98 EAAE no 35 Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design: Advances in Technology and Changes in Pedagogy
real change that we have to look for, because behind this conception of the individual
I think that we will probably find the answer to the question, what has changed? For
I think that what has really changed is our conception of ourselves, the conception of
human beings at this time in this world, which has also created concepts about space,
about architecture, projects, design, etc., etc.
Sean Hanna, London, United Kingdom
I think that is a possible answer to the debate we have just been having.
Antonino Saggio, Rome, Italy
Since I have the microphone, I just want to mention two things. At some point Kas asked
a very interesting question: we have this new tool, what do we do with it? This is a very
fundamental question and the way he put it is equally significant. And I think we should
recall Urs’s approach to it, that if we have a tool that is not good enough for what we
need to do then we need either to improve it or find another one. And with regard to
the creative use of technology, there was one presentation – I do not remember which
one – that showed Caravaggio (you probably do not know that I am paranoid about
Caravaggio...), which was extraordinarily pertinent in its relevance to tools, with the
mirror, the camera obscura and all that, because the whole issue is what do I do with the
tools I have, and what Caravaggio did was to make a complete revolution in painting.
The question, what do I do with it, is not just a stupid question: it is the basic engine
and impulsion to a total revolution.
Another thing I really loved and it goes with what Neil Leach was saying earlier, was
the phrase “I wanted to make an architectural depository, but I failed”. This I think
is fantastic too, because it really shows that you have to experiment, you have to try
again and again; and it goes with Neil Leach’s idea that you are not only delivering a
product with absolute success, you are displaying an attitude oriented towards creat-
ing hypotheses to make projects. We have all this knowledge today that enables us to
realise things that work. We are so powerful today, we have all these incredible tools.
Think about all the calculations needed to make a building stand up today, or functional
calculations or whatever, and how much easier it is than it was ten years ago. So I think it
is important that these tools are helping us to solve problems if that is what we want to
do; but in terms of pedagogy I think that it is very interesting to start addressing exactly
the thing that you are saying. In my view both “what do I do with it” and “I wanted to
make an architectural depository but I failed” are two great and true statements. Thank
you, and sorry for interrupting.
Sean Hanna, London, United Kingdom
I would like to thank all our speakers now, and all of you for a very good discussion.
Sean Hanna, London, United Kingdom
It is my pleasure to introduce our second keynote speaker, Bob Sheil, who is a colleague
of mine from the Bartlett. It is a pleasure to have him here today to speak. I will not go
into too much of an introduction but I will just recall Rivka Oxman’s question at the end
of the last discussion, mentioning the difference between design and architecture. We
have spoken quite a bit about design, about the act of drawing and the act of setting