Architecture and Discipline

It happens quite often, we’re at a cocktail party, a gathering, someone asks us what we do, we say we’re architects… and the response usually applauds the creative process. “It must be nice to do something so creative for a living” or “you must be a very creative person” or “I always wanted to do something creative like architecture”. Which is great, we’re honored to be thought of as creative and enamored that people are paying attention to the architecture around them.

The irony, however, is that good architecture is less about creativity and more about discipline. Granted, schematic design requires a great amount of creativity and the design and construction process necessitates creative problem solving. But in our opinion it is discipline in architecture that generates masterful, functional, inspiring architecture. Knowing what not to do. Just because there is a good view doesn’t mean that you fill the room with windows everywhere.

It is this restraint in design that is so important to a finished work. The projects that exercise discipline seem to forego fashion and grasp at a clarity of form and a timeless architecture. Such work creates a set of guiding principles and maintains an architectural thesis just as adamantly as it keeps the heat in and the rain out.

In doing our research on this theme we became quickly disenchanted with gathering the usual suspects – Mies, Breuer, Corbu, Kahn, Ando, etc. All masters of this architectural obedience but most of you are already very familiar with their work. They are extremely well documented and your bookshelves are most likely lined with their monographs. So we thought it might be a better use of our caffeine fueled research, and more enjoyable for us, to cover some of the lesser known architects – also well versed in an architecture of discipline.

Casa Pellico in Puebla, Mexico by Gerardo Balcazar, 2003

[Photos from the book Arquine + RM, Arquitectura Mexicana 2001-2004]

H Loft in Manhattan by Kar-Hwa Ho, 2002

[Photos by Bjorg Photography from the book New York Minimalism by Aurora Cuito]

Innfeld House in Schwarzenberger, Austria by Dietrich + Untertrifaller Architekten, 1999

[Photos from the book Country Modern by Aurora Cuito]

Pawson Residence in London by John Pawson, 1999

[Photos by Christoph Kicherer from the book Living and Eating by John Pawson and Annie Bell]

Miramar House in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal by Eduardo Souto de Moura, 1991

[Photos by Luis Ferreira Alves from the book Ten Houses by Oscar Riera Ojeda]

Rosen House (Case Study House #11) in Los Angeles by Craig Ellwood, 1962

Kjaerholm near Copenhagen Denmark by Poul Kjaerholm, 1962

[Photos by Per Nagel & Vibe Udsen from the book Scandinavian Modern Houses by Faber & Udsen]