ARCHITECTURE??
An architect or a master builder always impresses people with their role of designing extraordinary buildings. An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings, and is licensed to practice architecture. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings, that have as their principal purpose human occupancy or use. Or in a more simplistic view is that architects create architectures, and their responsibilities encompass all that is involved in doing so. This would include articulating the architectural vision, conceptualizing and experimenting with alternative architectural approaches, creating models and component andinterface specification documents, and validating the architecture against requirements and assumptions. However, any experienced architect knows that the role involves not just these technical activities, but others that are more political and strategic in nature on the one hand, and more like those of a consultant, on the other. Besides that, they also have to make sure that the buildings are functional, safe, economical and suit the needs of the people who use them. The question is, do the roles of an architect only revolve around these aspects? Is it true that they are only responsible in designing buildings and supervise it till the end of the construction process and the responsible ends just there?
If an architect is the actor in the construction field then what is architecture? According to the definition from the internet (adapted from http://dictionary.reference.com/), architecture is defined as the profession of designing buildings, open areas, communities, and other artificial constructions and environments, usually with some regard to aesthetic effect. Architecture often includes design or selection of furnishings and decorations, supervision of construction work, and the examination, restoration, or remodeling of existing buildings. However, we ponder on the true meaning of architecture. Architecture is something very subjective. No words can truly define architecture. Architecture may be the combination of arts and science of building constructions but is that just it? A production of a computer may combine arts and science, is that architecture? A construction of a typical housing lot may require the contribution of architects but it that really architecture? What exactly is architecture? In our opinion, architecture is something very abstract that can only be expressed through our feelings from our heart. Architecture is the symbolism of one’s enthusiasm, hopes and dreams. It is something that deals with our thoughts, our emotions and our personalities. Architecture is architecture when you can feel with your heart and able to bring colours and difference to your life.
Our role
What is the exact role of an architect today? In our opinion, in this period of awakening shift, we believe that an architect is not just an architect. An architect can no longer be related solely the with design of buildings, money and construction process. An architect should be connected to our nature, our beloved mother Earth. Our role for today ihas to be linked to the changes of the past, practices of the present, and indications of the future. We have to make a difference to diminish the impacts of construction field to the planet. Here, are the questions. What difference can we make? And how? Through unity? Through oneness? Or through love and faith? Looking into our hearts, the answers have always been there, it is up to us to decide whether we should believe it or ignore it. As for us, the first year architecture students; the future architects, we chose to believe it-- We must have infinite faith in each other. We must unite to make a difference. We must bring love and care into the present world of misery.
We as future architects, hope to produce great architecture. When we say great architecture, we do not mean multi-storeys skyscrapers, aesthetically-pleasing structures, never before seen innovative designs. What we meant by ‘great architecture’ are architecture that will respond to its environment, climate, landscape (urban or natural), social economic and political context as well as its intended use. But not only that, we believe that it is the quality of the spaces we occupy that directly affects the quality of the experience we have. Thus, great architecture brings about change, it has a positive influence on the human experience.
As we are exposed to the society of this competetive world, selfishness, greed, ego, has taken over the better of us. Our minds that were once so naive, clear, like a piece of claen printing paper, are now filled with grafitti of greed, doodles of egoism, dots of selfishness. We blame the people around us, convinced that it is them who filthed our minds whereas it is ouselves who have always been the one holding our own pencils. We must free our mind, learn to give rather than receive, we have to return ourselves to our very initial state where nothing seems to matter, the state when our paper were still white.
“For everything we have missed, we have gained something else, and for everything we gain, we lose something else.”
For the money we have gained, we lost the wonders of our nature, we lost humanity, and we lost everything, greed has taken over us. We earned status but is that worth it? We earned wealth but is that worth it. As architects of the future, we strive to not let materialism affect our decisions. We understand that what matters the most is the well-being of the inhabitants of Earth. Therefore, it is time to change. We will change. We will shift our mind and unite. We know that as boundaries diffuse in this ever-shrinking world, unity plays a very important role. Only when we unite spiritually and morally, then can we truly cope with the challenges we will face.
Today, we see symptomps of our planet degrading. We point our fingers at politics, industrials developments, blaming them for causing all these. In the mean time, we as individuals often overlooked our own ability. We never realize how much damage can be done by just us. Even if we do realize it, many of us foolishly thought that the aftermath will never hit them. However, whether we realize it or not, the wholesale destruction of the earth's environment affects the vast majority of people. It has already affect more than one aspect of our lives. Thus, all should be concerned about the health and preservation of our home. After all, where else would we live?
Take a look at this patient,
“The patient's condition is serious. Symptoms are multiple. Her breath is noxious. She has a fever, higher than ever before. Efforts to bring it down are not working. Poison has been found in body fluids. When symptoms are treated in one area, more pop up in other body parts. If this were a usual patient, doctors would be inclined to declare the multiple sicknesses as chronic and terminal. Not knowing what else to do, they would just take steps to make the patient as comfortable as possible until the end came.”
(Source from How Sick is Our Planet, http://www.watchtower.org/e/20031122a/article_01.htm)
But the patient is not just anybody. It is Mother Earth. Is this how we repay her after enjoying all the goodness and resources which she meticulously and selflessly prepared for us? As architects of the future generation, we must do something to educate the children which in turn will eventually replace us as the future’s future generation. The single best way to do that is to lead by example. We are ought to show that we are taking responsibility for the massive burden which we already placed on the planet, and show the leadership on global issues. That alone might lead to reinvigorated global negotiations on a whole host of key problems.
We, for a start can design sustainable buildings and promote green township. By embracing our own models of sustainably prosperous living, we will help change the cultural messaging about what prosperity really means. We must make people realise that profit, in the short run is not what matters. What matters the most is the profit which all of us will ultimately obtain in the long run. We strive on green architecture. We do believe that green compact communities, smaller well-built homes, walkable streets and smart infrastructure can actually offer a far better quality of life, more comfort, more security and more true prosperity. But even more to the point, we believe they offer all sorts of non-materialistic but extremely real benefits that suburbs cannot. Opponents of smart growth talk about sacrificing our way of life -- but it is a sacrifice if what you get in exchange is superior? When people come to be concerned about the wise use of the planet's resources, the concept of green architecture will slowly gain both acceptability and interest.
For now, it is time for us to accept that we, are the only architect of our future. We cannot continue waiting blindly. If we do not start making a diferrence, no one will.We hope that through our effort, people of the world will come to believe again in their long buried ability which they thought never existed-- to make the world a better place. The key is unity. It is always there, easily accessible. It is up to us to grasp it and free ourselves to the world of harmony, peace and love.
