Pearls

Noted 7.12.2006 Leuven, Belgium

Dr. Buelinckx and I discussed the principles of architecture. Simply, designing spaces fundamentally based on types of structures surrounding the actions of human beings.

Architects should choreograph human movement through spaces. 'Verbs' or actions of humans are most significant because humans are animate beings constantly interacting with one another and with inanimate objects within a space. Engineering tends to base its principles on 'nouns' and objects. It is the job of the architect to determine the type of action and design the space(s) accordingly and then also design the inanimate functional objects within that space. As long as humans are on this planet we are restricted by gravity to movement in the vertical stance and less so in horizontal directions. This means circulation is primarily, if not solely, movement upon a single plane. Design is simple and space becomes complex when one starts manipulating the plane. [MVRDV vs. Le Corbusier]

Hendrika Buelinckx & Jeremy Wahlberg

On (Design) Bullshit

Excellent article by Michael Bierut at Design Observer (need to add this to the links on blog)

Read article here

"So into this vacuum rushes the bullshit: theories about the symbolic qualities of colors or typefaces; unprovable claims about the historical inevitability of certain shapes, fanciful forced marriages of arbitrary design elements to hard-headed business goals."

Please also read the discussion below the article between Bierut and fellow writer Rick Poynor because this is a refutation and further explanation.

As referenced in article : DVD here