1998 Interior Architecture
Nascent

“This is only the beginning . . .”

Infamous words uttered by so many embarking upon a journey in a new direction of thought, emotion, or action. Such is the case with the ideas that follow in this report—ideas borne of academic curiosity, awakened by travel, and nurtured by reflection and perpetual discovery.

This report is a work in progress. In its present form it is a fourth-generation collection of thoughts and observations rooted in the experiences of my six-week travel abroad during my SOM Foundation fellowship. The current tone and presuppositions of my musings reflect an evolution in thought. It is my intention to communicate my observations in a manner as true to their initial conception as possible. However, in the months that have passed since my initial travel, my interpretations have steeped in my restless psyche and are now infused with the ever-changing character of my life experiences.

At this stage in the evolution of this report, my focus is not the vision of any given architect, but rather my own interpretation and perception of the nature of the role architecture plays in the relationship between the surrounding landscape and the interior spaces that host the actions of human life. My judgments are rooted in basic sensory perception. My observations are visual, tactile, auditory, and olfactory. To support these interpretations, I have educated myself in the general aspects of each site. I have considered the geographic location, surrounding landscape, regional culture, the function and historical significance of the structure, as well as the intent of the architect to hone the shape of my conclusions.

Additional factors have influenced the course of my study and of my travels. My original itinerary submitted during the fellowship competition in May of 1998 contained one or more sites that had been closed for refurbishment in preparation for the new millennium by the time of travel, commenced in the summer of 1999. The Pompidou Center and the Vitra Design Museum were among these restricted sites. As a result, I have made site substitutions and additions, as I deemed appropriate. Some of my most fascinating observations regarding the focus of my study occurred by happenstance. Happily, these additional sites reveal my theories to be more universally applicable than I had anticipated.

Even yet, I ache to return to the inaccessible buildings in order to explore their structures and to consider their forms and spaces. In an ideal circumstance I would choose to visit all sites, at all seasons, at all hours of the day to experience the spaces in their entirety. I am—by great fortune or great fault—only one being. I will have to be content with snapshot visions and lingering contemplation of what I witnessed, felt, heard, tasted, and smelled during the six weeks of my architecture pilgrimage through Western Europe.

Conclusion

Architecture is not only a record of humanity’s past interactions with the earth—it is a kinetic portal for future conversation and discovery. The buildings we create give meaning to our existence and allow us to establish ourselves as members of the human civilization, which belongs to the earth.

The true nature of the bond between humans and our surroundings is not entirely discernible through the study of architecture. Its role in our everyday lives provides only a singular insight into our relationship with the environment. In the words of architect Mike Cadwell, “Architecture is material giving form to space in light and it can be fully appreciated only by the engagement of the human body.” [1] Perhaps if supplemented by similar examinations of history, geography, anthropology, and sociology, the observations presented in this document would more accurately illuminate the multidimensional influence of architecture in humankind’s perception of our surroundings. However, the absence of such information does not diminish the importance of architecture in the context of human culture.

As we evolve as a species, so will our relationship with the environment. Centuries from now we may eschew our present attitudes toward architecture and our natural surroundings. We may depend far less on the physical attributes and resources of a terrestrial planet. As a result, our interactions with the earth may be governed by new forces, many of them under complete control of the human mind. For now, and for the next few decades at least, we are inhabitants of the earth, and we will search for meaning in our bond with our host planet as we continue to build the structures that protect, enlighten, and define our lives.

Notes

[1] Mike Cadwell, Pamphlet Architecture 17: Small Buildings (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996).