The Identity Of The Architect

The Identity of the Architect

Today there are more tools for communication than ever before, yet very little in the way of reflection on how these are being used and even less on what exactly is being conveyed. This issue of AD looks at how architecture is communicated from a cultural perspective. Do the identities of practices or their business-driven branding and promotional efforts resonate with the critical acclaim many architects seek? Has slick image-led media coverage sold the profession short? How is it possible to convey the less visual and haptic qualities of architecture? Can architects be more creative in their communication efforts, making these joyous on their own terms as Le Corbusier did so memorably? Is there really a need to succumb to the world of corporate marketing processes and managerial business jargon? The issue explores notions of editing and curating work in an age of data deluge, and discusses social media as a genuinely alternative space for communication rather than for just repurposing and regurgitating information relayed. The Identity of the Architect encourages the promotion of practices as an integral extension of the very culture they hope to engender through their work. Contributors: Stephen Bayley, Caroline Cole, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Gabor Gallov, Jonathan Glancey, Justine Harvey, Owen Hopkins, Crispin Kelly, Jay Merrick, Robin Monotti, Juhani Pallasmaa, Vicky Richardson, Jenny Sabin, and Austin Williams. Featured architects: Ian Ritchie, BIG, MVRDV, IF_DO and Zaha Hadid Architects

Understanding Meaningful Environments: Architectural Precedents and the Question of Identity in Creative Design

Understanding Meaningful Environments: Architectural Precedents and the Question of Identity in Creative Design intends to put forward a discussion on the use of precedents and the production of innovative designs as well as to discuss the relationship between precedents and identity in a world undergoing a rapid process of globalization. This publication provides insights into how the strategy of making use of design precedents as a source of knowledge rather than initiating a project from tabula rasa leads to efficient, effective, and/or innovative results, based, in particular, on the work of Le Corbusier and Santiago Calatrava. In the sense that architects’ ideologies and intentions did not form a main position in this account, one may say that it is not a value-added approach. However, in this publication, this other side of the use of precedents is explored, i.e. recollection and intention, because in addition to innovations, the critical use of precedents seems to help in the production of buildings/places that embody a critical notion of identity. The goal of this study is to provide a reflection on the themes mentioned, as well as to briefly discuss methods for precedent analysis.

The Identity of the Architect