Seksanya menjadi pejalan kaki di bandar....

dalam perjalanan ke pejabat terlihat seorang insan yang kurang upaya, menyeberang jalan, cuba berjalan di sisi laluan kenderaan di atas rumput yang basah dan tidak rata. amat payah bagi beliau, sehingga terpaksa berehat sebentar memukul2 kaki yang kebas. Semoga pihak berkuasa tempatan mengambil berat hal rakyat seperti ini..

ANother greenwash bash..

The new house for Mr X and his wife and their two cats is an epitomy of low energy, environmentally and eco friendly construction designed by the popular XYZ architect, oozing with respect for nature and stuff. The 17,000 s.m house owned sits ideally amidst....wait....15,000 s.f.?..for two people? Well,,,,, I hear environmentally friendly nuclear warhead.

Building is not Canvas

The study of architecture draws heavily from the development in art. As such there is the tendency for architects to regard thier building as a piece of art, and in some cases, a masterpiece.

However it must be remembered that a piece of art canbe hung on a wall or stowed away if it goes out of taste. Even a celebrated piece of artwork can have many who despised it, and may choose not to turn their face towards it.

Building is a different matter altogether. Those who admired it may write glorifying article on it, even if the author may have not even set foot in it. But theres no choice for people who dont like it. People who live in it has to suffer it since its their domain.

Architecture is not art in visual sense. Architects are a different kind of artist.

Of formula 1 drivers and architectural schools

The recent trend that I see around me, is the emphasis on creativity by schools of architecture. They say students shouldn't be bogged down with technicalities in order for creativity to flourish. If we were were to visit architecture schools' students exhibitions these days, we will be inundated with free flowing forms, exotic angles, exploded geometries fantastically produced. I happened to visit one of these exhibitions. At first glance I was impressed by the manipulation of 3d spaces and objects (often facilitated by CAD). On closer inspection, i was horrified to see ergonomics, structure, environmental design and rational function being compromised to the brink of total anti-architecture.
I would like to challenge the proponent of the liberal creative with this analogy. It is not right for a driving school to aim to produce F1 drivers. It will be dangerous, when people who enrolled into driving school be trained to drive F1 cars. It would produce dangerous drivers, dangerous to the public. Similarly, architectural schools are training people who will put up buildings. The potential damage from buildings is more permanent and not easilty rectifiable. It is much better to produce boring but safe, comfortable, env friendly buildings rather than exotic ones with all sorts of problems.

Welcome to Responsible Architecture

Hi, welcome to my blog. Its about architecture in general, but a little more emphasis on green issues, you know, sustainable, ecologic, green stuff etc. By now these terms have come to be a little more than mere cliches. So, to outpace the lesser normal people, i have come up with a new term: Responsible architecture.

Why responsible? Because what Im seeing around me, are irresponsible architects, coming up with irresponsible design. As simple as that.