Architectural Articles
More Than Four Walls and a Roof
When considering a new house or an addition to an existing home, you will sometimes hear people claim, "All I need is four walls and a roof; I don't need an architect." " Not true!" says a tongue-in-cheek publication, "Architects Bite," by the American Institute of Architects. Attempting to dispel myths about our profession, this brochure asserts that an architect will help you think about how the building functions.
After talking with an architect, many people are surprised to learn that they have changed their way of thinking about their house. For example, a home designed for a young family on a rural site would look a lot different from one designed for an older couple without children living in the city. Or the same house could be designed to be flexible enough to change with the needs of the maturing family, eliminating the need to relocate when the needs of the family change.
Rather than trying to adapt to a given floor plan, the architect will custom design spaces that will enhance your manner of living. Instead of rooms, architects think first about activities. The requirements of each activity should dictate the characteristics of the interior and exterior spaces to encourage those activities. The function of each room or enclosed area is delineated in decisions about square footage, structural configuration, ceiling heights, wall and flooring materials, lighting, doors and windows, and hardware. In other words, do not pick the doorknobs until you understand how the room is to be used and have planned a path of travel between rooms.
When people do come to an architect, they have come to the realization that they have a building problem, which can be described as an imbalance between what they have and what they think they need. They assume that a new building or addition will solve their dilemma.
Architectural students are trained as problem solvers, developing both technical knowledge and artistry. The five to six year program of undergraduate studies in architecture is unique in many universities. Class subjects range from structural engineering to free-hand drawing. These departmentalized subjects are brought together in a synthesized design studio, traditionally called an atelier. This is a rare educational experience, often scheduled as lengthy studio classes several days each week. The purpose of the studio is to have the students solve a given set of problems by creating a building concept, a parti. This organizing idea is then developed into detailed drawings expressing an optimal design solution by the end of the semester.
Problem solving is so engrained into architectural education that if correctly applied in the real world, an architect may advise a client that a proposed building may not solve the clients' situation and they should not build at all. Recently, a couple with a limited budget came to me looking for advice on a proposed building site in Carmel Valley. I showed them several ways a house could be built on the steep site, comparing the general construction cost of each scheme. After advising them to look before they leap, they decided not to build at this time. Although I lost a project, and probably frustrated a realtor, I may have saved a young family a lot of grief.
When I use the term Architecture, I like to think of it with a capital A, worthy of being placed in the splendid history of the built environment. But of course, most of the buildings around us are not in that elevated category. There is Architecture and then there are the majority of common structures that surround us. While generic buildings provide shelter for basic functions, Architecture can additionally inspire, surprise, delight, and comfort us.
Given the amount of time and money you may spend to build, do you really want to settle for only four walls and a roof?
Published in The Californian
