Life as a house, part II: A house is a work of art
Virtual friend Bethany Buffington, who wears philosophy on her brow and has poetry in her heart, judiciously commented on part I of this post (as it appears on Myspace), suggesting that the proper way to create a house is as an outer expression of one’s inner beauty. One who cultivates inner beauty and chooses to let it shine by expressing it in the material realm in whatever form (house, object, performance, etc.) is certainly an artist. And I wholeheartedly agree that a proper dwelling should be a work of art. And this invites a proper digression into the concept of beauty
In our modern industrial society, we tend to consider beauty and function as separate, and even opposite, attributes. Some architects and designers have been able to look past this illusion of separation (which permeates every other aspect of our culture!), and have come up with the mantra ‘form follows function’ to express that if an object is designed solely according to its function, and that the mechanism to achieve the said function is chosen in the right way, the object will inevitably be beautiful in the end. The technical or mathematical aspects need not be cold and obscure, and can appear to the initiated eye with true elegance and beauty. Buckminster Fuller stated, on the topic of technical work:
“When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.”
Perhaps we should go further and consider that our sense of beauty, whereby our vibrations are raised sometimes to the degree of pure bliss, is a natural evolutionary guide to what is most ‘fitting’ or more appropriate, and this applies not only to pure aesthetics, but also to utilitarian pursuits. If we understood this on a global scale, perhaps our technological artifacts, including our dwellings, would be warmer, more beautiful, and would exist in perfect, integrated, complementary harmony with the environment instead of being damaging.
Consider also this anonymous definition of engineering:
“A sense for the fitness of things.“
So, what I would call evolutionary science and engineering is when those endeavours are practiced with the sensibility of the artist, with beauty and intuition at the fore, and technical know-how constituting the expressive tools, the artist’s medium.
And what of architecture, where art and science have long been intertwined? At the vanguard of progressive architecture is the radical art of rightly called evolutionary architecture, created by visionary architect Eugene Tsui. His designs are radical departures from convention and are fundamentally nature-inspired. They are certainly works of art and their unique aesthetic, blending with the natural surroundings, brings a sense of well-being to their inhabitants. Some have reported that living in Tsui-designed dwellings was a life-changing experience, in one case inspiring a career change from lawyer to artist.
(images are from the Tsui Design and Research website)
And, appropriately enough, in the beauty of these buildings, in their shape itself, is embedded a simple and appropriate functionality, promoting the natural circulation of air, moderating temperature changes, and dramatically reducing the environmental / energetic footprint. Natural, non-toxic, and fireproof materials are used, and the houses are surprisingly inexpensive to build given their numerous long-term advantages.
This is but one striking example of what can be accomplished when applying whole systems / holistic thinking to a technological artifact - in this case a house - with true beauty as our evolutionary guide. And I agree with Dr. Tsui that radical change in this area - and in many others - is urgent, and that we can no longer afford to hold onto obsolete conventions (some of which are embedded in construction codes). Business as usual is no longer an option.
Continued in part III - what is wrong with conventional houses
Tags: architecture, art, beauty, Buckminster Fuller, design, energy efficiency, engineering, Eugene Tsui, evolutionary architecture
October 9th, 2008 at 9:24 am
I’m a PhD student in electrical engineering, in my lab, around me, there’s no beauty. For most engineers (I won’t say scientists since not all them have enough interest to become one) beauty is an obsolete term that should not be mixed with seriousness, it may even be shameful for some. Before an engineer, I consider myself to be a photographer and a photogrammographer, I try to write with light (needles to say that this involves only analog -argentic-equipment). For a long time my eyes have looked for ways of experimenting with light and representing objects, much like Buckminster I know I when I’ve failed by not finding the balance (not symmetry) I was looking for in the outcome, which in terms of light (personally) means beauty. I often try to project this way of thinking to other activities like engineering and I’ve found it to be rather useful in terms of allowing me to know what to do with the few skills I have.
What is written here is true indeed, however, as a member of an educational establishment such as an university, this is far away to be conceived as necessary, this walls are thick as the minds of the people leading it. However all occidental moral conceptions can be forgotten by some and these leads to openness and creation. I have had very interesting scientific and art conversations with photographers, painters, bus drivers, homeless, kids and occasionally nude-performers (theater)… they all had an open heart and an open mind. I often try to talk to my colleagues about seeing the “big picture” (holistic view as you put it) but their mind is off trying to figure out what job they’ll be able to get so they can move to a larger flat.
The diffusion of the ideas is almost as important as their content.
November 10th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
José, I truly appreciate your candor and sense, as I have before, that we are on the same wavelength on many things.
Certainly, a university is an institution, and as such is a guardian of “dogma,” a protector of the “fortress of certitudes” which many people feel they need to be comfortable - in essence, a reduction of reality to something that we feel is manageable.
It is probably true that you will find more openness, daring and spirit of adventure in the dark recesses of society, rather than among the members of the establishment, albeit one should be careful of generalizations… there are always exceptions, as I’m sure you know, and it is a good thing too!
Be that as it may, I am certain that society advances through its fringe, thanks to all those people with “open heart and mind” that you met, while so many “respectable members of society” waste away with trivial concerns such as material wealth and the thickness of their resumes…
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