Conversations on architecture

"The joy of 'knowing' is in sharing that knowledge"

Are you wondering who said that? Sounds profound, but then, I can be like that. 

This profound awareness came when we started online design studios. Who would have thought that it was possible? The genesis of an architectural design studio is in understanding the 'gesture design'. For the un-initiated, a gesture design is lots of gestures explaining the ideas in ones' mind without actually drawing them on paper. This involves hand movements to engage teacher's attention, throwing in words like 'interesting forms.' 'framing the views,' and pointing to some seemingly random point on a blank paper, as to where the building, road, entrance and the north are.

All this while the teacher trying to comprehend what's happening in the brain behind the gestures. Trying to make sense of the lines drawn or not drawn on the paper. Multiple thoughts racing through the mind like, is this working? does it have any merit? is it possible to direct this to a meaningful outcome? And then, the hand starts to draw, remembering to piece together a cohesive design through the gestures, explaining the possibilities of that yet-to-be-discovered design. The pencil lines on the paper, the scribbles of sections, bits of perspectives follow words and thoughts to form ideas.

This needs physical space. The entire process of going back and forth is mutual. A student and a teacher conversing in the language of design. There are also hilarious moments of rotating the semi-blank paper asking to point to the north and the mumble that accompanies even more wild gestures. 

It is very very difficult to do this in a virtual world where the video is off and you can't see the expressions, where the whiteboard facility on your computer app can't keep up with your thought process or the mouse has a mind of its own. Then there are innumerable "am i audibles"?? and "feeble networks". But, resilient as we are, we are finding ways to navigate through difficulties of virtual design classes because the joy is in sharing and the joy is in exchange. 

Discussions are an integral part of understanding architecture as much as it is through observation.  Be it classroom discussions, discussions on field trips, meeting great architects and listening to them, questioning them, banter with friends and colleagues, diatribes about who's the best architect in the whole world or gossip about how so-and-so didn't deserve an award for a so-and-so-building. 

Most architects love to reminisce about the long chats on design ideas over 'chai.' The thing we unanimously miss the most amongst the faculty of architecture in this pandemic, is the animated discussions we have in the classroom and outside of it with students and between ourselves too.

This need to talk, banter, diatribe, dialogue, discourse, discuss...stems form the same urge to 'know' and to share what we 'know'. 

Fortunately for me and my architect friends, we found joy in asking and knowing, in an unexpected way through the pandemic. We started conversing with architects on social media apps. Sitting at home we connected with the architecture community across cities and countries to learn and share. Initial apprehension of 'will architects talk to us' dissolved as we realised that everyone has a story to tell and a desire to contribute to this profession. We call our virtual meeting space, 'design adda', a place where like-minded people come together for conversation. 

Each conversation we've had on adda has brought about more awareness of the design thought process, architectural practices, real world challenges. Each question we've asked thoughtfully with an intention to bring about the most productive response while each answer has been fielded with genuine transparency to make it useful for the young professionals. The topics have ranged from sustainability to urban regeneration to illustrations. As I look back, I know it has widened my horizon a bit more. 

We still look forward to the day when we can do an adda in person over a hot cup of 'chai', laughing about the technical glitches and the ubiquitous "am I audible?" discussing what we like the most, architecture.

Hand drawn sketch for 
design exploration

Whiteboard sketch

Beyond what we know

I stood under the great dome of the Hagia Sofia, unable to capture its magnificence in my camera, wondering how they managed this feat at the beginning of the middle ages. A feat that would not be surpassed for the next 1000 years. The scale and proportions of the great dome are hard to explain. It is an experiential space; a space where one feels awed, dwarfed and yet connected to something bigger and grander at the same time.

Hagia Sofia - Image courtesy travelsignposts.com

As I moved around marveling at the detailing of mosaic and optical illusions of stucco I kept coming back to the central dome almost hypnotized by the light quality in the humongous hall and the delicateness of the arched windows supporting the great dome. Hagia Sofia has achieved a magical balance of engineering and design that is soul stirring.

This is what Corbusier meant when he said, "The purpose of construction is to hold things together; of the architecture is to move us" -Towards the new Architecture. Architecture has that power to evoke emotions unexpectedly, unique to each person yet binding them at some level, experentially.

We, the architects,  are a bunch of optimists. We believe in what can be beyond what is. We believe it can be done against improbabilities and we most definitely believe our buildings will change people's lives forever.

In a video based on Tadao Andos' 'Ichigoni 152' project in New York,  he describes the quality that a residence should have, he says "a living space should be a sanctuary, a place where one can reflect upon life" and then he goes on to say that "I wanted to create something that no one else could." He also wanted to use light and water as living elements in such a way that could touch a human heart.

Click to see video on 'Ichigoni152' by Nowness

This belief in wanting to create something unique, to stir human emotions makes architects go that extra mile to educate clients about what is right for them, fight authorities to get permissions, make unlimited alterations to suit budget without compromising on design and spend endless hours thinking about where the light and wind is going to come in from.

In the process great buildings such as Hagia Sofia that inspire generations of architects, poets, writers are created. Buildings that stand tall through upheavals of history and mankind as testimony to the human spirit and survival.

But then there are also humble buildings by architects, made with the same belief that this building is going to touch hearts and give joy of experiencing beautiful spaces. Building practices that have inspired a quiet revolution of sorts to help a community because the architect went beyond the norm.

Laurie Baker, Didi Contractors are such architects who made vernacular 'stylish' by using traditional building wisdom with modern design outlook and revived the traditional building techniques to bring architecture and design to the common people.

Architect- Laurie Baker, Image courtesy- Architectural Digest

Architect- Didi Contractor, Image courtesy- Architectural Digest

Whether you're a humanitarian architect, a not-so-known-architect or a ‘starchitect’, the ability to go beyond the obvious, being fearless and an optimist creates inspirational buildings. Whether you're an architect who loves to defy laws of gravity or one who honors tradition, the ability to go beyond what's already done creates new architecture.