Architecture As Art

New homes need to be designed with respect to the unique architectural DNA of the location, meeting the current necessities of living, and with a vision for the future, which in my view means reaching for the sky. Even though we are a product of our histories, we are also new creations, and as such, we can use creativity to produce unique contributions in any field. 

To better express my position on architectural design, I would like to expand on some terms.

Architectural DNA and the City’s Neuroplasticity

Every city has an Architectural DNA formed by every building included in its urban-scape. Residential zoning is the biggest portion of a city’s composition, therefore, a city’s physical shape and character is mostly a result of its homes. Every detached house, townhome, apartment building, etc., is a piece of the puzzle—the protein that builds the DNA helix if you will.

Just like the nuclear family is key to society, the information contained in the architectural elements of every house (walls, windows, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc.) gives the city and its community the unique characteristics of its collective urban DNA—its density, scale, connections between places, and styles, etc.

The architectural DNA of a city is unique, and just like human DNA, it connects the past with the present as it moves into the future. Every decision the city-builders (architects, engineers, home owners) make, privately or collectively, produces a change in the city’s Architectural DNA.

The Urban-scape Brain 

I like to think of every city having its own architectural brain made up of all its buildings as physical expressions of ideas and thoughts and, of course, life styles, past or present. 

The urban-scape is neuroplastic, just like our brains. This means it is continually changing and moving, being re-designed and reconnected.  These changes can be toxic or healthy, good or bad for the city’s inhabitants, depending on the vision and belief systems of the decision makers. Every change created by new contributions into the architectural DNA (design, urbanism, and engineering, among others) rewires the city’s connections and alters the foundational fabric.   

Our goal as responsible architects is to add information to the genetics of the city, influencing the architectural DNA so new ideas are inserted through buildings. When positive contributions are built, in the form of beautiful housing that improves people's lives, the city’s brain becomes healthier and by default more beautiful—because health is expressed in beauty. Architecture expresses beauty. 

Architecture must embody Past, Present and Future

As architects, we design for the present but focus toward the future. We envision the life our clients want to live everyday, but we also foresee the architecture as surpassing their lifespan. We do not, however, design from a void. The history of the city and of the surrounding architecture amplifies our understanding of the culture passed down from our ancestors and elders. It gives us a glimpse into their vision of the world, how they lived, and how they expressed themselves in the houses they built.

The Past was not decided by us 

The past needs to be accepted as it is, simply because we cannot change it. It was designed by others. We must learn from it, and take with us what we choose to retain. Accept the bad, honor the good. There are some who would like to destroy and demolish the past, but this is often not the most practical solution in architecture. Buildings are expensive to construct and if they are serving life, they are still doing their job. 

Not every building is architecture, as I have often stated. In order to be called architecture, it needs to be a beautiful structure. Even simple construction (without art like so many modern multifamily houses in Latin America) has the right to exist if it is serving life, that is, providing a home to human beings. 

An existing  structure is always historic, beautiful or not, in the sense that it has a history. When dealing with a historic house, I prefer to rehabilitate as opposed to remodel or renovate. Rehabilitation is similar to renovation, but it is often used in a slightly different context. Rehabilitation is the process which seeks to preserve the historical portions or features of a building (the ones worth keeping for their beauty and quality) while making it compatible with a new use. (See the story of SkyFin).

Giving a property a new use when it is no longer occupied or does not serve the needs of users, helps move the architectural DNA of a city into the future and rewire the city’s brain towards health. No one wants to see abandoned, boarded up structures while walking or driving down the street. In a way, those decrepit buildings represent a death of the community.  

The present is a response to today’s needs

There is always a reason why a structure becomes inhabitable. Residential architecture must first and foremost be pro-life—meaning it serves the needs of people in the current culture. A home is, above all else, a place that provides comfort, warmth, and belonging. Its form and furnishings are dictated by the needs of today for its users—the people and their pets who will inhabit the home.

The present is pretty much determined by the market and some would say the Zeitgeist. I think as an architect it is worth tapping into the Spirit of the Ages to understand the dominant cultural, intellectual, and moral climate of a specific era. There is value in being aware of the collective mindset, beliefs, and trends that guide the current decisions made in architecture and the building of our cities. Seeing the social attitudes, artistic movements, or political moods, helps me as an architect or human being, decide if I agree with the current trends. In my view, we can only get to the deep truth by using the filter of the Eternal Geist, that is the Spirit of the Eternal which never changes, and promotes the dignity of each human life—a hope and a future for all. The present is to embrace human life, but the future is human as well.

Only in the present can we change the existing, and redesign the status quo. Our contribution is here. Our free will as designers can be expressed—asking where do we want to go with design from the present?

A vision of the future

The elevation of architecture is FUTURISTIC design and attaining BEAUTY.

As an architect, my aim is to use the past to develop the present and bring architecture into the future.

New architecture begins with a renewed vision. Dictionaries define vision as a mental image or foresight regarding the future. Vision is also a description of beauty. Beauty is defined as a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4). Newness means not conforming to the pattern of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our mind. Not being limited by the Status Quo.  

The natural progression listed above shows that we desire for the future to be beautiful. We want the future to inspire hope. Any worthwhile project starts with a great vision. The vision may be drawn in a sketchbook or on a napkin after finding the answers to these questions: What does the project want to be? How does it want to look? 

The sensitive, patient, and decisive architect taps into different fields to “hear” these answers for the future vision.  

This process is where the name of my company originated: Home Vision DNA. The home honors the past but embraces the life force of the present. The future is brought into a project by the vision of the homeowner and the architect, along with the DNA of the city and community of the new owners.

Here is my question: What do I see? I see a new style in architecture that represents the Human Spirit conquering the sky, flying with wings of freedom towards the future. A style where architecture is lifted to Eternity by faith in God Almighty, to whom nothing is impossible.

Skyfin and its form is how I see the future. I really hope I achieved Architecture as Art in this project.