archive:architecture:ralph_erskine [re.search.notes]

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Well here with Ralph Erskine I think the combination of these two are an effective one. Well one afternoon is too great a coincidence to not take great advantage of it I think we will be seeing some very interesting ideas emerge. Let me just say by way of introduction to crawl because I'm sure you know his word that the to me the fascinating aspect of what you've doing with participation in architecture fascinating aspect is that he and Erskine are in participating with their clients in working out designs. Nevertheless designing their building in unmistakable Kroll style an unmistakable resonant style in a style which is obviously generally part of the organic tradition as well as other traditions which could be labelled and I won't label them. But it's that combination which is so engaging at the present time when the issue of participation has become fashionable and confusing. If it's interesting to see that some kind of a mixture of personality and commitment and same time certain independence or moving away from imposing an aesthetic there's that kind of tension. Indeed two architects work. And I think that as my guess what we'll see this afternoon is that since they've been doing this sort of thing for 10 years or so and more their ideas are changing the styles are changing and they are either quite happy with the stage that they've reached but they know their mistakes. They're learning very quickly from their mistakes and they're moving on in a sense that other people other architects like me are going to call up also talk about participation. Don't think so. I think we're very lucky to have here together these two architects who are engaged with this fundamental issue of our time. OK so has the introduction. 

Ralph Erskine

You know need me and the college the symposium was about to go the picture. I was also told that I was considered to represent one of the representatives of another and went to a bunch of the organic movement to get to. And then I left school I got the information this evening was politics participation and now I wonder why I had so much in writing the thing. A thing I've never done before I've written a thing on the impact of reading the program. I'm not going to read it out you. 

This would take to my program about 20 minutes 20 minutes of philosophy that's pretty tough going of which will look at some pictures as many as we actually get through in the general live picture of this operation. Everybody has to do it now. You did it. Congratulations Richard. I feel you better not take my despite all the training before you did it. In one account in five minutes. 

So off we go. You can shut down the pictures. I'll see if I can find a way like this. 

And the. And right now this business of organic architecture. 

I've written a bit about it. It was my spontaneous reaction as I say to reading through the letter of invitation program and so on. And you know I don't really know what to do about that. I know there are certain tendencies around the world. And this was my reaction for it. I've called this politicians page politics and organic architecture and the academic tradition has always been an important factor in isolating us artists and architects from the users of the Built Environment deeply embedded in an apparatus of abstruse dialogue within a limited circle of true believers architects and critics and critics. 

Charles become members of a cult which has its own high priests and proselytize and use its own secret language language which arouses the admiration of the initiated an excuse outsiders such culture and language is usually expressed concern for the common good. In fact give rise to an isolated and exclusive society the mutual admiration they strengthen the feeling of superiority of the believers by excluding and thereby establishing the impunity of others. 

Are radical consonant is a dog that's become involved in their own exotic salvation wrongly imagined it to be a great importance for others and lose interest for the real needs of the real people outside their circle. 

They believe the mysticism of the human soul and decry attempts to seek attainable precision in knowledge of human and physical means. This being one of the trends of our time and since some who wish to make the representative the organic tradition in Scandinavia. I would therefore wish to commence by making it abundantly clear to have a profound disbelief and antipathy to attempts to get generality. Most of that which is usually associated with the concept of organic design qualification usually must I must put in since the term organic is so precise that it becomes a concept which can cover a very wide range of different phenomena phenomena which usually suffer from the same lack of perception as the term itself. Organic design. I feel to be a fringe movement which can be entertaining but is irrelevant to most of that which I consider important for a true modern architecture for this troublesome world. The world will know about that many find it most comforting to forget the limited movements organic architecture new rationalism nostalgic architect architecture and other entertaining followers can be both acceptable and personable frivolities in the hands of a few gifted eccentrics such as Gallaudet and his clouds. They can be a true delight in this May as their great danger their beauty can be seen but less discriminating prostates do not realize the limited role which must be given to such an exotic space in the menu of a needy world. Therefore in times of disorientation and disillusion disillusionment organic form grows to a movement. Some influence and as at the time of the art nouveau occupies the minds of many people who are endeavouring to escape from an undesired reality to seek their escape in a new aesthetic. 

A naive and hopeless. 

How can a new aesthetic help to solve the problems with work which sometimes made in nation conflict and war economy and politics in unbalance and starvation with opulent waste. The efforts of architects and veterans may be March but they are not without import. What relevance then has the organic growth of plants to the so different disciplines of the growth of buildings or the dwelling when the murder to the home for the families of a complex and sophisticated human. For many years ago this human animal discovered that the usefulness of a tree is varied and unexpected needs was unbelievably way. If with act some saw he transformed. He transformed trees into the parallel epic paid of timber. Later he discovered crushed rock and cement to be a more sophisticated in their use and Stern can therefore be a great import. Jaded sophisticates dabbling in the ivory tower as use timber or plastic to create columns which cleverly assimilate trees or concrete rocks and hills architecture or the shaft of an axe must beautifully and precisely symbolize their own good reasons for their necessary existence. What good reason should die or this coming generation architects spent the invaluable resources of time and intellectual and emotional energy in involving ourselves in battles over the Colts and the of a disorientated day in the irrationality of the new rationalism or nostalgic escapism a wasteful glass house globs of callous heroism in palace building for a world where the majority of humanity's Energy Star or just plain starved. Why should we interest ourselves for the Present. Present day masters of monumental wisdom those great dinosaurs who have not realized that for satisfying the real needs of the real world they are elected that it literally may regrettably survive since the power of the age so often it ignores the needs. I look for the titles of the symposium and some here I may be unjust. I haven't been able to follow unfortunately a symposium but I look to the titles of the spiritual talks and think of the slum dwellers of New Castle on time with my friends in bank and wondering what term should they be able to understand the academic jargon they would comment or conceivably feel themselves served by organic architecture on all biological architecture geometry or rhetorical space as in their slum. They suffer from overcrowding alienation unhygienic ill equipped and being inconsiderate architecture unemployment and under privilege. Seen any need or any relevance in Calcutta. The transcendental and or entropy. And for what more design from America or Europe. The sombre plateaus would doubtless use their strong term to explain to us that architecture is the skilful art which mostly influences the lives of human beings the unlike design or pure art it is Bruce contest the art of that which is useful as many others they might establish that seemingly seemingly it is only architects who do not understand or correctly evaluate this so important art. 

In my work I've sometimes been accused of organic architecture an accusation which for me is a matter of some though not exaggerated concern should organic tendencies be discerned in my design. 

They are not to be looked upon as important was a proof of success or failure that would lead me yet again to realize that the very precise and concrete job of architecture is paired with great uncertainty on the part of architects in interpreting the language of its aesthetics that it is therefore imperative that I endeavour with written and spoken language to clarify the objectives of myself from the group with which I work and to give my own evaluation of the degree of our faith and success in our efforts. Then we the bits of the architectural establishment flying in from the centres of culture of America and Europe or from the forest of backwoods of Scandinavia battling to students are blocks of salvation foil confusion or rejection. So to may further the future of our art I wonder and I am sure that you students should consider profoundly whether we're involved in a great occasion or merely an academic deal. So we may better judge my role. I will now tell you of some of my evaluations of what I consider to be most essential elements of architecture. I would further attempt to give you my own analysis of certain of our works since humanity in the 18th century discarded the meta evil realm of mysticism and developed a science and system to studying the physical world. The results have been sensational. Humanity has more recently commenced the careful and systematic study of us human beings. This continuous and careful search convened statement checking of results. Werman With the time need two equally sensational realizations this arch which will be a vital importance for architecture and community planning in the meanwhile we architects must seek such knowledge wherever it is to be found. Use it and first then use our intuition sensibilities an experience of people to imbue are full fitting of every meal that he read them and often present needs with a purpose which you do makes these important realities with which we work which tell us of the dreams of justice and equality in which we often speak. And as citizens we must work for the better political economic and administrative instruments which can ease our task making reality of the extremes. In this we must clearly realize that our hope is the relevant change now our allegiance that with radical rather than conservative philosophies and politics with the very real needs of the needy and the underprivileged rather than with the profitable commissions and dubious needs of those who are powerful and rich. As a community planner who is convinced that the social consequence of planning how far the most important of architectural factors in a modern society is been a fundamental importance for me from any success of our endeavour that all the countries in which we were subscribed to the Charter of Human Rights whilst considerable injustices still exist. Each country has made advances towards realizing their goal and the principle of equality of rights and opportunities for people irrespective of origin race culture religion or science is at least a declared idea through community plans become more possible to realize those who could wish to oppress their person because they hope to maintain exclusive privilege. Inequality and injustice and we therefore support forces of oppression received no official legal nor widespread employment support as the clear policy. They are de facto strong these forces in this situation. The interests beliefs and actions of arbitrators can be very important. This brings me to the true dilemma which is built into the subject of any discussion low cost environment which in fact nearly all its means housing for the underprivileged or even oppressed after many years of work in very different communities. It is abundantly clear to me that the pressing permanent problem of the underprivileged is that lack of privilege. It is therefore this that must be changed then with time. Other problems may also be solved in most situations at least partial successes can be achieved. This fact is realized but when it is ignored failed it will serve the greater the inequality. The more important this recent realization becomes that too often the architect is my background interest and tradition associated with the forces of oppression. 

Oppression varying in intensity in different cultures. 

He a privilege can be very welcome as easing immediate worries but the mere provision of physical planning and housing has proved to be only palliative action a symptom has been treated. 

But the basic goal of underprivileged remains soon rises to the surface in new forms the Arctic and then observe how his housing becomes a rundown and happy place. His best dreams seem irrelevant among real and all involved may become disillusioned or seeming where lack of understanding and incompetence is too late. 

It may as has happened in America be necessary today in my view buildings because of their disastrous social consequences. And I have seen many such instance slums which call for this instant action. Can we then find some way to serve the whole of our times and not merely chosen parts as so often happens with the usual and distressing consequence that what is built is experience with dissatisfaction. Daily. This site is a support environment for living an architect but endeavour to define what must be achieved should a place for there being experience experienced the good and thereupon make a choice. This checklist for all those who will partake in its creation task involved in this work. When standing before the final result you could well ask the heavens inhabitants himself one does it fulfil what our reasonable everyday needs and some unreasonable ones too. Does a form a step on the way toward some better human community in which we believe three. Does it encourage group contacts. Can it also give personal privacy for courage inspire those who may live to bear partake in the task of giving it for cultivators inhabitants of the building's life with understanding. Use them in all ensuing years does it for them form a meaningful part of beautify the community and the landscape in which it stands. Does it contribute positively to heightening the value of that which previous generations have created. Does it open possibilities for future generations to adapt to their needs. Does it take common sense of world poverty and shortage of disposable resources. Is it therefore economical. Does it achieve the desired goals with a minimum of physical and economic means. Can we be generous with our own efforts in achieving these ends. 

Certain of the technical solutions of the best possible aid. Does it take to create a satisfying work for those who Bill Nye. Is it amenable to the organizational financial and production processes which exist to advance making possible the realization that which for the good ends of the users in the culture are the central goals are in such a case prepared with tact and understanding to assist in changing Hinduism conventions and outdated practices. Ten cannot as all creative of art both disturb and get new and unexpected pleasure that will the dwelling place mature age with dignity. Twelve does it give joy is a beautiful and full of charm. These are the many parts of our task and only influence one another. No part is meaningful except in relationship to all others and together they constitute that hurdle which is the purpose of our end. How we not in honestly answer yes to all these questions. We must acknowledge that we have not succeeded. We complete insufficiency. But cannot expect to be freed from responsibility during normal labours of creation. It can't be at an individual organization or future residence as well as officials technicians of Collins human sciences build it's not days. This knowledge will be able to answer yes to all these 12 questions is a common responsibility with that of the architecture is perhaps the greatest among those free. 

Tibetan community is a demanding task with understanding intelligence and maturity and enthusiasm. It is difficult enough without knees. It becomes almost impossible to build a house a school or a factory is insufficient analysis of a community leads to the realization that inconsistent dw