Lets just talk about architecture today, I always wonder how superstructures like Hagia Sophia, Pantheon, Pyramids and many others that are worth a mention were built. Looking at the morphogenesis of human civilization, one would find that machines have been in use only since the past 200 years or so and the time period during which these structures were built is much before the aforesaid period. These comparisons just questions my logic.
Now have a look at this scene; some architects are working in an office in Delhi, India. Power goes off and every employee takes a deep breath and thinks, at least now we are free until the power is resumed.
Somewhere in another office at Gurgaon, India; a trainee architect who wasn’t that interested in working starts exploring software like google sketchup and autodesk revitt just for fun, somebody from behind comments learn autoCAD first.
Showing you these two scenes the question I want to put up is, are we really that dependent on tools like software to build some structure ? Maybe yes we are, but then again I think these are just tools why are we letting them overtake our logic. Our ancestors have built without them and produced excellent results.
I don’t deny the fact that we can’t do without them today but I only get concerned when I see young architects talking and pondering more over these virtual tools than the actual thing. Why is it that we become so complacent after making a detail on computer that we don’t even bother to look at it when it is actually executed on site ? And only after some days if we happen to pass by that site the ‘Oh !’ expression suddenly appears on your face.
On the other hand when I look at works of somebody like Laurie Baker for example, I wonder at the ingenuity of the man. I know that everyone cannot be a Laurie Baker (money is such a trouble maker !). But at least we can try for our logic not being overtaken by anything.
