Architecture as a great teacher
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” quips a Zen Proverb. Who then is a student? And who is worthy to teach this student?
A student is any one who seeks knowledge. While a teacher is one who has the knowledge that the student seeks.
It has been common practice to look to fellow human beings to acquire knowledge. But I tell you, the sources of knowledge available to the human race is not limited to people but it is endless.
photograph by © Scott Frances
Graphic designer and place-making specialist Richard Wolfströme (with a goal to connect people with places, give them a sense of ownership, reveal the wealthy potentials of places, and make places legible and informative) has re-defined Architecture as one of such teachers. This is achieved by:
- Integrating “a sense of place, culture and engagement through nomenclature, narrative artworks and, of course, wayfinding” into every design he embarks on.
- Following through a process of “in-depth research and due diligence that engages with as many voices as possible, to give a sense of ownership.
- Incorporating ‘ordinary’ stories of community into designs.
- Prioritizing factors like design, materials, and font as essential agents of achieving his goal.
photograph by © Scott Frances
“Places should inspire and promote a sense of community. Place identity is about creating a lasting sense of connection for the people that use it, so that, ultimately, they don’t feel out of place” says Richard Wolfströme.
Simply put, architecture should reflect knowledge. Architecture should be the great Teacher.
photograph by © Paul Rivera
