Professional Documents
Culture Documents
the level our work. This cannot be because of lack of infrastructure. Some of these
students pay lakhs of rupees for a year or even a semesters worth of tuition. Their
studios are equipped with the latest computers and top of the line printers. What
then seems to be the problem. We realize of course that we are not qualified to
judge anyone, after all, we also happen to be students. However, we bear a
responsibility towards our profession and share it with other practitioners. In the
highly capitalistic context of todays built environment , the last thing that we need
is another irresponsible money hungry qualified architect who can potentially do
infinitely more harm than good if given the opportunity.
Some architects and academicians believe that an architect should be considered
a technologist rather than an artist. Of course there are the singular great
geniuses of every generation but for the everyday and the mundane, we also
require good professionals who can get the job done simply, efficiently and quickly.
What we do in our studios is laboratory work: analyzing rational functions and
logical interconnections; studying measurable site and climatic conditions; stating
problems clearly and making hypothesis of possible options to resolve those
problems; defining performance criterion and evaluating which design option best
provides the answers to questions posed by the client. We study engineered
materials and structural systems that support and span a variety of spaces. We
analyze enclosing envelopes, applying systems analysis, to select the best fit
after simulating hundreds of components, elements and parts!
Does our education really prepare us for this kind of scientific analysis?
Once again, quoting Benninger, we have projected architecture as an artistic
act of creation, rather than an act promoting the useful arts, through rational
procedures and scientific methods.
We have seen institution building in terms of individuals and star performers,
rather than as creating programs, procedures and systems. We have neglected the
team nature of our empirical processes and the importance of managing them. Our
failure in this area has opened the door to large contractors and project
management consultants jumping into our professional job applying only cost
cutting, schedule cutting and pleasing the client as their values! We must be
leaders in making architecture a holistic, scientific profession.
Today we stand at a critical point in the evolution of architectural education in
India. It is critical because a weak system of teaching is exploding into a
gargantuan incompetent, commercial production system that will produce an army
of unemployable misfits. Today is critical because the challenge of urbanization is
the duty of our profession to resolve; yet beyond the reach of the skills, knowledge
and sensitivities we teach
We, as students and to be architects, must have an opinion on the matter. Our
community that is a hundred thousand strong is soon set to double and the effect
that this growth will have, only time can tell for certain.
Arka.M
Dheeraj.A
Pradeepan.S
Suram.H