What exactly have i learnt? A in depth knowledge of sit analysis? Relationship of buildings? it all seems very superficial.
It was an inspriring path. along the way u realise a lot of new things. infinite possibilities and amazing inspiration. but sadly ur too far down the line to adapt confidently. u wish u were brave... perhaps more focused. but u settle for something better than nothing.
this semester i got acquainted with the pitched roof. tedious to draw or make, but it posseses the amazing quality of being truly asian. it keeps off the rain, provides shade, and in short, is all that is needed to make a space comfortable! something i was begining to take for granted. as a child i thought amazing architecture was clean, sharp and clear. but i've realised that there is a depth in the earthiness of asian architecture. i dont blame my childhood, but the outlook that most of us had in those years were western. too western for the tropics. too unreal...
rustic and vernacular styles are what makes asia beautiful, sadly the craftsmanship and the knowledge is dying out. in singapore there are very few remnants of what used to be, and what in its true nature defines it. Atleast at home the situation is not that bad because they still exist. but there isn't enough emphasis on the important feautures of sri lankan architecture. little has been done to glorify it in the eyes of the people.
the idea of modernity in asian architecture. the materials, joints, connections, all add up to create an integral whole that cannot exist in parts. the roof being the defining factor. being asian does not mean that you recreate the old long house or the cadjan huts. it means that you learn from the mastery in those works and employ the lessons in what you eventually create. sound easy. but which elements are important? which elements are coherant and will work in todays life? we have survived so long without the template of traditional house layouts that if it were to be integrated in todays houses, it would feel alien.
yet the traditional wasnt perfect. it suited the people at the time it was used. adaptations obviously change the outlook of the users. old longhouses had no toilets.
something we cant live without today. colonialist rulers improved the sanitation condtitions of such places. colonialism is also an added heritage. be it good or bad, it is important to take lessons from their ideas of architecture. they were in fact the first to create the ideas of hybridisation of cultures.
essentially architecture grows with the community. it should be able to mature to suit the people that are going to use it. the culture, the habits and the lifestyle. like JW says, it is a case of adding layers upon an existing fabric. the transparency of these layers create a rich and dynamic enivronment, and creates a hybrid architecural style, and a hybrid culture. Thus the people and the environment are true to its heritage, without compromising the advantages of the modern globalised world.
