
We in the profession all understand architecture can mean many different things, both types of knowledge, and ways of thinking. But to the general public, architecture means expensive, “designer” buildings. The qualifier “expensive” must be added because this is how the non-architectural population perceives it. From that narrow perspective, it requires the mobilization of equal amounts of three elements to have a building designed and built capital, a willingness to assume risk, and a generous measure of psychological instability. Maybe the latter comes after the project is complete.
More after the break.
Think about it this way. The majority of the population does not participate in the process of creating architecture from the ground up (more on this later). For most people, it’s daunting enough to invest in a thirty-year mortgage on an existing home. Once they have secured a home, they have fulfilled the “American Dream” and they spend the majority of their lives and most of their resources paying for it. Maybe they own it by the time they are ready to retire. This is the experience of the majority of low- to middle-class people. Sadly, most architectural workers fall into this category. They will not be able to afford an architectural home (or any home) of their own—unless their earning potential increases exponentially (more on this later, too!).
