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lekizz
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Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 1130
Location: UK
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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:21 am Post subject: |
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Fortunately we live in a world where intelligent, educated professionals can choose to believe what they want and, within reason, act on their beliefs. If you want to treat parliamentary democracies and military dicatorships equally, Archimotion, then that is your decision, but personally I don't share it. Architects and lawyers choose who they wish/wish not to be their clients.
Personally I don't think China is the worst culprit for human rights violations in the world. And within China there will be projects that are progressive and projects that are less so. The designers of the 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium, Herzog & DeMeuron have famously said they believe their stadium is a force for good. They say it is not a monolithic celebration of the worst form of Communism but instead expresses an open, non-heirarchical humanity.
It goes to show that architects still believe their work can be a force for change. To believe that, they need to have a world view and an idea of the direction they wish to see their world progress. |
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birgco
Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 302
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:46 am Post subject: |
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lekizz,
well said. |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Now, architects, just as lawyers, should be expected to act in an impartial manner, not either favoring or opposing their clients, but rather, the utmost priority is to act with professionalism and to attend all clients with the same distribution of impartiality, fairness, and equal application of justice |
| Quote: | | It goes to show that architects still believe their work can be a force for change. To believe that, they need to have a world view and an idea of the direction they wish to see their world progress. |
| Quote: | | does it "transcend politics" ? frequently politics makes sure that it does not - and we all know it |
Well said, all of you. Interesting subject when I really think about it more carefully. It grasps at the very substance of humanity...at large. Which is where I would argue lies the root of ethics of architecture; we are servants towards humanity, not just humans. In fact, nowadays we are proponents of far greater than just that; ie sustainability. Politics changes with the wind of values...hardship decries revolutions or coup d'etats at least. Authoritarianism will work hard to rule by force but the will of people still searches for the simplest of things out of life...to borrow an excerpt from some famous paper..."life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as one example.
Hence, Architecture lends itself to lead in this struggle for improvement...the moment it doesn't is when we're all in trouble. Yes, like all Utilitarian models, it only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. Many will do anything to put food on their table and will compromise their ethics and could care less about humanity and would rather take care to pay their monthly mortgage and Porsche payments. And that rather explains it for me: we cannot evaluate the state of Architecture based on exemptions and bad examples but rather it should be based upon the goals and higher places of attainment that ought to be (bad english, methinks)...
...we ought to strive for "better". Always, better...regardless of all things, especially politics. It is then up to the individual to gage their moral compass on those bearings.
mx2.5
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*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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nanrehvasconez
Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: 254
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| Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| after reading all of the above, my conclussion is: AS LONG AS THE PIUS AND NON PIUS WORSHIP THE GOD "MONEY", THERE ARE NO FRONTIERS TO CHINA, TO IRAN, TO ZIMBAWE, TO HELL, BECAUSE ETHICS AND STANDARDS WILL DIE FOR MONEY.. |
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mx2
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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then you have no faith in humanity...and that's when one begins to worship money...
mx2.5
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*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 887
Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| mx2 wrote: |
I would argue lies the root of ethics of architecture
mx2.5 |
Do tell.
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mx2
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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Uhhhh...I already did. 
Architecture is not obligated to politics...its code of ethics is mired in humanity which appears to have been missed by the discussion prior to my response, in its context...
I know you're doing another drive-by...been there, done that. If you have a point, or want to contribute, please feel free to do so...
mx2.5
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*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
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Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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no point. just questions
What is it obligated to?
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mx2
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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Wrong question.
mx2.5
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*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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Architorture
millennium club
Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 1376
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| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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| mx2 wrote: | Some things transcend politics...shelter being one of them.
mx2.5 |
are we really talking about 'shelter' in the strict sense here? i mean my firm does alot of work in dubai that people live in...but i would never call it 'shelter'
i think the same applies to the kind of 'architecture' that is in question here... obviously there are people doing work in 'bad places' that truly is helping people- but not too many people mistaken that work as being the expression of any political or government attitudes...
the people doing pro bono work to get shelter built in troubled parts of the world truly are the ethical architects... i don't think its fair to their mission to allow what many of the rest of us are doing 'for humanity' to be lumped in with their work... from a purely humanity point of view |
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Richard Haut
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Joined: 18 Apr 2004
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Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:27 am Post subject: |
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my experience of architects working on "humanitarian" schemes is considerable - and only in extreme cases could it be considered "pro bono".
nearly all our cities have "bad places" - even here in Nice there are problem areas.
the planning of improvements of such areas is both slow and complex. That is where the real skills of the urban designer and architect are needed.
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
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Location: Montana, USA
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | are we really talking about 'shelter' in the strict sense here? |
I think you've taken it out of context....I was using shelter in the strict sense as one example of the types of projects that Architects may be woroking on in any given country that transcends the politics-du-jour. How many of us think "Republican" or "Democrat" when working on a project. The ethics of Architecture as a profession has a higher standard than the politics of men...which is often the equivalent of school children arguing at the playground about the rules of some made up game they're getting ready to play...
The generalized issue here is ethics. Do politics define ethics? Do ethics influence politics?
mx2.5
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*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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Architorture
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Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 1376
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| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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i think the question of politics violating ethics is really the core here...
is ethics so high a concept that it can ignore politics? |
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Richard Haut
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Joined: 18 Apr 2004
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Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:46 am Post subject: |
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facing unethical situations and choices is more likely under an "unethical" political system, but what is or is not ethical/acceptable remains the same.
an unethical project under what appears to be an ethical political system is still not acceptable. However an ethical project under an unethical political system requires a different form of choice which relates to working with a system which is itself seen as being in the wrong.
the professional ethics question relates to the former situation - the latter is a matter of how one sees and approves or disapproves of political systems in other places.
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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