Non-graphical Architects

I always think that graphics is a part of architecture, and it is never something just for presentation. Architecture IS graphics in some way, and there is no doubt that architects should have good graphic sense, if not having good graphic skills.

It is alarming, though, that many of the young graduates from the architectural schools have a rather weak sense in graphics. I am not saying that I am very good at graphics and so I can compare people to people, but it is like a prevailing phenomenon that when many architects are working on projects which are based on money, they are losing the design skills and eventually losing the graphics skill. Some may think that losing graphics skills is not a good deal because they just don't know how to do presentation panels. That's not true.

With no surprise, we know that when architects design, we draw. We think from a graphical way instead of really just calculating anything. We do have rational thinking behind, but after all it is the aesthetics that governs a design and make it architectural instead of just making a building. We cannot simply depend on words or numbers simply because that is not the way.

Design cannot be pushed.

Too bad in many firms here, we are bounded by time and money. We get a job after winning a tender, and then we try to figure out a design within a very limited of time. Of course, we build it within a very short time too. Everything is done extremely fast, and apparently architects cannot always do what they like. Design cannot be pushed. You have to research, be inspired, think and work out options. Gradually, many architects including my classmates work with technical things every day like calculating how to fit more space within structures, picking proprieties within budgets and finding ways to finish the construction within limited time.

One may say it is another kind of design process, and I agree. The main point here is that we are losing the basic skills of design. We THINK, and that's what makes us different. We don't think randomly, but we think in a special way like we are taught in school. I wonder, if we are doing those kinds of work I mentioned above, how different are we from a surveyor or engineer? Or just a interior-designer?

They are losing the design skills and eventually losing the graphics skill.

But why graphics? What is that to do with graphics? Good question. Graphics is what and how we architects THINK. It presents the ideas in our mind in solid form, acting like an intermediate step between thoughts and reality. I can't imagine the time when we don't draw on tracing paper anymore, since it is to show others what is on your mind. It is also the best way to represent aesthetics, because the drawing IS aesthetics.

I want to give a piece of advice to my colleagues and friends who are architects-to-be: draw, please. Be graphical, because that's what an architect does.