‘New perspective’
The relationship between an architect and his mentor is often described in architectural history; Le Corbusier would not have been the architect he was without Auguste Perret, neither would Frank Lloyd Wright without Sullivan nor would Bjarke Ingels be the same architect had he not worked for OMA. In these early, formative years of our careers, we are very vulnerable to influences from the designing authorities closely surrounding and guiding us. Being a student myself, I have written and re-written my vision numerous times over the past years to make it fit with what I think good architecture should be. For, with all the new influences surrounding me, my view on architecture keeps evolving.
Given the importance of mentorship and the vulnerability to new influences, it feels strange that it is often described as a top-down relationship, one in which the authoritative figure (‘the mentor’) solely influences the student. An assumption that seems supported by everything we see around us. In literature and all that is published about architecture we only see the top part of the pyramid. We see the opinions of and interviews with leading architects, while we hardly see the foundation supporting this pyramid. It is not that there are no interesting opinions or observations at the bottom of the pyramid, but they are muffled by the crumbling weight of the stone on top.
Through this medium, I will share my opinions and observations, hopefully as unmuffled as possible. In a describing matter, I try to offer a new perspective, a perspective on our world from the bottom of the pyramid: the perspective of an architecture student in the formative years of his career. With these observations, I do not strive to provide paradigm-altering views of the world that will change the way we think about architecture. The mere goal of these observations is to possibly inspire you by looking at things differently than you might do yourself.
An observation that always inspires me for example is one by Peter Zumthor in ‘Atmospheres’. In this observation, he describes a beautiful square filled with activity. He describes that as he sits and takes in everything the square has to offer, he is filled with joy and happiness. Then he performs a thought experiment he denotes as elementary: he takes away the square from his thoughts. As the square vanishes in front of him, his feelings disappear with it.
In ‘Zumthorian’ fashion I would like to conduct a thought experiment through a simple question: ‘what would architecture students be without their mentees?’ It is hard to imagine whether Le Corbusier would have been the influential modernist he was, had he not worked for Auguste Perret; or if Bjarke Ingels would be the starchitect he is today had he not gained experience under the nurturing wing of Rem Koolhaas. Sadly the answer is not as simple as in Zumthor’s experiment. Nevertheless, it does make you realise the importance of having the right influences at the start of your career. Since we cannot know with any certainty where these architects would have been was it not for their early influences, or how we will be formed by our influences, the best thing we can do is pick our mentor with care and hope for the very best.
Over time my observations will also be bridled by all the influences around me. As a matter of fact, it is the very premise of the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture that upon completion of my education I will have worked at least four years under the tuition of a mentor. It begs the question of how ‘new’ my perspective is in four years. Nevertheless, I will describe what I observe and share my view on things as I climb the pyramid.
