New ways of disseminating Architecture

Photo by © Óscar López Rogado

Whether it was to find a specific design or detail or a type of representation, all of us have turned to thousands of architecture magazines as a reference during our studies and over the course of our careers.

Do any people who are not architects consult the architecture magazines we study so avidly?

The answer is probably they do not. I don’t think this reflects a lack of interest, but is rather because they are written by architects for other architects with the single aim of disseminating architecture among architects but not beyond that circle. These publications generally cover major works with unlimited budgets, nearly always designed by the same group of architects.

But times are changing and the Internet affords possibilities to give smaller players a voice. It provides them with an opportunity to show people why having an architect is necessary, as minor as the work to be done may be.

What means do architects have to disseminate their architecture?

Internet is full of possibilities for anyone willing to make an effort and take the time to offer people content of interest about architecture, about the work of architects, and about their own personal projects or those of the great masters.

Blogs and digital publications

Blogs, that is to say digital publications, which I believe is a better term, allow us to make our modest contribution, to give that different or differentiating angle that each one of us with a desire to disseminate can.  But a blog can be more than a mere publication. It can serve as a forum for debate, as a specialised directory, as a network for exchange and even as an architecture catalogue.

Social Media

With the advent of a boom in social media, community managers and online marketing, social media are a fundamental tool in any communications and loyalty strategy, just as they naturally are for disseminating architecture, be it by echoing a digital publication (not generating noise) or creating exclusive social media content. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, there are social media for video, photography, and professionals, including specific media for architects, though they are not put out exclusively by and for architects.

Audio and video podcasts

A podcast is basically an audio or video file distributed over the Internet, something like a short radio or television programme that we produce. While this may be the least public option I am mentioning today, but it is also the least exploited and the option with the longest road ahead. There are very few architecture podcasts and even fewer geared to the general public.

These media, however, are merely tools, just like magazines and books. What is important is the personal approach we take and the opportunity to disseminate architecture beyond conventional channels, simply by drawing attention to architects whose work has such an impact on society.

The key is dissemination, which, according to its dictionary definition is simply the action or fact of spreading something, especially information, widely.

What other types of dissemination of architecture do you propose?

Note: I purposely left out any reference to blogs, social media profiles and podcasts to make each one of you think about the ones you usually use as a reference and about those you have not yet found but would like to.

Text translated by Beth Gelb