Architecture is likely one of the
most difficult areas to define. Is it art? Surely, it can both create and
critique the society it houses. Is it utilitarian? Of course, architecture is,
at the most basic level, shelter. But the discipline is neither one nor the
other; it must be both. Architects create art, not with canvas or clay, but
with timber, steel, and brick. Their art is enacted on a real life scale that encompasses
space and time. Then, a building must administer to the needs of its users,
keeping them comfortable, safe, and satisfied. So if a building meets those
needs while simultaneously standing for more than them, it must be architecture.
Even with the added element of art and symbol, the definition feels lacking. What
else can architecture accomplish?
Architects
and architecture students are heralded as problem solvers. We are the thinkers
and the planners, trained with a unique outlook on the world. We solve problems
through design and building. And the problems of today require a new brand of
thought to get us out of the mess we inherited. Problems abound: food deserts,
homelessness, environmental degradation. These issues play out locally in
communities. Architects can serve their communities
by meeting the needs of others. Service is at the heart of architecture because
architects have the ability to affect so many lives. Yet they do not act alone.
Members of society, of the city, or state are always at the heart of a problem
solving endeavor. They are the most important facet of building because without
them the change would never be enacted. The community and architect can be one
entity to take a chance and make a difference. Architecture is ultimately an
art both of and for people.
