OK, so it is coming up to the end of 2012, and not to get caught up in the sentimentality of the numbers changing from 2012 to 2013, this post is just taking an opportunity to reflect on the story so far in terms of this exploration of what goes on beneath the surface of what we refer to as Architecture. The main thread has been about the legacy of our work, taking the city as a found object, New York, London, and in some cases revisiting to build up a sense of the evolution of those places; East London from the construction of the Millennium dome to hosting the Olympics for example.My last few posts have been focused on Birmingham, the UK's second city, it is a city that I have come to know well, I have lived most of my adult life in Birmingham, over the course of 17 years Birmingham has become into a city that I am proud to have called home.
The experience in training as an Architect in the city has shaped me, and more specifically my direction towards what we refer to as Architecture. The city has changed dramatically in the 17 years, which is why I have started at 1993 which is the year that I first arrived. Throughout my architectural education there have been numerous projects set on the city, mainly on sites that are not easy and not obvious choices for development, which is probably why they are left as they are, vacant lots, derelict buildings or in some cases active buildings and complexes that nobody knows what to do with.
In conversations with friends and colleagues the subject of the purpose of Architecture inevitably comes up, or more to the point where do I see it going. The truth is none of us know how the future is going to pan out and it is becoming increasingly evident that it is unlikely that things will be the way they were before 2008.
For me it is about how we as Architects evolve to become ‘valued’ by society in the future. Experiences of analysing the built environment and in some cases the natural environment through student’s eyes then later dealing with some of the issues and viewing through professional’s eyes begin to set up a context and that context is Architecture.In this context everything built and man made in terms of environment is Architecture, it has been built by man for the use, enjoyment and in many cases non-enjoyment and eventually abandonment by man. Not that everything was built by Architects, much of what we live with is built outside the control of Architects. As a profession we were not responsible for the for the factories built during the industrial revolution for example, or the pollution caused to the air, rivers and ground contamination or the countless products that are discarded to litter the environment, but we are the only construction professionals with the knowledge, understanding and vision to deal with the legacy in a positive way.
In the post industrial plane we are capable of steering huge projects through the minefield of bureaucracy and address the social, cultural, economic issues to make a project a success. Architecture as a process is a hugely collaborative one, gone are the days when we could concentrate on one masterpiece and follow it through from initial sketch to final built product. Projects are far too complex to be driven by one person, today it is a team of specialist consultants whose specialist knowledge contributes to the overall vision under the leadership of the project leader. In many cases the project leader is not an Architect but could be from any construction related field and assumes the role of Project Manager.
That in itself is not necessarily a bad thing where the management of stakeholders and balancing conflicting requirements is a full time occupation. In many cases though projects are led by cost consultants with Architects relegated to positions where they have less influence. Over the past few years with the developed world in financial crisis and projects stopped and Architects being put out of work or continuing to work for ever diminishing fees it feels as though the profession is doomed to extinction. That is until you look at the world and the changing emphasis of economy, moving from a consumerist economy towards a growing understanding of carbon economy there is a greater need for Architects than there ever has been before. Who else in the design team can develop the strategic vision to achieve projects that are sustainable on all levels, with social and cultural relevance and have the leadership and knowledge to follow it through and pull all the elements together other than the Architect?
