ruminations about architecture and design

Thursday, February 6, 2014

quality control and its limits

Any architect who has an ounce of experience with real-world projects should have an appreciation for the building trades. Good buildings depend on good craftsmanship more than on good design.The relationship between the artist/designer and the builder can be framed in rough mathematical terms:

A design that has a quality level of 7 that is executed by a craftsman who produces level 9 work can result in a level 8 final product.

A design that has a quality level of 9 that is executed by a craftsman who can produce level 7 work will result in a level 7 final product.

I stand by the claim that good design will not make a person into a better craftsman. An architect who wants level 9 and level 10 work should seek out clients and contractors who can deliver that. Trying to make chicken soup out of chicken shit is a futile and frustrating endeavor.

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