Care

At first look, you would think that all that an architect does is design and draw. Even an architecture student while in college would think the same too. But once you start practicing , you realize that design - although important, is just a small part of the story. A large part of the story are - conversations. Design, estimates, planning, materials, details are weaved through these conversations. And what are these conversations for? Ultimately these conversations lead to care and how much care we show for each of the projects. It's understandable - most of the designs we do are for dreams - for stories to be made in the future. Homes are some things people aspire to do probably just once in their lifetime. The designs would be something they thought for years. Obviously if we were to design it, we will care.

But coincidentally, a meeting I had yesterday opened my eyes about this. As a part of a commercial project, I ended up attending a meeting with a professional who wanted us to design the decor for a restaurant they were to launch. "We would want you to do as minimum as possible for the design", she said very categorically. Investing on materials for them would be a dead investment as it cannot be taken back with them after their rental period gets over. The board of the company did not give as much importance to design as they gave to the commercials. At the end of the discussion, after a whole discussion about how we shouldn't spend a lot of time designing, they ended the conversation saying - "I hope it ends up being a fun, youthful space!."

So the care is not just for the design. The care should be for the client too. We have to understand, decipher and feel the emotions behind the words they speak. And only then, is when the designer becomes the architect.

But unfortunately, the first time you learn about it is not  when you are advised but when you experience it. And when you experience it is when your architectural training begins.

- Ananya (Architect)