Architecture, a thought process so unique to itself, so unique to each place. But why isn’t there more colorful architecture? Why do most buildings have to be dull and dark on the outside? We are currently living in times where the world needs more color in it. Our lives have changed over the course of a year a full 360 degrees and many of us have lost so much. So how can architecture brighten our world just a little bit? 

Well, it could simply be adding some color to it. In school we are taught architectural projects that are dark or white. Or how the architectures color can be just the color of the material being used. There are only very few buildings known for color, and color is taught to work against the architectural design. And in my experience studio professors have more dark or black clothes than I have ever seen. This major is so fun and creative, yet a monochromatic dress code is preferred and encouraged during final reviews or reviews in general. Monochrome can bring elegance, authority, and power to a design and to one-self, but we are living in times where the world sometimes needs more than that, and our major can bring the world that small bit of light that we need most of all now in these days.

Take Le Corbusier’s Pavillon in Zürich, Switzerland, its bold geometry and glassed walls stands out within itself but adding the colors green, red, and yellow to both the roof and the surrounding walls add an extra touch of brightness and excitement not just to the project itself but to anyone that sees it. Another project that brightens the Toronto city is The Sharp Centre. The cities dark toned buildings immediately get brightened up with this over hanged building and its beautiful, pixilated façade and for support having these bright red, yellow and blue columns. Turning around the corner and seeing this completely different building appear in your vision will maybe not bring a smile to your face, but it will most definitely leave you intrigued. Another building that used color in such a simple way, yet it means so much to the design is The Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. This building used color to show the functionality of the building. Blue for circulating air, yellow for electricity, green for circulating water, and lastly red for transportation. 

Monochromatic isn’t a bad thing, like previously stated it is elegant and powerful but so can polychromatic be. As new generations join this profession, the thought process and design language are changing. The architecture and the theories that were taught in architecture school will always be significant and important to the way we think and develop a project. But the architecture that will be designed and brought to the future will most definitely speak a whole different language and be very different from how it was taught 50 years ago.