To entertain myself while lounging at the beach and to pretend I was character in the indie classic 300 Days of Summer I have passed some time devouring the fascinating work of Alain de Bottom in his revolutionary architectural novel The Architecture of Happiness. The piece of work frames the intrinsic connection between architecture, philosophy and psychology. He investigates that way in which humans develop their identity in direct correspondence with our local environment, therefore, the way in which we design the architecture of our own happiness.
I was extremely moved by his work and the parallels he drafted between historical landmarks and the ideology of people within that specific context. It is stunning to consider the credibility of comprehending our world's history through the built environment alone. Buildings, parkways, city plans, sculpture, design, etc. serve as the canvass to understanding humankind and a mode of translating how one translates their personal significance and outlook on life. For someone to understand this power is the key of a great architect. This passage embodies this agency:
"The places we call beautiful are, by contrast, the work of those rare architects with the humility to interrogate themselves adequately about their desires and the tenacity to translate their fleeting apprehensions of joy into logical plans-a combination that enables then to create environments that satisfy needs we never consciously knew we even had" (249).
By transcending the material creation, a designer, may further comprehend their own being. Through this self realization the designer will become a more thorough, innovative professional who benefits the evolution of humankind's built environment to reflect the intrinsic connection between people and place. Their creation will become a legacy beloved by many.
For the gift of interrogating my work and passion within this context, I thank my liberal arts education and will not complain too excessively for my subsequent years in graduate school to specialize my broad knowledge of the built and natural environments.
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