Value of opinion

Some people say that ‘Opinion is like a penis. It’s fine to have one and it’s fine to be proud of it, but please don’t whip it out in public and start waving it around’. However, my opinion is better then yours. And I am fond of giving unsolicited opinions. And you should listen to it.

You might wonder why is that. I will tell you.

Architects can articulate very well the reason of just about everything they stand for. For most of the people, something can be ugly or beautiful. You can hear something like ‘Oh I love this place’ or ‘Red colour is beautiful. But that is it. That is all. Architect can tell you why is it like that. You can say you like wood because it is nice. I can tell you that I like wood because it is a warm material, that is connected to the nature and brightens the interior when lit by a natural sunlight. It does not mean that your opinion does not matter or that you are wrong. It might mean that you just do not understand your perception, because you are not trained for it. Architects are.

And when you can articulate the motivation of your opinion, your opinion is much more valid. Being able to do this is a skill, and as with any other skill, it can be trained. Architects train this skill regularly.

They like concrete because of its sculptural qualities and raw materiality.

They like white because it reflects sunlight and lets the sun penetrate depths of the rooms.

They like cantilevers because they give an impression of defying gravity.

Being able to understand the underlying motivation for choosing something over something else is fundamental. Architects have to choose often. Designing itself is basically a long list of decision in sequence. And architects should be able to explain others why they chose something. And they have to explain it to themselves as well. They should ask themselves why they choose these particular things.

On the other hand, it should go other way around as well. Architects should listen carefully to opinions of others and find the hidden meaning behind it. Architects should listen to their clients and carefully analyse what the client needs, because it might be something else than what they say they need.

And through this symbiosis with client, great projects can emerge. Open-minded architect and client can make the difference.

Cheers