The AWOL Architect

"I know zoos are no longer in people’s good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both." - Yann Martel On Holocaust Remembrance day,  I want to write about contained spaces.  I am reminded of a  fantastic chapter, early in the book, “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel, that argues any animal can become accustomed to it’s ‘cage’ or ‘compound.’ I didn’t really want to believe this as I delved further into the book years ago, and I still don’t, but having lived in what is basically an expat compound here in India for two months I have started to see what the author and character meant.   As animals we adapt to the challenges and constraints of our environment, rarely seeing the negative and always finding ways to make it positive or manageable. If someone had described this to me prior to volunteering, it probably would have turned me off of the experience and yet this “Ground Hog Day,” life that I now lead is reall...

“I don’t need sex, architecture f*c!s me all the time.” – unknown The music is loud, pumping, and intense with a deep beat pulsing through my mind.   A sense of euphoria comes over me as I gently slide my pen in a perfectly straight horizontal line as it caresses the top edge of my scale ruler. Stop. Look. Assess. A sense of pleasure spreads across my body.   I then rotate the scale ruler and begin the methodic scoring of the page from right to left – place rule, place pen, slide/glide, lift, look, assess.   Repeat.   Very slowly the soft HB lines become darker, thicker, and patterned and an image emerges from each permanent pen stroke that reinforces the diagram below.   Each stroke evoking a moment of bliss and release of serotonin.   This continues for hours and as the body tires; the intensity and focus and maintenance of control overrides the pain in one’s hands, wrist, back, and eyes.   We love this, we crave it.   And we wake up ...

“Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.”   - Rosa Parks As my father always used to say, “Measure twice, cut once.” This was stated many a time as my father and I built the horse shed behind the house together.   He had a tendency to do this and still get it wrong, which brings my mother and I into hysterics every time we think about it.   Especially after a few glasses of wine, we remember a time when my mom and dad had gone and picked out marble sinks for my sister’s and my new bathroom.   My mom offered multiple times to help my father with the measurements, but it’s such a simple job we left him to it.   Only a couple months later to have them arrive and be too big for the space!   At the time it was a huge deal, but now we laugh to the point of crying about it. Since that time, I’ve figured out what he did wrong! He measured the studs without the drywall on! So, immediately he was somewhere between 12 and 18mm...

"Architecture belongs to culture, not to civilisation." - Alvar Aalto As architects we learn by drawing, analysing and interpreting famous architects that have been deemed the best of the best.   Our own style and preference of how a building should look develops through this initial lens we are taught to look through, along with 5+ years of soul-destroying panels of architectural critics.   Some architects end up creating a style that they use everywhere no matter what the building context, building methodologies available, society, or culture.   I disagree with this method of architectural design development.   It is why Alvar Aalto became my favourite – he does not have a clearly definable style.   His design responses are contextual and culturally appropriate.   He was also known for doing a considerable amount of pro bono work.   If you haven't heard of Aalto - check him out:   https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/information/alv...