In lecture today, what stuck out to me was the topic of user needs, and how in post-modernism, architects started designing with the user of the space in mind. Previously, we have heard about functionalism. It would be easy to confuse the two because when you break it down, they seem almost similar. Functionalism is designing a space with the function in mind, no unnecessary additives or ornaments. But designing for the user means thinking about how the person would use the space, how they would exist in it on a day to day basis, not just how the space would be designed to function. You can see where there might be some confusion. But architects like Mies Van Der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Phillip Johnson, and others were all functionalists in a sense, and if you look back to their work, they did not care about the people using the space. Yes they designed it to be functional, everything was intentional, nothing unnecessary, everything worked perfectly. Mies designed on a perfect grid, his spaces has so much versatility that they could be transformed to work for almost anything. Le Corbusier designed so that you had no choice but to experience his space exactly as he intended you two. As all architects are, these men were artist. They had very specific things in mind for their structures and spaces. They created incredibly and astonishingly beautiful work. I would absolutely love to visit La Villa Sevoy or The Farnsworth House or The Glass House, and hopefully one day I will. If I do, I will 100% stand in awe of the unbelievable designs, but would I want to live in one of those places? Maybe not. It is undeniable that those places are masterpieces, but they are not livable for the regular person. They may be designed to be functional with no excess or unnecessary things, but would they be functional for an average family to live in? No. This made me think about our jobs as architects and designers, living in a post modernist world and starting our own careers. Currently, I think I want to pursue residential design. While that may change, it is what interests me most right now. Talking about user intent got me thinking about what I will be doing one day. Perhaps I will never be as iconic as Mies Van Der Rohe or Le Corbusier, but I will definitely take influence from their work and their innovations. I hope to create incredibly well designed spaces that work for the clients I am designing for, the users I am designing for. This class has taught me a lot and opened my eyes to some of the greatest architects that have ever lived who I didn’t really know about before. In this last semester, my design taste and style has changed and evolved because of it. While I have known for a while I want a career focused in residential interior design and architecture, I now have a clearer vision of what my brand and myself style will look like. One of the things that excites me about interior design and architecture is getting to work with clients and designing for their needs, and also having their personal styles worked into my own. I find it very important to not only design theoretically functional spaces, but to design functional spaces specific to the client, and integrate that with the design teachings of our great architectural predecessors. I think there are a lot of aspects to interior design and architecture that make it special and important. Going back to William Morris and his conflicts with how ornament and some arts and crafts simply were not important, it is easy for people to dismiss careers in the arts. I once had a Physicians Assistant scoff at me when I told him my major. But architecture shapes our world. It makes up our greatest cities and our most sacred ancient sites. It shapes our day to day life, and in the career path I am going down I will get to design spaces made specific for my clients, the users. Spaces that their children will grow up in and their lives will happen in. Spaces that will make them happy to come home and feel good in a beautiful environment. Maybe one day I’ll design a medical facility that a cocky physicians assistant will work in. Great designers and magnificent innovators make architecture important and iconic. User intent and designing for the user makes it special and significant. I think that’s pretty cool. I also think this is a very nice way to end my last journal entry. I learned so much bout architecture and design in this class and I can’t wait for the future in my career.
