Architecture is the art of designing buildings and physical structures. An architect designs habitable spaces for almost everyone. Historically, Architecture has been defined as a basic need for humans to have shelter. A roof above our head to prevent us from any natural calamity, harsh weather, and wild animals.
It is true that Architecture has advanced and grew as the need of humans escalated over time. Today, Architecture is much more than just designing homes, offices, or schools.
“Architecture is really about well-being. I think that people want to feel good in a space…
On the other hand, it’s about shelter, but it’s also about pleasure”
-Zaha Hadid
It’s about designing buildings that speak to themselves, breathe to life, and bring pleasure to the world.
Many Master architects have left us stunned with their wonders, leaving us baffled with the Pandora’s Box that Architecture is.
Be it Le Corbusier, Renzo Piano, or F.L Wright. Their passion for their work has left no stone unturned.
“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness”
Frank Gehry.
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An efficient architect design spaces, not buildings. Humans interact with spaces they utilize it, live in them, and most importantly reflect on them.
It is true that
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”
Winston Churchill
A person’s personality is shaped by the people he spends time with and the environment where he lives. Therefore, over the course of time it is apt. to say that building starts to reflect their characteristics on other people.
Spaces are the constituent of built which transcends time. One must consider social, economic, political, geographical and n number of other factors in which humans and their behavior to the built holds a prime position.
The kind of environment created by the built reflects a lot on the social, personal, mental well-being, and growth of the person.
It’s wise enough to say that the scope of architecture is not confined to designing habitable space, an architect must understand the responsibility of creating an impact on the society which will last for almost 50 years. The building will stand still in the present and decades from now, shaping lives today, tomorrow, and for a very long time.
Architect’s Life
To be very blunt, being an architect is not an easy profession. Sleepless nights and tight deadlines are just a part of a normal routine. It takes time and commitment to excel in a career that is repeatedly ranked the hardest professional courses. Early fame and quick success is not something you can achieve overnight. The first 10 years in the practical field are the hardest but in time the hard work starts to pay off.
There are indeed perks of being an architect, you get reasons to travel a lot, understand different cultures, meet new people, and the work is interesting and very creative. It’s a respected career to be opted for.
An architect must understand the impact he is going to create on the society and people around and therefore must have a sound knowledge about practically everything.
Yes, that’s right EVERYTHING.
Architects hold a part in designing spaces to be occupied by the majority of living beings on the planet.
It sounds pretty vague but nonetheless, it is very true. Let’s take 2 different examples of professional architects and their work, duties, and responsibility.
- Landscape Architect
- Residential Architect.
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Landscape Architect
Starting off with Landscape Architect whose primary role is to design outdoor areas that involve gardens, parks, outdoor furniture, and gazebos.
These answers are just theoretical, but a broader perspective is to design outdoor areas which include geography, climate, topography, and all this with respect to the involvement of people in the vicinity. If a Landscape Architect is designing a park. The people visiting the park must feel relaxed and free after sitting in the offices and homes every day around brick walls. People must feel joy and can interact with flora and fauna around him be it shrubs, flowers butterflies, or birds.
So the question arises. Is the park only designed primarily for people considering their needs and requirements? The answer is it should also be designed to co-exist with the flora and fauna there as well. Thus it’s not about just planning a park and designing the benches. It is about understanding everyone contributing to making it a livelihood space.
Residential Architect
It’s easier said than done. Designing a house just for the purpose of sustaining is easy. All you need is a room to live, a window to breathe, an essential toilet, and a kitchen to cook food.
An architect does not design a house, but a home. A home that reflects the identity of the person living in it. Now the task becomes challenging when you have different types of clients Taking an example of designing a home for the president of the US is far different from a dentist who has a clinic in the home.
In both cases, one needs to design a home for people to live in it where mandatory requirements are the same but lifestyle is the polar opposite which will impact the scale, proportion, and size of the built.
The royal palace needs a state of art rooms, galleries and royal court whereas a residence with clinic needs enough privacy, seamless movement of patients, buffer spaces, security, sterile environment with a feeling of home
This is exactly the reason why an architect needs to study people, observe and understand their behavior, lifestyle, and have sound knowledge, open eyes, and ears to be in the profession. But that is not all.
As a person, the architect must have these qualities to excel
- A likable person with good social contacts.
- A great observant makes a great architect.
- One has to be hardworking and dedicated to the craft.
- Smart enough to make apt. decisions
When you have good social contacts, you are more likely to make personal connections with clients who hire, they trust you enough to provide you with the project. An architect must be observant enough to understand their needs and work through the challenges to provide the client with appropriate solutions along with working with passion and commitment to deliver the output that is appreciated by all.
“Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light.”
Le Corbusier
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