Creative Writing VS. Architecture [WIP]

CHAPTER 4: HOW TO ARCHITECT?

Since we established what is architecture at the beginning of this book, in Prologue: A Personal Reflection, I will delve into how we can architect in our day-to-day lives.

As I mentioned previously, architecture is not just creating a project or building a house. It has a more complex foundation and set of rules. However, in order to keep things simple for us creatives, I will describe how one can architect every day, without studying architecture.

How to architect? To architect, you need three things: an open mind, open ears, and a sketchbook.

Not a notebook, but a sketchbook, and I'll explain the difference later in this chapter.

Have you ever walked on your own, without company? If yes, I'd like you to write about what are the first elements you see. Then, start writing about the scenery you walked in but in more detail.

If not, then I recommend you do so. Walk at a slow-medium pace, and take in the surrounding scenery.

You may do it in moving vehicles; however, in this exercise we will need to stop every few minutes to analyze your surrounding.

Start writing and/or drawing on one condition: use your sense. You have 5 or fewer, optimize them to your fullest.

This exercise that you have done, or will do, will help you hone your skills and critically analyze your scenery.

What do the surrounding buildings look like? Are they pale or bright? Are there trees or is it a deserted area? Do you feel safe walking or do you need to constantly look around you? Is the sky clear or smokey? Do you smell smoke from car extracts or do you smell the fresh air? Do hear loud noises and car honking or do you hear birds? Is the place noisy or quiet? What do you feel, see, touch, hear, and/or taste? Write those down.

Now, remember the previous chapter where we talked about research? Well, ‌start researching the amount of carbon dioxide and poisonous gases in your neighbourhood and/or country. Research about Climate Action, and climate change. Research about empowerment, inclusion, inter-sectionality, urban experience, optimized spaces, your ecology, and anything else that may come to mind.

What does that have to do with architecting? It has everything to do with you architecting daily. If you want to be an architect, you must learn to understand and respect the world around you.

The world needs help, its only a matter of research to find what is missing and fill in the gaps.

How do I do that? Simple steps base your foundation. Larger steps, that's for another chapter.

Anything you need to base yourself on, you will need a solid foundation. And how do you base yourself on a solid foundation? That's right, research.

Check out how to find simple ways to live sustainably. How to save the environment without needing to spend excessive budget. Learn how to reuse your plastic bottles. What about the materials you have at home? Do you use every single item, or can things be given away or re-used?

Remember when we mentioned it's all about re-shuffling information in Chapter 2: Feedback? We can apply the re-shuffling of gained information, and see how we can support the environment.

Maybe the plastic bottles you no longer use can cut into halves and use as a base to plant seeds. Or maybe you can work with your local government and propose sustainable ideas.

You day job? You are super busy? You schedule is overbooked you don't have time to sleep? Simple, be sustainable at home.

Start with you. Simple steps. Quick and easy. Did you hear about 5-min crafts on YouTube or Facebook? If you haven't, then I highly suggest you check them out. You will be amazed by the resources that they have to create things in 5 mins or fewer.

You don't know how to be sustainable? Research. You don't feel like it? Research how to feel like it.

Do you need a degree to architect? No. There are famous architects who revolutionized the world and didn't study architecture. But do you know what they did? Yes, they researched and did their job well done.

Architecture is about including humans, earth, and ecology; mix them together, and you find the results you are looking for.

It can come in many forms: DIY actions, cleaning a street, walking in a movement, being involved in society, being merciful to animals, insects, and any living and non-living organism. Be clean, which is another term for being sustainable. Use clean energy.

If you can't change the world, start changing yourself. It's the first step to architecting.

Remember this equation like the back of your hands.

Architecture = Inclusion = Climate Action = Living Sustainably = Saving Earth.

Therefore, Architecture = Saving Earth.

Do you see it now? It was simple all along. It's how we re-shuffle the information we gain and learn its patterns to ‌connect the missing pieces of the puzzle.

One mean, of the multiple means to architect is saving the environment through design. However, it is not the singular approach architecture has the offer. Remember this: Architecture is a Joker.

So what are you waiting for? Start architecting.