Thoughts – The Architectural DNA
At the origin of Architecture lies the incompressible gift of alchemy; the ability to transform the fruits of the imagination into a concrete reality that embodies within it a multitude of values ;There are many ways by which Architecture is envisioned; light markings on a page, geometric patterns, abstract models, compulsive sketches and texts are all processes of Architecture;
Analysis, definitions, composition and even randomness are invariably adopted to develop a concept to reconcilement between what is required and what, nevertheless, needs to be expressed. It is rarely easy to explain the validity of the architectural process especially since there seems to be a particular DNA that set architects apart in their very perception and thought processes. Envisioned within a multitude of scales, Architecture requires translation from the drafted to the realized, from the personal to the collective, from abstraction to 1:1. ;There is often a shadow of differing scales within every process, as if embedded within the lines symbols and patterns that are drawn lie a multitude of considerations that exist yet await articulation ;Submerged within a world of associations and coded intentions, the architect continually shifts between processes of creation and translation. Intuitions are revised or confirmed, associations are abandoned or re-enforced as the realizing Architectural process gains inertia. Like a secret language that encompasses an entire realm, the architect is drawn to the power and potential of the abstract and the seductiveness of the subjective. The Architect succumbs to the beauty of the notations, to the intricacies of the craft, to the potential of the imagination. A straight line is suddenly overlooked for the attractiveness of a curve or a simple joint is abandoned by the desire to elaborate a detail.
Ultimately, a certain dissonance emerges between the realm of Architecture and the multiple forces that determine its realization. Architecture defines relationships. It encourages or restricts social, cultural, and economic activities. ;Work and leisure, health and education, the collective, as well as the intimate occur within the architectural imagination and its manifestations. It is through Architecture that boundaries are set, journeys defined, and opportunities created. The consequences of Architecture do not end in its realization, nor is it limited by physical parameters. Architecture reverberates, omitting stimuli that can trigger chain reactions that have far reaching consequences. ;Whether envisioned within the public or private domains, successful projects generate debate, facilitate social and cultural activities, increase traffic, stimulate commerce, and expand horizons. Bad Architecture, as we have all seen, ultimately reduces human density and drains wealth. It results in social and cultural wastelands. ;
Thus, inherent within Architecture is an extraordinary responsibility. Yet towards whom does the Architect bare responsibility? The profession? The client? The environment? The public? The authorities?
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