The End of Architecture…

April 30, 2011 Leave a comment


I came across an article about design and the practice of architecture which noted that; with unemployment rates in the profession at greater than 45%, serious global strife and the decline of real estate development activities plus a rising general view of architecture as a commodity, there would likely be a reduction of graduates in this field over time and the few would be generally educated and ill-prepared to face increased professional complexities. Thus, the article asked; “Have we come to the end of architecture as we know it?”

Whilst I believe these to be genuine observations and concerns, Architecture and Design cannot end. They will remain robust, strong and vibrant in direct proportion to the robustness, strength and vibrancy of our God inspired imaginations and hearts.

Economies do not “drive” Architecture and Design. The respective professional practices are impacted by these realities yes, but they are not ruled nor drowned by them. Instead, like a surfer, they ride the circumstantial waves – albeit not always gracefully – brought on by the social-economic fluidity of the times.

What moves one’s heart and imagination to subject themselves to 5+ grueling years of study and the untold hours invested over drawing boards and computers, the transference of “fun” into endless discussions, arguments and meanderings, the dark circles under all-nighter eyes, the abuse taken and given from/to those of lesser heart… the angst from musing over conceptual problems, the all-or-nothing preoccupation over some aesthetic characteristic that only a “creator” would appreciate and truly understand… is a love that is lasting, not a condition that is nearing its end.

Even if the established social-commercial world as we know it were to end tomorrow and we would have nothing but dirt and a couple of half-dead twigs, Architecture and Design would spring forth and persist because it LIVES in us. It is imbedded in our DNA by a creator that may have screwed-up on some things but made-up for it multi-fold in others like our unending capacity to generate and appreciate Beauty and Love; our Imagination and Free-Will. How awesome and truly impactful are these?

The danger that does exist and always has is not in the process or the result of bringing Architecture and Design to life, the danger is in one’s interpretation of what these ought to be like…the judgments (societal and otherwise) over what is good or right and bad or wrong. These are all subjective, flawed and must only be considered with a great deal of caution.

NYC - MOMA - Le Corbusier's Urban Planning for...
Image by wallyg via Flickr

Architecture and Design is not ending or dying. The institutions charged with teaching it’s foundations may make mistakes and be misguided at times but, they are not THAT flawed… they are not meant to assure that students that come out degree in-hand from its halls will be successful (it’s illogical to believe this), these institutions are just responsible to light little flames of knowledge and basic understanding on these immense matters, that each individual will carry and some; over an experiential lifetime, will transform into bonfires of sheer wonder for many to admire, use, hate, and enjoy.

Architecture and Design will not die because they are not the by-products of a “production process”. Architecture and Design springs from the human spirit and its imagination in a manner foundational for beauty wonder and hope to rise from a future of our own making.

This I believe.

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Easter and me…

April 25, 2011 2 Comments


This important celebration usually brings me to a funk… a mix of sadness, embarrassment and shame for what we humans did some time ago to another human… someone who was of us albeit, different and timeless – transcending our limitations – on whom; in-spite of all myopia, we trust and rely on with all of our deepest hopes.

But this year it was different for me… I did not dwell on His pain & suffering, I did not dwell on the past event. I know I am of Him and with Him and perhaps this year’s “disengagement”, marks a time of self-forgiveness and moving on and up with our relationship from the quagmire of guilt over the imbalance of an all-Knowing, Forgiving and Love-steady God… and us; as significant in the big-scheme of things as grains of sand… cozy under His mighty feet, bearing His weight, blessed by the loving touch.  JP

Inspiration & concept notes on transcendence… © JP, 1990-2011

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Am I important…?

April 16, 2011 2 Comments


I wake-up most mornings; at times excited, but mostly curious about the day ahead.

I have a cup of coffee whilst scanning the paper, exercise, take a deep breath when I browse the email that arrived overnight, get dressed for another day at work or play and eat breakfast.

I go outside, greet the people I know and sometimes along the way – when all is at-peace with my world – I share a smile or a nod or a “g’morning” with folks that are complete strangers.

The world is real, exists and supports me every single day through my eyes… it is my perception of how bright the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars are, my interpretation if it is as hot or cold as the weather person claims… my determination of someone as beautiful or brilliant or good, or friendly, or not.

It is my choice to love or hate, to care or be indifferent, to aim for quality over mediocrity… about everything that crosses the path as seen through my eyes; interpreted through my mind and spirit. And… I make these choices many times in a day; sometimes deliberately but most often instinctively.

I am the “connector”, the natural end-result of the symbiotic relationship between Creator and Creation; brought about with purpose by the will of a spirited and awesome God and the choices of countless men, women, children, fauna and flora that have held, befriended, nurtured, taught and loved me along my way.

All the World Is A Stage

acting ones dream

I have the ability to learn, adapt, interact, love, procreate and survive… yet, as informed by all as I am, I can not be someone other than what I choose to be. I can not truly see and interact with the world in any other way than through my own eyes, mind and spirit.

I am responsible for all that I see, say and do. I matter to myself and to all that I interact with and touch… I am purpose built.

Thus, I am important.

NOTEWORTHY – with a few personal/belief substitutions here and there, I believe this is the basic “script” WE ALL – individually – follow; each a principal player acting it out in this world’s stage.

And so it follows that we all are valuable and important individually to this greater play we call “life”… wherein we all lose a little by the marginalizing or demise of a single one of us.

This I believe

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Is the workplace the culmination of our attitudes and behaviors?

April 6, 2011 2 Comments


Can the workplace foster one’s courageous spirit…? Is this a “Design” question…? (1)

courtesy of OverTheMoon Productions

Yes, I believe this is a Design question and a “special” one at that… as Design, foundationally permeates all we are; all we think, do and recognize plus all else we may be too preoccupied or blind to consider.

Thus and within this context, the workplace – like a passive mirror – will only ‘reflect’ our attitudes and behaviors but… it could ‘become the culmination’ of such if/when ‘by Design’, it intentionally seeks to influence the quality of such attitudes and behaviors and thus, no longer is a “passive” element but rather becomes an interactive contributor to the very human engagement that generates them.

Not unlike the ‘uplifting’ one experiences when attending a well conceived play where; the script, the actors and the stage-set, all combine to produce an intended reaction impactful to both; the audience (aka company or organization) and the play itself (aka desired results).

This is a small but important distinction which I think begins to address main query… Although important, the ‘workplace’ is but one of the key elements essential to foster the unfolding of a courageous spirit.

It takes ‘us’ (aka the actors), the truth & comfort with our selves; recognizing that which is deeply imbedded within our spirits… our foundational ‘North’, to enable us to interact with others and explore new directions and roles without fear of getting self ‘lost’. It takes a well thought-through and collectively endorsed ‘script’ (aka vision & objectives), to be a directional ‘map’ enabling us to understand, coalesce and improvise our actions and thus, to ultimately give such ‘script’ form.

Finally, it takes a powerful and well conceived ‘stage-set’ (aka workplace), a necessarily fluid and emotive environment that responds to our needs enhancing our performance and is designed to evolve on-the-fly in-sync with the nuances of the play.

When these three key elements are present and in-sync, the play will be memorable and successful; it becomes natural and ‘easy’ to deliver its objectives whilst being our-selves… speaking and acting transparently from within and without fears. When they are not; when one or more components are inappropriate or missing, the results will not be stellar and both the audience and the play will be left wanting.

This I believe.

(1) Questions posed on a B.B.S. discussion by Alan Colley

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Thinking and acting creatively…

April 3, 2011 Leave a comment


courtesy of Monsanto

I would have a hard time imagining how a company or an individual would go about achieving anything without implementing something aimed at producing or delivering the desired outcome… whether this would be a tangible thing like bringing a new idea/product to market, or intangible like fostering a company’s culture to be innovation driven.

Some organizations will be more comfortable and effective at idea generation, others at implementing them… few will do well integrating both into a creative/productive loop.

The later is where I think the ‘new focus’ for organizational opportunity lives especially in organizations that want to innovate… by establishing and fostering loops of continual learning and improvement like; generating ideas, implementing them, observing, enhancing or generating newer ideas.

An integrated approach will make the ‘what comes first’ question irrelevant… it is much more powerful because; by its corkscrew-like cycle, it allows the introduction of bits of learning (new ideas) and implementation improvements at any point in the loop thus, short-cutting the cycle and speeding improvement and hopefully innovation.

This is much easier to ‘conceive’ than to effectively ‘do’ or ‘instill’ in most complex organizations as it does require all stakeholder’s to have a healthy comfort with a “change management” mentally as a way of organizational life… How many companies talk about supporting an environment where experimentation is encouraged and failure is permitted… but how many boards will support this ‘stress’ to the bottom-line beyond giving it lip service?

This is what must be considered and ultimately changed if a company is truly committed to innovate me thinks.

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