Be the Architect Who Doesn't Build
Tuesday Musings Vol. 2 | No. 31
As soon as I typed the title for today's musing, I thought of Lebbeus Woods, one of my favorite architects — an experimental and visionary designer whose body of work is largely unbuilt. My friend Don Simpson believes Woods worked more in the tradition of a cartoonist than an architect.
But that’s not what I'm going to write about today.
Today, a conversation is playing over in my head, one I had over the weekend with a fantastic architect named Alexis Rochas. We were talking about the creative process and working with clients when he said something like: at the beginning of a project I look at the brief and I work to understand what we are trying to solve — my first thought is always "how can I achieve this without building." Construction is expensive and often hides the real solution behind money and logistics.
I was shocked. An architect who actively tries not to do the very thing he's trained his whole life to do!
I guess it all comes down to: are we machines or are we problem solvers?
For me, I'm a problem solver. I like to look at challenges and/or assignments and figure out what is really being asked. An editor who never cuts or a writer who never put words on a page may never achieve anything ... but the artist whose first instinct isn't to build but to solve the problem, may actually achieve something greater when it does come time to execute an idea.
So what are you trying to solve?
love
jpp
Cool Stuff
I love color and I love installations, so obviously I love Fred Battle’s 2019 project “Solara.”
Patrick Joust has a lovely, moody body of work.
Because we are in the October Country, I thought I’d share some strange images from Shane Pierce, Aleksandra Waliszewska, and Jindra Capek.
Anticipation (at least in the Pascoe household) is high for Squid Game 2. To feed that anticipation, Netflix and The Refinery have dropped a new piece Looking Back at Squid Game Season 1. Enjoy the latest from me and my team.
Do YOU have a cool project you would like me to share with my readers? Hit me up and maybe we’ll see you in an upcoming Musing.