And there are the Gods. The Architects who believe they made the world how it is today. "Cities could never emerged without great architects" and "developing areas is impossible without good architecture"- really? Ofcourse any professional carry their title with pride, but in my opinion perhaps some architects overestimate their overall effect and underestimate their personal effect. Urban planning and great office buildings effect a lot of people, designing these is more likely to mark your name in history. However, I believe the personal care put in to a design, like family homes with materials, circulation, spaces ++ adapted to the individuals is more rewarding. A wide window sill with the perfect view, draft and curve to fit my back means more to me than the layout of Canary Wharf.
Architecture does ofcourse play a large role in society, but compared to medicine, or politics? There are the enviromental aspects ofcourse, but these are choices made by the architect, not so much a creative input with a personal adaptment.
So these architects I cannot relate to, who see what they do as important as finding a cure for cancer, maybe they've got a bit ahead of themsel.?ves and should take a step back and admit what I'll happily confess : architects may not make a influence on the human race, but on individual human beings.
My mission as an architect is to adapt the architecture in a way to make it practical, comfortable, inspiring, enjoyable and perhaps enhancing the better in the user.
Maybe my goals are even more pompous and unrealistic as the ambitions of "the Gods".
