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Reading “The Viralisation of Architecture” a few weeks ago, my attention was once again drawn to something we all agree on: the need to bring architecture closer to society.
That includes disseminating good architecture, explaining what it is and how it differs from what we might call mere construction (always assuming we ourselves are able to agree on that difference).
Viralising architecture is undoubtedly both useful and necessary for the profession. But it has to be done properly.
And it occurred to me that, allowing for the huge differences that are clearly involved, this problem is comparable to the challenge of popularising opera. As an enthusiastic participant in both undertakings, I can vouch for their similarity.
Reasonable analogies
Architecture is sexy, and so is opera. That’s why both appear in TV ads, movies, etc. But usually people only see their most superficial side, and 99% of what’s underneath is lost.
In this yin/yang duality between architecture and mere construction and between opera and humdrum, mushy warbling, the public at large is more accustomed to the second thing than to the first.
Sometimes, not even the architects or musicians themselves can agree on where the dividing line is.
Architecture and opera are miles away from ordinary people, who only see the tip of the iceberg because they lack any further information (and because what they do see is easier to for them to assimilate). Explanations are hardly ever forthcoming about what’s achieved by designing a courtyard in a certain way, or about how a leitmotif works.
Bringing architecture closer to ordinary people
Here are some key strategies which have proved useful in making opera more accessible to the public at large, and which could be adapted to do the same for architecture:
Although good experiences do exist – (Escala Humana, for example – we need more channels, more formats and more content. (How about a podcast?)
It’s an effort that needs to be made. The future of our profession depends on it.