11/17/2013
DONALD P. HELGESON, Registered Architect, NCARB CERTIFIED
STATEMENT OF DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
In an effort to clarify my own philosophy of design, I offer the following statement to encourage other Architects to explore what they believe makes buildings have value. The success of our profession depends on our ability to convince (educate) our clients that we create buildings that are responsive to their needs, sustainable and have great value for their investment.
What determines quality in architectural design? The successful design composition consists of multiple design concepts (generated from programmatic concepts) which have been selected to be interdependent to each other so as to form a unique product with great value.
The quality of an architectural design can only be assessed fairly at its point of conception by evaluating how well the physical design responds to the programmatic concepts and, as referenced above, how well these design concepts support each other to achieve the goals of the project efficiently.
Design consists of 2 parts: Analysis and Synthesis. Programming (determination of project requirements) is analysis while determining how Design Concepts relate to each other in a physical composition is a process of synthesis. An important reason for programming (analysis) is to avoid preconceptions of what the building should be and open avenues of thought that may not otherwise be considered. Programming (analysis) defines all criteria which will affect the resultant building design. The perception by many design professionals is that this criteria will prevent bold visual statements which, unfortunately, is the primary goal of many architects whereas the goal should be to creatively solve the problem.
The most difficult aspect of architectural design is the ability to show restraint and allow the expression of the building to come from the unique combination of programmatic concepts and not something added to the composition. This restraint can be caused by a number of factors: budget limitations, respect of context, code limitations, etc… The skill of the architect in resolving all of these issues in a creative way will determine the successful outcome and quality of the final product.
The analysis phase is where creative ideas begin but more importantly it defines a statement of the design problem and identifies priorities to be achieved. I prefer to give my subconscious (without pencil and paper) time to allow all of the programmatic requirements to “cook” before starting the design process.
The subconscious mind is a powerful problem solving entity as long as all of the components are pliable and capable of many combinations. The selection process is intuitive and the success of the design depends on how these design concepts relate (fit or are interdependent) to each other.
There will be a many design concepts available that address the programmatic concept, but one design concept may have a more synergistic relationship with other concepts, giving it great value. If one design concept can address multiple programmatic needs then the overall complexity of the design is reduced and the value is increased. How often are we able to say that the solution looks simple, even though it solves a multitude of problems. To borrow a phrase from the modern movement “Less is more”. A painter can create a painting which is complex in meaning with a minimum number of strokes.
The goal is to have a creative, integrated solution in response to the criteria established by the statement of the problem in the program. This process is the essence of sustainability and the heart of the “green” movement.
From Walden by Henry David Thoueau, 1845:
“What of architectural beauty I now see, I know has gradually grown from within outward, out of the necessities and character of the dweller, who is the only builder,…….out of some unconscious truthfulness, and nobleness, without ever a thought for the appearance and whatever additional beauty of this kind is destined to be produced will be preceded by a like unconscious beauty of life. What reasonable man ever supposed that ornaments were something outward and in the skin merely-that the tortoise got his spotted shell, or the shell-fish its mother of pearl tints by such a contract as the inhabitants of Broadway their Trinity Church.”
Recommended Reading: Complete works of Aristotle
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Atlas Shrugged by Ayon Rand
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance by Robert Persig
Problem Seeking by William Pena
