This weekend i had the pleasure to participate of yet another architectural workshop called 0-1 with architect kostas poulopoulos. The workshop focused on the concept phase in design. In particular it focused on how does one begin with a problem in architecture. What are the steps we take as architects? Or what are the ways we begin the design process, is it design by research vs research by design. As Mr. Poulopoulos explains the first focuses on a careful study within ones thoughts, experiences and restrictions, while the later “attacks” in a way the problem via experimentation in design. He intelligently compares the two ways of design with the example of an archer vs sharpshooting. One seems to be pulling out ideas from their knowledge spectrum while the other pushes towards that. They both however aim to reveal an idea and more importantly express this so that a client, a fellow student, a professor can understand.
From a practicing architects point of view this weekend was quite intriguing in terms of “letting go” of the methods and tools one is comfortable using in their work environment in order to explore different processes. Thus, I felt that young practitioners can also benefit from such exercises as they can learn a different way of thinking towards a problem and challenge their work productively. Hopefully more fellow architects can consider joining architectural workshops in the future as they seem to be a way of exchanging ideas and more importantly testing ones ideas – something one seems to forget to do as we grow older in the field.
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