Comentarios sobre Arquitetura: You do not have to be posh

21 July 2011

You do not have to be posh

"This just reinforces their belief that it’s all about the beauty of the object and that the architect is merely a stylist who sprinkles magic dust over engineering. It’s a sure-fire way of marginalising us."

Sarah Wigglesworth commenting about the Stirling Prize which always list the same and supected names who are concerned with posh projects.

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a Over the years, I realized that architecture is a fascinating field, much more than I imagined 20 years ago, when I graduated.

However, I believe that today architecture is in constant threaten. Whether because of the insensitivity of usury - which multiplies bad buildings, either because ignorance - with the acceptance of bad buildings everyday, and either because a pompous theoretical approach, or an unrealistic relativism in the theories - a simple analysis shows that there are many enemies of Architecture.

And they all profoundly hate Architecture to the point of diminishing its value, trying to transmute your story in a game of words and bureaucratic rules, reducing the importance of individual experience with the space and art. These enemies try to reduce the architecture only to symbolize a coercive power over the citizen, in public buildings and corporate ones, and to encourage conformity in the housing plans.

Somewhat widespread, ignorance and poverty of spirit have been attacking the inspiration and ingenuity in architecture. Those are the two most ruthless enemies, and I have no doubt that it is within universities where they pervade.

Meanwhile, outside, there is no way out, between the heroics or cosmopolitanism flamboyant, nor the alleged genius of the exceptions in poor countries or the so called alternative attitudes. Both categories are not a real life - they are just a pose.

There is also a false scientific attitude that seeks to reduce the dimensions of humane architecture to present it as simply result of calculation, comfort and efficiency. Naively, many who enjoy studying architecture eventually accepts the false oversimplification that the scientific spirit has to offer. They forget, however, that architecture is a matter that has thousands of years on earth, against the precarious 400 old years of modern scientific thought.

One way to counter these enemies - and perhaps much more effective than simply designing and constructing buildings for our own enjoyment or curriculum - is to study and discuss what is the architecture and teach this, preserving the space for debate their meaning and significance. This education, oriented for aspects of teaching about the individual and collective space can reflect objectively on ours citizens and our country's life, reflecting on how they will make decisions about their buildings and their environment.

In this sense, to support the battle for Architecture, in this blog you will find some texts and other materials geared for education. Welcome, and please, participate.

Sheffield,

April 12, 2008.

21 July 2011

You do not have to be posh

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