Architecture is kind a vital phenomenon which is more bigger inside than it looks outside by being out of all known. Humanity does not know it well, also, it is not able to express itself unless it is not approached intellectually. First of all, it needs to be on the same line for being understood clearly. Actually, it is needed to be there in order to ‘understand’. It is that point which all story is begun..
That vital phenomenon which is called Architecture, is mainly the sheltering expression of humanity on earth. This sheltering has many forms consisting of fullness and emptiness by occurring on specific ‘spaces’. When that specification takes the stage, then the ‘place’ is born. It is a travel that begins with ‘space’ transforming to ‘place’. This travel which turns into a journey by time, is the birth of ‘built environment’ with the touch of humanity to earth. Humanity comes to the world, and touches it, then ‘built environment’ is born..
Architecture, here would be defined as experiencing by all species the eternal loop which is become by reflecting the touch of humanity on earth. These all experiences occur like a journey. That journey is what for being sheltering humanity in the world. Here is born a new eternal loop between ones who produce architecture and who experience it. The producer ones are the first experiencers at the same time; the producers of places are sometimes the users of architecture who comes after the first experiencers. It is kind an experimental network which is born from each other intertwining with each other. It is seen that we are already faced off a complex relationship schema. Architecture has a tough road on the way of practising which is like a complex gradual chain. The beneficial work by architects is very parallel with getting over that tough road. So ‘How to survive in Architecture’ text has two sided conclusions in this case according to the perspectives of its users and architects. In this first guide, survival idea is evaluated according to the perspective of ‘architects’;
Some personal zones are occurred by architects at times they practice. So, works become personal. They are the condition of many tools coming together in harmony and standing by together. The hardest part here is to make them come together. At that moment, the mind is like an orchestra which has many instrument; each instrument has a defined function and a part which it is needed to be provided..
The architecture practices have already turned into a tough road which should not be travelled alone with the changes of vital requirements. It should be not been ‘alone’ for surviving on this journey. Then, it should be searched more beneficial conclusions by occurring works in a collective working environment. That collective working environment is what I have been taught more by my architecture practice in Italy. I have never been allowed to take all responsibilities of a building by myself at my master degree in Italy. When a building is considered as a whole and all functional layers as different parts of it which is supposed to be provided, it could be concluded that making collaboration in working environment would increase the efficiency of works and all existed motivation.
‘’Two is fine.’’ As architects, we really like all design ideas are created by us, but in reality, to be two as a team, is better on design process. Two people working presents a collective working environment which working stress is minimized having all memories that is created together. To be three could increase energy in team but incresing the numbers of team members like being four, could create new problems. So being two is always better. To be in a kind of this partnership also has many benefits on working enviroment. Otherwise, that is only ‘lonely architecture’ which is already come from the phase ‘practising architecture alone’. It sounds so boring.. So, to be two is very well.
To have a mutual memory is a great feeling! Especially, having it in architecture which is a vital phenomenon one, is one of the entertainment places.. The challenging with architectural environment is more easier when it is haved a working partner who is ‘felt’ like he/she is the right one that could fight for and be fed in architecture together.
Feed architecture with ‘art’! Architectural works are become by eternal possibilities which are already one of a kind. All of these eternal possibilities try to standy by together. The process starts with the imagination and it goes on by getting into a dialogue with math. Two layers which are irrational and rational try to exist standing by together in that dialogue. Here we are in a tention point again! I believe that it is the most magical point of architecture. The tention here, is the condition of art and math standing by together. It is not enough to know math very well to be a good architect; architecture requires to exist with having very much art knowledge and interest. All kinds of art which is the irrational path on this road, feed and develop architecure. Seeing many movies, exhibitions or listening opera and such these activities are the lights of the road. Internalizing all kinds of art also guides to architecture to express itself. Otherwise it could be responsible of each pain on working process. However, the literature is always one of the most important feeding source on my architectural practices. I believe that books absolutely effects architecture magically. Everyhing is described by words in that system and these words turn into people, places or anthing else like this visualizing in minds. The literature presents a great visualizing excercising area! The architectural path which is defined by putting literature next to paint, opera and even to streets, is very fascinating!
Live streets! Street topic is one of the most important discoveries of mine that makes architecture alive. Passing streets of current location helps to realize the algorithm of existed built environment. One another discovery is born here which is the relationship of ‘’cause and conclusion’. The world is suddenly perceived differently when the streets of Verona walking with Romeo&Juliet book by Shakespeare. The Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino is one of the best travel friends.. Here is appeared another world which occurs by finding yourself inside of a place which is come across with an exhibition while walking in streets. It is possible to come across such these possible alternative worlds by streets. The series of such these journeys is one of the most important feeding sources of architecture making the memory of visualization stronger. Internalizing such these experiences turn into the tools of another else getting self-experiences. Istanbul is such a great kitchen according to that idea having curved silhouette, suddenly changing user profile and neighborhoods, and, of course special streets that are large, tight or narrow.. It is such a special city by not guessing what is come next..
Write! Architecture that being a visual expression, always makes me feel like there is an undiscovered place inside of itself yet, which is to write! Writing method could be the missing step of working process which starts with sketching. Clients talk about their requests with their ‘words’. Then sketching helps those requests to find its appearance in real world getting out of abstract thoughts. It is followed by developing ideas. I believe that at that point, writing any idea and even turning those texts into stories, is a very valuable step on imaging and design process. It is a very important intersection to write the story of working before visualizing it. Imaging all design process by writing how its circulation would work, which experiences would be expected by users, and more, makes all working process more enjoyable and makes all works more alive.
Study case! It is one of the most important steps in architectural practices. It is a method which improves the quality of design process. In Italy, I have always observed that architects always work with study case method. It is started to work after a long analyzing on study cases which are matched with requested subjects. It defines a reference point for that work. At the same time, it is known about sample buildings more. To analyz by filtering step by step such those buildings which are related with requested subject, really makes a great contribution for works.
Bonus: Question; blend it with philosophy! One of the senstive points of architecture is to have a philosophical approach. Architects always design through this approach. Developing self-architectural practising asking such ‘’ where, why, how, for who’’ questions, seeking for the meanings of places, approaches of searching them, always presents a strong relations on the way of design process. The road which is moved on questioning, always has a deep meaning.
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