“Architecture School”: A compelling view into the creative process
Aug 24 2008
For those interested in the creative process, “Architecture School” (Sundance Channel) offers a compelling view. It’s a new series which started this week and lasts through early October. It follows university architecture students who design and build a home in New Orleans. It’s a story of creativity, learning, competition, and ultimately, trying to make a difference.
Other themes include:
- The impact of design: Design (good and bad) has a real impact on real people’s lives. Because the series is set in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina is not just a constant part of the story, but a reminder that good design isn’t just surface, easier to use, or more enjoyable; it can also mean personal and economic survival.
- Understanding customers’ needs: Throughout the series, the architects work to understand what customers actually need. In an early design critique, someone asks the important questions: “Why does (the customer) care? How does this improve the life of someone who lives in this house?” Later on, one student notes “how important it is to talk to the people you’re building for.”
- Engaging students: In the class, the students themselves build the house. In my experience, when teachers help students focus on real opportunities and problems to which they can relate, students are more motivated, learn more, and create more compelling solutions. This is another widely understood truism that is unfortunately too rarely applied.
Even if you don’t have access to the Sundance Channel, you can watch many video clips on the Web. It’s worth the time.
– Jeff
