| Popis: |
Meaning in architecture—of one form or another—is arguably what most architects intend to produce in their work. However, as William Hubbard points out in Complicity and Conviction: Steps Toward an Architecture of Convention, much of what architects deem meaningful in design fails to reach the lay person. A dichotomy exists between what the architect and the lay person value in architecture. Because architects do not attempt to find value beyond this dichotomy, it is reinforced and the majority of buildings constructed today lack meaningful design. In a world of increasing dependence on consultants, where the role of the architect is continually diminished, a lack of value in design not only poses a problem for the profession, but makes the everyday world less rich. The specific meanings that each person takes from a building are different and impossible to predict with much accuracy. An architecture that is designed to engage people of all walks of life however, provides the opportunity for finding meaning. But how does an architect design to engage people? An “architecture of reality” focuses on the phenomenological experiences people have in the built environment. When buildings center on this experience and enhance it, people become more aware of their surroundings and are more engaged. This thesis proposes that by designing an architecture of reality, architecture will be more valuable to people. The aim of this thesis is to propose criteria, based on how people experience buildings, which can be used to design any type of architecture. These criteria which when experienced lead to a sense of clarity and awareness in the everyday, are adapted from theoretical texts and built work. This awareness is the key to an engaging architecture—not only monumental architecture, but to less prestigious building types. Appeal in the everyday will translate into an inherent value in design, and help the profession of architecture to gain a more significant role in the lives of many. |
