About
Architecture should not be practiced solely as an art. It is not about intuition, not about emotional expression, and definitely not about physical looks.
Architecture is only relevant when it addresses specific problems. It is important to start by asking questions: “What are the needs of the inhabitants?”, “How can their way of living be improved?”, “How does the building react to the local climate?”, “How can the structure be safe?”, “How can the plumbing system work effectively?”, and so on.
Each of these ‘problems’ are scrutinized, developing into the potential design solutions.
It’s an architect’s role to put these solutions together, distilling them into one coherent form. The ability to eliminate complex problems by simplifying the design solutions to almost its purity, is what separates great architects from the good.
When these have been addressed and architecture can convey higher meanings: i.e. expressing a certain political stance, attempt to improve humanity, and give a new soul to the culture of the place, then architecture can indeed be an art.