So many of us think that Interior Designers are simply decorators, Architects only build glass skyscrapers, and Engineers only care about complex bridges. This fallacy is known as oversimplification or generalization. As a student of Interior Design, I can tell you that this is not true. Our schooling deals with plenty of architecture, drafting, and creative solutions to various problems much more important than if the photographs are hanging straight. I know a few architects and engineers as well, and their interests are often deep and meaningful, beyond their 9-5 jobs. In my last post, I described how good design tackles efficiency issues in your own residence, and can give more bang for your buck. I mentioned green design as an alternative. The design world is suddenly aware of the impact our structures have on our environments.
Yes, environmentS. Plural. There is the natural environment (i.e. trees, and waste management, and water sources, etc), the the human, or social, environment. The social environment covers the big stuff like political and humanitarian issues as well as the taken-for-granted stuff like how we live our everyday lives. I read an interesting article (http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/story/29-cameron_sinclair_architect.html) from PBS’ Wired Science. Architect Cameron Sinclair and his partner Kate Stohr have founded Architecture for Humanity, dedicated to discovering better structure solutions for areas of the world in need of help. For example, they’ve been working on refugee tents in Afghanistan, earthquake resistance in Turkey, and medical hubs in South Africa. The solutions are discovered through their recently founded Open Architecture Network. This network hosts an online competition for the specific solution they’re looking for. The locals help decide which solution is best for them. The project is then built by the locals, keeping the funding inside their own community. The idea, though cliche, is to develop better ways to fish, instead of giving them canned tuna.
