“I seem to be a verb” (Buckminster Fuller)…is a simple response to a fundamental question of contemporary design practice – how can young emerging architects become transformative forces for good? If design is seen as both product and process these need not be mutually exclusive propositions, but I would argue that as an architect in an industry that is deemed a professional service — the process does seem the non-negotiable portion of the equation and the elusive differentiator. Let me explain…

PAST IS PROLOGUE

It began innocently enough, just a simple drive to a museum and then to the airport. But that was only the itinerary; it by no means describes the implications of that day in May 2001, Nor where I would find myself almost ten years later…and thankfully a few pounds lighter – but I digress…

I picked Mr. Libeskind up at his hotel early the morning of his flight and proceeded to drive. Admittedly, I thought I would find myself at a loss, but the conversation steadily grew to a frenetic pace. Stanley Meisler in an article for Smithsonian later described ”An interview with Libeskind is more like a conversation, and his good humor and mischievous smile are so infectious that you cannot help liking him and wanting to be liked by him. (Smithsonian 3/2003)” I wanted to be liked by this passenger of mine.  He asked about my experiences and relayed tales of his own defiance of the establishment and desire to push himself into the void of practice.  Recalling later in the aforementioned interview, “Ever since I began working, I have had an abhorrence of conventional, pristine architectural offices.” At some point, Libeskind predicted, I would find myself with a similar restlessness.  We toured the Kimbell, he made his flight and I thought more of the connection that day.

Before we exited through the gift shop, I realized my penchant for studying emerging architects and their connection to the academy was not a fools errand. It was more a means to design a future and connect to a new life.

I did not grow up in a family of architects (though interestingly my daughter has) and I more than empathize with the plight of an immigrant wanting to realize their own individual American Dream. When my family moved to this country we left our own network behind and learned to connect with this place. I credit my parents with my innate curiosity. Whether it was the family trips to American monuments, historical markers or places none of us had ever heard of or studied, the curiosity of place, community and the power of education were ingrained in me at an early age. Likewise, as witnessed by my #coffeesketch, I have always been encouraged to express my creativity through drawing. Thankfully these moments shaped an appreciation for a profession I was fortunate to find as well as a realization that education was intrinsically tied to it. Amidst these ideas, I would soon find myself leaving practice to teach full time as a Visiting Professor of Architecture. In the classroom, like in practice, design fostered connection -- a language to build from, or merely a means to view the world differently and ask what if. A world of possibilities... A world designed... A world connected...

In my Ford Explorer, deep in the heart of Texas — unaware of future events, Libeskind sat attentively and described a passion for design and humanism, of teaching, and of challenging accepted notions of architecture. Time would flow in two directions from this event horizon.  inadvertently I would establish a similar intermundium – a world of academia and practice of my own design eventually leading to the re-launch of an architecture studio. But that day I was merely driving Mr. Libeskind, the future architect of Ground Zero prognosticating my own ground zero.

DESIGN CONNECTS

This is my own ground zero, this will be different…HA does not just ‘think outside the box,’ we deconstruct it with every intention of designing our work and sharing our experience through dialogue. HA is built on a desire to CONNECT with our clients, our peers as collaborators and the places where we are fortunate to visit and work. This is the time and it will be different…thanks Daniel.

To design is to embody a dialogue of wishes, ideals, images, forms, functions, fictions, materials, processes amidst a management of constraints: time, budget, quality, regulations and decision making. We are trained as problem solvers, synthesizers of information with an apt for creative and aesthetic solutions. We are in an eternally optimistic profession that revels in sharing our theories and work, often in dialogue with ourselves. But, the advent and proliferation of social networks allows us to engage a broader dialogue, filtering the stream of irrelevant information and building networks of actual people with thoughts, feelings, and ideas -- about us, our families, our friends, our companies, and the world around us.

Are you a verb? …Let’s connect with a phone call, @ha_architecture or voyeuristically at our evolving digital pin-boards.

*** VIEWS: Is a series of ideas and work that inspires our studio. Today, Jamie Crawley, AIA contributes to The American Institute of Architects inaugural blog-off series bringing together architectural bloggers March 25-31 to discuss how DESIGN CONNECTS *** 

Several years ago in two very different schools of Architecture, I challenged my students to take a second look at something often dismissed. Then design a space to showcase it. After showing them the movie Basquiat with Jeffrey Wright in the title role amidst the likes of Dennis Hopper, Benicio Del Toro, Christopher Walken, Willem Defoe and a unique appearance by David Bowie as Andy Warhol, I challenged them to conceive of a Graffiti Museum.

Did you say Graffiti?

Yes.

Seriously? Why?

Two reasons: Can you think different? And inspiration can and should take many forms -- from the phenomenological work of Shephard Fairey's OBEY to the work of Bansky, street art and print has always influenced me and my work.

So, I ask now, in a sense what I asked and why I asked then – what would a museum curating exhibits focused on graffiti look like? The question exemplifies the struggle of the architectural process. We are trained to research a client, building program, contextual influences, site considerations, adjacencies, design precedents as well as explore the potential of paradigm shifts – opportunities. As a studio professor this design problem would resolve itself in a variety of ways, but would allow an evaluation of the multitude of skills one should be developing in an academic setting. But the real issue, how do you design a space that for all of your research does not exist?. Certainly there have been contemporary galleries with temporary exhibits focused on the subject, but there has not been a space developed with the mission devoted to this influential artistic movement. Full disclosure, when I was studying architecture in Italy and travelling on my own one weekend I stumbled upon an exhibit entitled “ American Graffiti.” The work of Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Kenny Sharf were all on display in what honestly was an ad-hoc gallery amidst a decommissioned nunnery just off the Piazza Navona in Rome.

I have always been fascinated with the work of street artists. Now as an architect of the built environment, the canvas of this art form – it is increasingly intriguing to me and continues to influence. As an architectural historian (yes, I taught those long slide heavy survey courses) graffiti can certainly be equated to the work of Russian constructivist architects who decades later influenced the work of Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and Thom Mayne. But it should also be noted Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollack were equally influenced. A craft that is both serious and irreverent seems decidedly American to me.

So I secretly hope –well, not a secret anymore; to one day have that dream commission of designing a Graffiti Museum, but until then I challenge you to join me: give something a second look, think different, appreciate diversity, embrace alternatives, act nimbly…

and exit cautiously through the gift shop.

*** VIEWS: Is a series of ideas and work that inspires our studio. Today, Jamie Crawley,AIA shares his experience teaching at Texas A&M and Prairie View A&M ***

Ok, I admit. I'm a #foodie.

So of course I attended the “Taste of Round Rock” almost in the backyard of our studio. The annual event is held at the Dell Diamond; the home of the Round Rock Express, a minor league baseball -Triple-A affiliate of the 2011 American League Champion Texas Rangers.  The event organized by the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, corrals about 40 food industry vendors to allow the foodie in all of us to sample their food. Promotional innovation in a unique architectural setting always a brilliant idea. Design and Food in my mind process conceptually in the same way : raw materials turned into expressions of art, taste, wonder and even memories of other times or places.  So I'm excited to experience the various offerings from the tastings menu and I have to report it was well worth the trip. From Krave’s fresh bruschetta, a Taco Market arrangement with plate as a literal Frisbee, to a well butchered and prepared premium steak from The Meat House – which by the way, is about to open their second Texas location this time north of Austin... yeah, Round Rock! And yes there was dessert... a praline pecan bread pudding from the Cotton Patch Café.

Having designed several restaurants, I find it refreshing to see the variety of concepts and process alive in the food. The spirit of these ideas easily translate into space, form, color, texture and genius loci or for a restaurant 'ambiance.' Walking from vendor to vendor stimulated my senses: Vibrant colors from Tarka Indian Kitchen, Minimalist aesthetic from Urban Picnic's cake balls, and on and on... I applaud and congratulate all the chefs, cooks and staff involved in this event, and appreciate the opportunity to TASTE DESIGN.

I will like to invite you to the next “tasting design” event on our studio's radar the Austin Food and Wine Festival (April 27-29)  featuring world renown chefs and restauranteurs – Chef Morimoto, and this year's Top Chef Texas winner Paul Qui, among many other favorites.

Cheers.  

*** VIEWS: Is a series of ideas and work that inspires our studio. Today, Dan Campos Project Manager|Designer admits he's a #foodie ***

What  If  We  Used  An  Old  Telephone  Booth  To  Set  Up  A  Micro-Lending  Library  At  The  Bakery Bus  Stop?

This spurred us to dig a little deeper into the genius loci or sense of (this) place. We learned this bakery was the favorite spot for a group of draftsmen. Drafting you say? ...We love to sketch too. And believe, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once (s)he grows up." Pablo Picasso

So we want to ask:  "what if we repurposed a shipping container as an urban sketch book?" The site could be transformed with a temporary art + architecture installation that both engages and inspires dialogue through the simple act of a chalk board sketch. 

Follow our #coffeesketch.   We are Architects in Austin interested in listening to your story over coffee.

Follow our #coffeesketch.   We are Architects in Austin interested in listening to your story over coffee.

Follow our #coffeesketch.   We are Architects in Austin interested in listening to your story over coffee.