Arts & Culture

Night School: Architecture & Time – Recap

What role does time play in our interpretation, perception, and memory of architecture? What about the inverse: how are our memories altered – or mediated – by architectural space? Jeff Sandler recaps the discussion that thrived at another successful B&V Night School, this time exploring the complex and symbiotic relationship between architecture and time.

Thank you, everyone who made it out for Night School last week! We ate. We drank. We discussed. And fun was had by all. As always, thank you to Ada’s Technical Books & Café for hosting us in the Programming Room, and providing us with your delicious, catered food.

The evening started with a fast-paced, speed dating type activity where we all buzzed around the room sharing vivid memories of spaces from our childhoods. There were a lot of mentions of hiding under the bed, crawling up in a tree, or a hidden spot in the back of the closet. It was evident that there was a theme of intimate spaces, proportionately scaled. Others shared memories of spaces that brought about a strong emotional response, such as a scary house, or a cozy family cabin. In probing these early memories, we started to understand our relationships to architecture, unbiased by the life experiences of adolescence, or adulthood — sort of a pure relationship to space that we could reconnect with now. This activity also primed the conversation about architecture and time. Memory is an important factor in architectural work, though frequently overlooked. Memory broadens our experience of architecture to a larger understanding of previous experiences, deepening our connection to the spaces in which we live.

We came to understand that spaces and materials, as well as our relationships to them, change over time. In a way, architecture and time can be seen at odds. A common understanding of architectural work is the polished marketing rendering before a project is even built, or the perfect photo at the ribbon cutting ceremony. There is a mentality to resist change, weathering, and adaptation, but we found that embracing the inevitability of time makes for a richer outcome. Materials age, situations change, fads wane, and new relationships form. Designing with this in mind, we can create more functional, sustainable, and comfortable spaces.

From here, we touched on the topic of designed lifespans. In understanding that everything we create has a useful life, and is to some degree impermanent, we start to consider what happens at the end of a building’s existence. To have less impact on the environment, we can design for buildings to have a second life after their planned use, whether that be accommodating new activities in the same space with minimal modifications, or designing for simple disassembly and reuse of components and building materials. Either way, this consideration of what happens when we are done with our buildings helps reduce energy consumption and allows buildings to last in one form or another for longer than their intended use.

A lively side conversation about trends also developed. Needless to say, there were strong opinions in the group of what was ‘dated’ and what withstood the test of time. We asked, “Can design ever truly be timeless?” Any style or sensibility is inevitably the product of its time, the political climate, the latest technological innovations, etc. One participant applauded truly ugly architecture that made an attempt to be bold only to become instantly dated. Of course, there are periods of style that we love to let endure, decades after their initial abandonment. Seattle is a perfect example of a community enamored with the 1920s Craftsman bungalow. Also, any quick search online at design blogs and furniture outlets will prove that mid-century modern design is very, very in. We have to realize, though, that '50s design was not so fashionable ten years ago, and may not be "in" ten years from now. Time will tell.

Before the night came to a close, we discussed design that transcends time. The general consensus was that architecture that addressed the shorter time scales, such as the sun’s daily travel across the sky, or the seasonal shift throughout the year, maintained its effectiveness well, regardless of style. Through this conclusion, we arrived at the fact that designers can strive to design better and communicate more effectively with our clients the importance of addressing both space and time in our work to achieve the best results that will work well into the future.

Stay tuned for the next Night School with Board & Vellum, and thank you again for everyone who made it out last week. As always, our events are left intentionally somewhat ambiguous so that Night School can evolve and adapt to the group and topic. We look forward to seeing you soon.