Archinect - Altruistic Architecture

Shifting Design Education for Current Issues

2021-05-03T18:10:57-04:00

Education to Solve Real-World Issues

As a student who is graduating after this summer semester, I begin to question what my projects outside of the classroom will be. Most of our design curriculum focuses on residential and commercial design and building for a client we’ve made up. But instead of working on projects with limited real-world implications (other than the benefit of pushing our imagination), how can we enhance our training and studies to tackle more tangible issues that affect the communities or sites in which we build our school projects?

Current Issue We See Today

We can take a look at Los Angeles as an example. It’s the entertainment capital of the world, home to some of the greatest modernist designs, and a location with amazing year-round weather. However, the city faces an alarming issue with the growing unhoused community. A recent action proposed by the city aims to utilize empty hotel buildings to shelter those currently occupying the street. And while this mov...

Beautiful Things from an Interiors Perspective

2021-04-26T11:45:47-04:00

The Spirit of a Space

For more than a year, we’ve all been isolated within spaces to preserve and maintain our health. Our chairs, beds, sofas, dressers, and tables have kept us company while we continue to move through life. Now, I ask you: Have you taken a good look at the details of objects that surround you, or are they simply there to take up space? Whether those objects have been hand-me-downs, impulse buys, found objects, or hyped-up waitlisted products, the value is determined by you — the one in the possession of the object. These things are there for a reason. The beauty of interiors is the personality of the environment and how the objects within it emulate a spirit that affects those who occupy it.

Recognizing Beauty as an Emotion

We all grasp a different image of what beauty can be. My definition of beauty will most likely look different from yours. And while we all perceive beauty in different forms, the feeling of beauty is something we all share. I can stare at Mark...

Altruistic Architecture

2021-03-01T16:05:29-05:00

As the industrialization of America grew in the post-war era, the cul-de-sac emerged as a desirable place to raise a stable family. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we find underdeveloped neighborhoods with a lack of infrastructure and resources to house a family, primarily segregated due to racial inequality in America. We can compare low-income communities and suburban neighborhoods to show the advantages and disadvantages of how our physical environments impact an individual’s development. It’s impossible to talk about architecture and urban design in neighborhoods without acknowledging race and financial inequality.

A Need for Design

I’ve realized I am not writing anything new. There are numerous studies that display great evidence of what the socioeconomic divide creates for an individual and how they either overcome or fail. Children who are raised in low-income communities or disadvantaged neighborhoods are at greater risk to experience depression, antisocia...