Saturday, April 21, 2018

Create or Destroy?

Beauty is a term that is commonly used in an architect's vocabulary. Almost all of our conversations and debates are about or would lead to beauty. Our careers are made out of these debates and conversations.

But today, a conversation in the car led to another discussion about beauty. What do architects do to beauty?

Once upon a time, not so long ago - Bangalore was referred to as a very beautiful city. "The city of parks", it was called. The landscape, the weather, everything about Bangalore was beautiful. People spoke about the green avenues, great canopies and amazing trees. After reading about this pretty Bangalore, when I got here, I frankly didn't see the beauty everyone was taking about. All I saw was the dust, the traffic and rapid construction in all parts of the city. Even the heat and the climate wasnt what I heard about.

Have we ruined the Bangalore that nature gifted us? Probably yes.

This probably sounds like a very negative viewpoint towards Bangalore. But as Architects, I think we have a lot of the changes the city is undergoing in our hands. We can take the responsibility - to understand and perserve the beauty around us.

As an architect my self, I think it's time I ask myself this question every time I get a new project. Am I creating beauty? Or destroying it?

What do you guys think? Have Architects added to nature it taken away from her?

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