Articles by Duo Dickinson

Every December talking heads (or screens) trumpet “Everything Has Changed”. But this year it is true. Immanent inoculations may bring back human contact, but the Coronavirus Year has changed us.

Some celebrate the failures of “Make It Right”, Brad Pitt’s patronage in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina wrecked New Orleans in 2005, celebrated architects like Frank Gehry, David Adjaye and Thom Mayne created art for a foundation set up by Pitt. A local architect, John C. Williams was hired to turn designs from those starchitects into buildings with a directive to use the best sustainable materials available.

When things change, we change the way we live.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Architectural Education is still largely living in the mid-20th century, where the studio model is both wonderful, limited and alive and well. Students are offered two stark pedagogies: either getting a fine arts education or applying a glorified trade school regimen towards being a technocrat. Artificial Intelligence (AI) might just eliminate architecture as a career for those who are not versed in the things that only humans can do: synthesize, channel, invent, craft. Beyond imitation. By its new nature, architecture could be becoming inhuman.

Whether we like it or not, every architect is a recycler.

We are in an unholy mess. It is a pandemic, with insane politics, and centuries of hideous racial injustice screaming out humanity’s worst realities.  Each day reveals more disease, more anger, more flaws in our culture than anyone could have anticipated.

As the Great Philosopher, Mike Tyson said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”.  

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.