point: theories

The main theme in Unit 1-Theories, is to begin to understand architecture inside and out. It is all around us and is considered the Unavoidable Art. Since it comes from the mind, Louis Kahn said, “Architecture is what nature can’t make.” The most obvious reason architecture is unavoidable is because we can’t walk through it. We live in homes, work in offices, attend schools, and worship in places that have been designed for our use. Nicholas Pevsner said, “a bicycle shed is a building, Lincoln Cathedral is a piece of architecture.” The shed is storage for objects, while the cathedral is for people to use. Humans have a lot of interpretations of it and we can see history alive in architecture. It seems complicated since we can learn so much about humanity through it. Architecture shows us about our values, successes and failures, aspirations, physical and social needs, cross-cultural insights, attitudes towards nature, and techniques available at a certain time in history. It is important though to remember the way Vitruvius saw it, stay balanced and keep it simple. Architecture and design is symbolic because it forms a dialogue with the past and future and designers need to know the history and theory of it so we can be conscious of what will be left behind. Designers want their work to be enjoyed for a long time, so it needs to be built well. Sir Henry Wotton said, “Well building hath three conditions: commodity, firmness, and delight.” If the function of the building meets the needs of people, the structure is strong, and it remains a pleasing experience for people, it will be a success.

In this unit we discussed all aspects of design, not just architecture. We talked about material culture and how people process the meaning of objects and we heard the ideas from three theorists that explain it very well. Jules David Prown believes that description, deduction, and speculation are a three-step process we use to form an opinion of an object. A silver tea pot from the 1800s was used as the example. To the owners, it was a comforting object that served warm tea. To the slaves, it was a sign of oppression. Dick Hebdige wrote more about the meaning behind an object using double meaning, maps of meaning, and subculture. And finally, Roland Barthes theorized about the hidden rules, codes, and conventions of meanings through semiotics, ideologies, and signs.

We discussed the design cycle theory that says we start with creativity in early life, we are at the height of creativity in mid life, and then creativity declines at the end of life. Learning the cycle of design is important for various reasons. We can appreciate the youth and observe the way they create things and incorporate their open mindedness into our designs. Then value the current moment and jump into our designs with both feet, knowing that our level of excitement and creativity will not always be the same. And finally, accept we will not be young forever so we need to design for the next generation, to inspire them and tell our story.

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I chose the image above to describe the theories unit because we discussed the past, present, and future. The gray blocks represent the past and future and the colored blocks represent the present. We have to design and build with careful consideration of the past and future, however the present is the most important time for us as designers.