ARCHITECTURE is a sophisticated and complicated profession. Just like in social media, when the account says the relationship is complicated, it means you have to understand the intricacies of the account of that person. Architecture is just the same as a woman, the architect has to find out the complexities of the project, even as far back to the idiosyncrasies of the project owners and the limitations of the project.
The same goes for a woman. Just like a sophisticated and complicated beautiful person, the architect should know the likes and dislikes, the mannerisms and the approaches to satisfy the necessary requirements of the client. Be it a quaint or beautiful residential building, or probably a complex mix-use high rise condominium building or maybe a spacious and manicured resort. Here the description of the projects is more minute and intimate to the smallest details as these is where women seem to focus a lot more than men. The general concept may be created in form by men but the carryover and arrangements are left to the women to take care of. After all, most women generally seem to be the users of the projects.
If the client may have some points of discussions or disagreements on the design discussion phase, the architect should make it a point to continuously communicate with the owners to thresh out his point and hopefully see it through so the clients may understand the value of the thought in relation to the project.
Case in point, the clients of the architect especially the ones that can truly afford to build, tend to be focused on their objectives in implementing the proposed project and tend to shrug off comments and observations that may possibly derail the execution of their projects. In short, a one-track mind.
That process of doing the project should be interpreted well by the architect because they plan well, execute well and satisfy well the client in terms of objectives, purpose, details and functions. This is the right step forward in doing more and convincing the clients.
Second case in point: I remember a mantra of a big business company that says “We find ways.” This mantra should also be applicable to architects for their clients in a way that architects are creative and innovative. Architects explore, observe, visualize and eventually create an environment that is new and progressive. Architects do literally almost 80-90 percent vertical structures and 10-20 percent horizontal designs. They find ways to improve and excite the landscape, change the way of old thinking. Offer better solutions on vertical structures. Several years ago, cemeteries were laid out in horizontal fashion designed by architects. Today, tombs are vertically stacked literally like a condominium.
If architects think in the old ways, eventually they become Jurassic, outdated and slow. The fast pace of technology has made architects stand out with innovative designs. Look at the designs of residences from the 1960s to the present and you can just marvel at the changes of shape, mass and impact of modern designs. Some residences today just look like commercial buildings and anything more, and not a traditional abode, and vice versa. There is even now an adaptation of old heritage houses and industrial warehouses into commercial usage or for other uses of man.
Architects come up with new thinking and get noticed. If the architect is a bit different, he gets noticed and gets interesting.
There is a lesson learned from this short story. A designer always draws and constructs a low-cost housing unit and sells it to a businessman who turns it around and sells it for a profit. This had been going on for some time until one day the businessman stops buying constructed units from the designer. The designer questions the businessman how come he does not buy anymore low-cost housing units done by him. The businessman replies, “Don’t you draw and construct anything else other than that same low- cost housing design?”
Architecture must be evolving, must be progressive, should be innovative and lastly, must affect the way of life in a society to improve and excite the populace to exact change in their environment.
If you like this article, share it on social media by clicking any of the icons below.
Or in case you haven’t subscribed yet to our newsletter, please click SUBSCRIBE so you won’t miss the daily real estate news updates delivered right to your Inbox.
The article was originally published in The Manila Times and written by Arch. Benjamin Panganiban Jr. FUAP.
About Post Author
More Stories
Weekend wanderer: This walk in Manila is a trip to art and to our past
Enjoy no-frills camping in the great outdoors in Tanay
Landco Pacific raises the bar for premium resort and leisure living