of two-dimensional to three-dimensional, the language of Architecture is so audible, it can't be ignored. Don't be mistaken; silence is also communication; though few truly understand it. There is so much dead Architecture around us; we have grown numb, both as designers and as those experiencing it. Our buildings have ceased to speak with signages and bill boards doing the talking instead. Architecture, meant to be experienced, goes through two cycles: Design and Build. If 'design' is created dumb, how then do we expect the build to speak? Thus, communication with the everyday person is silenced, leaving only you and I, who are able to read the blueprint.
It speaks more profoundly in some settings than others.
Architecture speaks with numerous voices in different dialects across the
globe. In contexts like Morocco and Egypt, Architecture literally screams. It
has an identity on its inside and out, whereas in other settings, it's like a
whisper.
This wide spectrum of architectural expression reminds us of
childhood days. The dread of scrubbing crayon scribbles, you drew off the wall
or face Daddy when he returned from work; always made our heart skip a beat. No
matter how hard you scrub, crayon scribbles always left a mark. Architecture
should leave a mark too - the good kind, a responsible Architecture. So, the
question on the mind today becomes: As an Architect, should design be
distinctive and grounded in function or multi-functional, so subtle, its
flexibility is a no-brainer for property brokers?
We speak to the location, the culture, the people, an
identity, and now more consciously, the future, with our design. The future
is a key factor that underpins the concept of multi-functionality.
Rightfully said by Norman Foster: "As an Architect, you design for the
present with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially
unknown." I think we have idolized the latter and thrown the former away.
Maybe it is because we haven't grasped the distinct roles they play.
The Past – Offers glimpses through the shells
that cradled the lives of before. It's life-size tangible Heritage.
The Present – Shaping our interactions with
others. It is our now; responding to the pressures and needs of the
ever-automated world we live in.
The Future – The physical embodiment of the
potential of evolving. Perhaps, this facet of Architecture has overpowered the
trinity. Much like we humans, who are itching to know what's next, to find out
the next big thing, so is our Architecture. Maybe, if we slowed down, relaxed
and celebrated how far we've come, our Architecture would do the same.
Architecture in its entirety, magnificent and evoking, both
great and small, is distinctive. It has a soul. It is not about shelter, as it
may seem to some. It is a Science and an Art... It is about making PLACE. Place
with a soul and character so strong, one could practically hear it scream, loud
enough to the hearing of everyone.
A place without meaning is space. That is what we put up
today... tubes of space. The intangible fabric of our societies is heavily
influenced by one very tangible aspect of the environment: The Built. Today we
have crippled the voice of Architecture in Politics, Economics, Health,
Education... you name it. We have reduced it to mere shelter. And it all starts
when we pick up our pencils to shape the world we live in. Just as there is
lightening before the thunder, before the Built there was Design. So, dear
Architect, let's Design to speak not only within technical circles but to
everyone. The true power of Architecture is in being Distinctive.