Talking to Architect(s)

To talk about a matter beyond your capacity is pretty overwhelming. But anyway, here we are with Sou Fujimoto in his recent visit to Jakarta for House Vision Indonesia.

To talk about architecture, especially, is challenging. I was always like... What are you talking about? when I talked to architects due to their overwhelmingly broad vision of things. While as product designers, we are trained to go down to the very last detail yet sometimes we forget about context.

Hey, no offense. I always found a certain enjoyment when talking to architects, for your comprehensive view, for your passion in what you do. At times, I found some are making no sense, but sometimes people like Sou Fujimoto came around. He made a lot of sense.

Talking about exterior/interior, perhaps he was one perfect guy to talk to. Bluntly he said that exterior is just exterior, while interior is hard to define. Interior would have to be a gradient from the inside which will gradually bring you to the outside.

So then, does it mean architecture should focus on the outside? Why would there be architecture then.

When creating his House N, he must have been thinking about the outside in so many different layers. The house consisted of three nested boxes with openings based on a grid. The outer layer has no coverage whatsoever in its openings, while the two inner ones had coverage. That made the layer between the middle and outer skin became doubtfully an outside area yet not an inside. It seemed like you're inside but you're outside, but it's incorrect to say you're outside because you're inside. Anyway, I started to sound like an architect. The point is that the lines became blurry and therefore making the transition between exterior and interior to be seamless.

Personally speaking, I think architecture is sick. It's the type of sickness that makes you want to know more and question things endlessly. Good bad.

Do check out House Vision Indonesia's blog for more stories about architecture.