Can't unravel 'til you feel the gravel..
Architecture speaks; would anyone ever disagree? But as it holds true for any form of ‘conversation’, a dialogue can only be fully complete when the listener is closely listening. And to fully listen, it is indispensable that every one of your senses, including that of your cognitive ability is called in for action.
As an observer standing beneath or amongst a built-form, there are simply too many elements or emotions that are constantly trying to communicate with you, be it the ever-changing play of light that guides your feet as much as your eyes, the easing or awing influence of the relative-scale of a structure, the use of colors that make you engage or disengage, or perhaps sometimes it goes beyond the physical, of that longing of the artisan who breathes from beneath the stucco work, still waiting to be heard and acknowledged by none other than you.
It is no doubt a fact that today ‘seeing a place’ has become way easier than ‘being in that place’. One might argue surely this isn’t a bad thing? But for those who also look at the other side, that ‘being’ at any place you want to be has equally become more affordable today, it immediately opens up a whole new realm of discovery and learning that no form of media nor book can offer; particularly so for a student or yearner for building-science. It is probably fair to go as far as to say that your intellect can only gather as much tangible information as you choose to move about in this vast world of markedly distinct contexts! Interestingly however, the art of building is as old as the human race and this serves as a significant reminder when you are on the country roads, for you realize that deep down within every villager you come across lies an innate architect. Although on the one hand you clearly notice the differences in construction styles between different geographical regions, on the other lies the strikingly common and human-need for a shelter, anywhere across the globe. As students of architecture and eventually practitioners, this realization that there exists an infinite array of wisdom that we must tap into even before hitting the books on the relatively recent phenomenon of institutionalized architecture can contribute immensely to one’s outlook while traveling. For instance, this very cognizance can completely alter the transition speed of your chosen journeys, spicing up your mood for inquiry. All of a sudden, every little hut or even a simple open-well catches your eye, becoming an object of study and inspection. You begin to get away from the sealed enclosure of your car, you get comfortable talking to strangers as you are more curious now to know the why(s) and the how(s) and in turn learn to value the simple yet efficient use of materials. Exposing oneself to the local context in this manner can go a far distance in appreciating the subtleties in architectural marvels that you subsequently visit.
One of the most fascinating qualities that this domain of design rewards us with is the necessity and hence the ability to correlate ecology, geography, history and sociology through this all-encompassing lens that is architecture. Add to this the ever-mutating layer of technology and you are brought up against a full-course meal of contrasting flavors, and yet remarkably these co-exist in a harmonious equilibrium. Tasting each of them, one after the other, slowly and steadily, leaves you with a high degree of insight and upliftment. The critic within you becomes more sensitive to situational constraints and limitations while new perspectives to one’s own design philosophies also start to surface. Most often, architectural education leaves us with an illusive image of what designers must stand for. However, traveling helps in reinforcing the truth that design is purely a site-specific response to the people involved and the contextual demands. The more places or countries that you pay a visit to, the more you unlearn and relearn the design details that hold good only in unison with its context, which is critical for one’s growth as a professional in this industry.
Traveling and only traveling can let you feel what the digital screen forbids you from experiencing, which is the building in the act of conversation, with the people and its surroundings. So, pick up your sketchbooks and ramp up your time outdoors with your feet on the gravel, for there maybe something right around the corner that was always waiting to spark up that conversation with you; all you need to do is spare that little time and become the listener!
Barriers and Borders
Hi ! We’re Forum and Shiva, two intrepid souls united by our shared love for TRAVEL and SUSTAINABILITY. We met as architectural colleagues and we both spent some years exploring sustainable and socially responsible architecture. Our mutual fascination for vernacular architecture, traditional communities, and the curiosity to witness the natural world.. all led us to build this little nest: Barriers and Borders.
Our mission is simple – to bring you meaningful stories from the small or the big journeys that we make which could allow you to see the world differently. To let you join our journeys through our words.. to touch upon those little details that maybe get missed.. and above all to attempt to give back to the places we are privileged to visit in this lifetime.
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