12/1/2017 Are Architects Out of Touch?

– Payette

Are Architects Out of Touch? Editor’s Picks

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 DECEMBER 19 > Payette Announces Three New Principals
> Northeastern University ISEC reviewed in The Boston Globe

At our most recent Architecture Forum discussion, I presented the topic "Are Architects Out of > Statement from Payette on Paris Climate Withdrawal
Touch?" > GW’s School of Public Health Named AIA COTE Top Ten Recipient
> Celebrating the ISEC at Northeastern University
> AIA Awards GW’s School of Public Health Honor Award
> Fusion of Design + Performance
> You Are Here: Wendy’s Welcome to the ED

Authors
Select Author

Archives
Select Month

Payette Blog Categories

#ilookup 3D Thursdays Architecture Forum Commissions
Conferences Cool Stuff Culture Design Ideas
There is a common accusation that architects are out of touch with what the general public values in Hackathon Healthcare Trends In the News Landscape
design. If we are honest with ourselves as architects, the primary influence on our design is often self- Architecture News People Photography Projects
satisfaction and the desire for peer recognition, such as awards. We serve the needs of our direct
clients, but give little thought to the needs of the general public, those who may occasionally visit our Promotions Research & Innovation Sustainable
building or simply pass by. Design Technology Tours Uncategorized Young
Designers Core

To find out more about what the general public values, a survey was conducted that
asked the following questions to 26 non-architects: @payettepeople
1. What is your favorite / least favorite building in Greater Boston and why?
Payette @payettepeople
2. How would you rate nine specific award winning buildings and landmarks in Greater Boston?
3. For a building you regularly spend time in (other than your home), what features do you find Honored to be on the @WANAWARDS Façade
memorable, appreciate, dislike, and if you could design it yourself what three items would you Award shortlist for our @Northeastern #ISEC
pay most attention to? project! payette.co/2yStQ3g

See results of the survey and my presentation here.

In the discussion that followed, the question put forward was answered in three ways:

No, we are not out of touch: Interestingly, most of the qualities that the public found memorable
in the survey were elements valued by architects, especially from the early Modernist movement:
natural light, windows and views, colors, materials, simplicity, integration of the landscape and
nature, to name a few. The non-architect today is undoubtedly getting better at understanding the
architect’s intentions and appreciating a certain level of sophistication. Also, the highly regarded
contemporary buildings in the survey actually show timeless principles of spatial and visual
2h
organization that are shared with historical styles.

Maybe we are out of touch: Spaces perceived by the public as "warm and inviting" may not
Payette @payettepeople
necessarily be perceived by architects the same way and vice versa. While architects like to create
generous and interestingly shaped spaces, or use unconventional materials and forms, the public The @TuftsUniversity Science and Engineering
sometimes views this as lacking in cost-efficiency and functionality. The public is divided on Complex is tracking #LEED Gold, and has 77%
flamboyant design that calls a lot of attention to itself (such as the ICA, Stata, Simmons Hall) – some reduction in energy use. #sustainabledesign
love it, others hate it. payette.co/2AkijtF
Yes, we are out of touch: The data suggests that the public holds certain views that we as
architects do not share, such as a widespread revulsion towards mid-century modernism, particularly
any exposed concrete which is seen as "cold," as well as a wariness of the industrial aesthetic,
minimalism and overly pure geometric forms. They express a deep love and connection to historical
architecture, especially in the Neoclassical style and find the juxtaposition of contemporary
architecture with a historical context visually jarring.

https://www.payette.com/architecture-forum/are-architects-out-of-touch/ 1/3
12/1/2017 Are Architects Out of Touch? – Payette
One could argue that architects as a profession have gone wrong, have become too elitist in our
FOLLOW PAYETTE ON TWITTER →
language and self-congratulatory, and should start to pay more attention to the way ordinary people
experience and perceive our design. On the other hand, so what if we are out of touch? We have the
responsibility, as a trained body of professionals, to deliver to society buildings that elevate their
standard of living, new ideas that transform their way of thinking and spaces that evoke emotions not
too unlike a good work of art.

What do you think? After seeing my presentation, do you believe architects are really out of touch?

by David Huang from → Architecture Forum

0 Comment

Nice Post!

Danpal December 12, 2016

Have managed to download your excellent presentation and it confims my opinion that
there is a disconnect between the public and architects never miind within the profession
iteself. Of great amusement was the illustrated comment on the CCTV building as some
designer who ran out of ideas an in more than one way relieved him/herself in managing
to produce an iconic statement of international standing! The Korean Church extension
design especially indicates the disparity between the views and solutions of the
professional within the contemporary archietctural scene challenged by the climate
change situation and to that of the public opinions. I look forward to studying your
presentation in more detail as it is a great contribution to of bridging of this divide. Pity
the Boston City Hall got blasted as it is considered a great building of its era. But times
certainly have changed.

Stanley Bolnik January 2, 2012

While I couldnt open your file presentgation I agree with you above opinions but the lay
public no matter how informed still will not have the long term and specialist training of
the professional architect and fully understand the terminologies used and are mystified
by the landmark buildings that the profession use in their interpretation of good design.
On the other hand I have been in architectural, projecy management and urban planning
practise (specialist health facility design and build) for over 40 years but have found that
our profession has an inherant weakness in its assessment of the value of the
contributions by architects. Health facilities are considered “”too tec hnical'” and very
difficult for the profession to relate too emotionally or intellectually despite the expertise
required and one is never considered “avant guarde” or valued and the schools of
architecture ignore the contribution preferring their pet architectural professonals. At the
same time these health facilities are usually at the forefront of design, science and
construction technology and often of huge scale and have certainly developed our
construction industry and has put tens of thousands in employment as well as for
thousandds of professionals in a vital contribution to the value and success of the
professional and construction fields

Stanley Bolnik January 2, 2012

Leave a Comment

Name (required)

https://www.payette.com/architecture-forum/are-architects-out-of-touch/ 2/3
12/1/2017 Are Architects Out of Touch? – Payette

Email (required))

http://

Payette reserves the right to restrict comments that do not contribute to the conversation, contain
profanity, or seek to promote a personal or unrelated business.

Submit →

290 Congress Street, Fifth Flo or, Boston, MA 02210- 1005 | © 2017 Payette | Site Map | Contact | Login

https://www.payette.com/architecture-forum/are-architects-out-of-touch/ 3/3