The Arch Diaries

  Freelance Architects Image 1_Introduction_©Illustrarch A freelance architect is an architect who works independently. They are not working for any firm but for themselves. Freelancing gives the architect a completely different setting of work. Post - lockdown there has been an increase in the number of freelancers. People now prefer working from home in their comfort, it is even convenient and productive for some. Working with freelance architects can prove beneficial as they work with clients one–on–one, allowing more time and attention to a client. There’s no chain of command so a client is directly communicating with the architect. They are not under any pressure from their firms or boss and therefore can cater to all the needs of the client. What is the role of a freelance architect? A freelance architect is also a registered/ certified architect and can do everything that architects are trained to do. Freelance architects are working on their own and are independent of any f...

  Design Education: Universal Design Image 1_Universal Design_©Forrec Design has a responsibility to everyone. 'Universal Design' is a term that was first coined by Dr. Ronald Mace. It refers to the design of products, environments, or services that can be used by everyone, to the greatest extent possible, without special adaption or modification. "Accessibility is solved at design stage." To design for accessibility means to be inclusive of all the needs of your all kinds of users. This includes your target users, users outside of your target demographics, users with disabilities, and even users from different cultures and communities. Understanding these needs is the key to creating better universal designs. Universal design is very important for creating a more convenient and just society. It ensures that buildings and spaces are designed to be used by people of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds. This includes provisions like ramps, elevators, and braille signag...

  The Songdo City Image 1_Introduction_©Songdo IBD Songdo International Business District (Songdo IBD) is a $34 billion smart and sustainable city that is setting a new benchmark for urban development. It is located in South Korea, Asia, and is built on 1500 acres of land reclaimed from the Yellow Sea. This master-planned project was started in 2001 and is the product of Gale International, together with its domestic partner, POSCO E&C, and its public sector partner, Incheon Metropolitan City. Various architects, designers, and urban planners worked on this project, but the model of a ‘smart – city’ was proposed by Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF). Songdo is just an hour away from Seoul and is officially part of Icheon City. The city was the result of imagining a future high-tech city where technology coexists with society. Songdo is meant to be where the future of cities takes shape, and residents, businessmen, and visitors contribute to the growing ecosystem. Songdo is supposed to b...

  Interdisciplinary Approach for Students Interdisciplinary collaboration is when professionals from different disciplines get together to work on the same goal. It is an expanded version of teamwork. A simple example is when a writer collaborates with a professional doctor to write a script for a movie where the main lead is a doctor. Collaborative practices aren’t new but have become more important with time. It shows how the real world works, people from different backgrounds and disciplines exist together, and just existing is not enough, it is necessary to co-exist to maintain a well-functioning society. As an architect, it is only obvious to be a master of all trades, whether it’s furniture layout, plumbing, wiring, painting, or even structural forms. Students need to experience this right in school when they are studying architecture. Legendary architects like Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright, Robert Venturi, and many more have been known to design an entire house, from pla...