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Danielz
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 6:40 am Post subject: Why does artsy conceptualism exist? |
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While traditional architecture might be linked to craft, from gothic to modern, a lot of what schools of Today teach is conceptualism.
There is a tendency that studios sometimes exist not as means of integrating core design knowledge: structures, aesthetics, proportion, materials, program, but as abstract graphical projects all year round, including film, collage, poetry. RIBA gold medal winner Ted Cullinan even goes as far as saying "Architecture is not about Buildings". The RIBA presidents medal student award winners are as a rule very abstract, one could dare to say not practical (http://www.presidentsmedals.com/).
Some Architects say that students lack practicality, cost awareness, some students indicate that coming to practice, they have to learn how to actually make buildings. Although at the same time Daniel Libeskind and Frank Gehry who prefer unknown to understood, emotional to rational, are successful architects.
There must be a reason behind this?
Last edited by Danielz on Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:18 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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csintexas
millennium club
Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 2174
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:26 am Post subject: |
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Technical issues are hard and require knowledge of math and science as well as logical thinking.
Art is fun. It is the part of architecture everyone likes. No complex issues to deal with the only question we need ask is does it make us feel good (or bad for that matter. -as long as it makes us feel something)
Perhaps schools figure that you are paying them a lot of money and that you want to enjoy your last few years of simi-childhood before you have to move off into the harsh reality of modern life. Besides there is plenty of time to learn that (other) stuff after you finish school.
...or perhaps they have a point.
There isn't all that much art in everyday living and they have a limited opportunity to show that architecture is more than just a technical solution. Also presentation is an important thing to learn.
Who knows exactly? Personally I do not care for the current system and I opted out (so perhaps I am bias against it)
_________________
-Chris Stewart
http://bcshdb.blogspot.com >
The B/CS Home Design Blog |
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Danielz
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:45 am Post subject: |
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| csintexas wrote: |
Perhaps schools figure that you are paying them a lot of money and that you want to enjoy your last few years of simi-childhood before you have to move off into the harsh reality of modern life. Besides there is plenty of time to learn that (other) stuff after you finish school.
...or perhaps they have a point.
There isn't all that much art in everyday living and they have a limited opportunity to show that architecture is more than just a technical solution. Also presentation is an important thing to learn.
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My thinking is probably wrong. I am paying big money, because I want hard work, solid knowledge, not fu fu play with colours and philosophy. I already do it in my free time - to have fun and relax, not to earn a degree.
Although I do feel that you are right that persuading others in your ideas, no matter how abstract, is an important skill to learn.
I do get the impression that since real life architecture is very down to earth, schools try to overcompensate by making curriculums more artsy. But then again, I feel that this wasn't the case 20 years ago. |
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lekizz
millennium club
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 1212
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:30 am Post subject: |
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Universities are education factories. First degrees are generally designed to teach young, intelligent, enthusiastic people to think, develop ideas and study skills.
Architecture is complex and requires a wide variety of knowledge and skills, which explains why the learning process for an architect is sooo lengthy!! But fundamentally architects need to imagine things that do not currently physically exist. Firstly you need an armoury of knowledge, techniques and skills to create a solution to a complex brief. Then you need the skills to develop and describe these ideas, objects, locations and buildings in many different ways to allow other people to understand them too.
You've just started the education process haven't you? Some people are artsy, others are more practical, others like rational, engineering and mathematical routes. I'm sure sometime during your course you'll get the opportunity to nail some wood or build a wall or detail a standing-seam roof. In the meantime I'd advise you to throw yourself into the mix and enjoy the comparitive freedom of university while you can. |
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cousinbirgco
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 148
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 5:28 am Post subject: |
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It seems to me it would be valuable to have architectural
students learn to physically build some of the structures they might
be designing, but like a lot of educational institutions, getting hands
on experience is low on the priority list.
For example, in our area there are some very good public
school systems with a high emphasis on students attending
four year colleges. Also within the public school
system is a sub-system known as BOCES,
(Board of Cooperative, Educational Services).
Students generally attend Boces who may not be college bound,
but there are some great opportunities being squandered because
hands-on, alternative type learning experiences are frowned upon
by many. Very few parents and students realize there are
facilities available, such as a state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar television/media center,
just about anyone can attend, and yet the
vast majority of "college" bound students
wouldn't consider it because it is connected to BOCES.
The real shame of this is that many of these college
bound students eventually drop out,
(as high as 30% in some cases),
and potentially life changing learning experience and career opportunities are lost. |
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csintexas
millennium club
Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 2174
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I am paying big money, because I want hard work, solid knowledge, not fu fu play with colours and philosophy. I already do it in my free time - to have fun and relax, not to earn a degree. |
I agree, my feeling is that modern training is biased toward the university. It becomes an exercise in creating university employment and an 'educational arms race'.
I believe art and creativity are intrinsic to all people. Some are better at it than others but I am not so sure these things can be developed in older people. For example I play in a bluegrass band but I will probably never be an excellent musician regardless of any training because I did not develop it at an early age and I have no special talent.
I think that ideally we would see training tailored to the individual. Some people like school others like myself are more hands on and feel that 12 years was enough for general education and want to stop wasting time.
I would rather see education and skills developed through a lifetime.
_________________
-Chris Stewart
http://bcshdb.blogspot.com >
The B/CS Home Design Blog |
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innova+e
Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 63
Location: lisbon
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| Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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there is certainly a lifetime of learning involved in an architectural career. I think it is our responsibility to maintain the regularity of keeping up on the current who's and what's of product development, methods in building technology and sustainability, to name a few.
Don't be so convinced into thinking that "artsy" is what you're paying for.
Perhaps you may be too focused on what you think they want from you as a student (meaning your studio crit), they are there to offer their experience and continue their own exposure and learning process from the academia side of things...fact is, they don't want anything from you, most likely, than to take an interest in the world around you. Indeed some of your colleagues will be more creatively involved in the problem solving, imagining grand volumes and (fu fu?) colors and the like, while others calculate the probabilities and feasibilities as such. Get used to it, and as one poster said (lekizz I think) jump in and find your place. Be a part of it and seek out your strengths. This IS how the real world works. when you think of those little "artsy" models they entice you into making, think about the fact that you are actually practicing a small scale of architecture. Full scale architecture happens later, when engineering and creativity find some common ground. You use creative thinking, pre-conceived ideas and planning, plus the structural integrity of glue, foam core board and popsicle sticks to make your small scale structure stand up. Now, real world comes around and you meet engineers who are better with calculators than with popsicle sticks, so you work together to make steel and glass stand up. If you think that by thinking creatively and being provoked to dream and conceive is a waste of money, well, for you then it is. Unless you can decide to use that to find your place in this. Architecture is not easy. Like my crit said, if you want an easy degree, go into dentistry. It's not easy because we're thrown (self inflicted in most cases) into a profession after being swooned by film clips of giants and readings of theorists from all eras, only to find out we need to learn to cooperate with those who have skills and belief sets differently than us, in order to acheive. Pragmatics don't kill a design, they don't even stifle the possible or the preconveived, yet they enhance the possibility that your hard work and perserverance can actually make them visible to the world around you. Don't stress out too much. The University doesnt care what you get for your money. Sorry for the shock, but once that financial aid check clears, you're on your own.. stay that way. good luck. ac |
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