Sunday, January 17, 2010

Studio Culture

Studio is an everlasting process of learning. I do learn a lot from my professors, but I would say overall I learn the most from my piers. We are constantly feeding ideas off of each other and helping each other work through design stumps. Studio is like a large body of knowledge, with multiple resource to help provide for everyones interest and needs. I appreciate that everyone genuinely wants to help each other. It is a practice of selflessness, if you are open to helping others, then they are more likely to help you. It is a valuable lesson of life to be able to work in harmony when others, especially when we are in competition. I would definently say we are in healthy competition with each other because we all want each other to do the best we can. We are all going through the same process that involves challenges, overcoming weaknesses, patience, overwhelming stress, and seeking success. I think we work together to deal with all that studio involves. I consider my piers my support group. I have developed many close friendships that I value. I could not be successful or be the person I am today without them.

I can remember one time getting very bogged down with my project. I felt that it was going nowhere. I was out of ideas. Some of my friends in my studio were walking around and looking at everyones process and stopped to talk to me. I had showed them where I was at and what direction I was looking into going and we sat down for 2 hours drawing out ideas on trace. They could have easily just encouraged me verbally, but they decided to stop and help me move forward with my project. I really appreciated there care and concern for my project to progress in a positive direction. I now find myself making sure I am available and concious of making sure my studio friends are doing well in their design process. Helping a person teaches you something regardless if it is directly related to your individual project. I enjoy persuing the learning of architecture from all direction so I maintain a well rounded umberella of architectural knowledge.

3 comments:

  1. I have had similar experiences. When I had hard crashes along studio and out of studio, some of classmates gave me a card and stuffed animal. Other classmates kept eyes on me and kept saying how's going?, what have you done? and etc. It was heartwarming and helpful, so I am still here. You are absolutely right and I believe that what students have had in studio can make who we will be in the future as a designer. "Studio is an everlasting process of learning." We learn, encourage, compete each other in good ways in the studio and grow up to be better one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think it important to keep a selfless attitude in studio. It is hard to be successful independent of your classmates. It should not be an obligation, but a priveledge to work together. I make sure that I get away from my desk every now and then, take a break from working on my computer or sketching (escape from my own little world) and walk around studio to check on everyone elses progress. We are all in a 'healthy' competitive environment, and I want all of my classmates to have great projects they can be proud of. It is important to check yourself and make sure you are on the page as everyone else and to make sure everyone is developing their project in a positive direction. You are only hurting yourself if you do not allow yourself to expand your horizons among your own project. We are constantly learning techniques, sharing ideas, questioning those ideas, and discovering comparitive relationships with each other. Collaboration is 'key' in the studio culture. In the professional practice, we need to be able to have a clarity to our ideas and be able to describtively share them. It is challenging sometimes to get your idea across where others can understand it, but it is great practice for teamwork. I hope that I can preserve these same qualities that I value in studio culture in the professional world. Architecture should always be a fun, energized learning profession....never a 'static' job that payes the bills.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's amazing how much it helps having friends and not just classmates in your studio. It can get really overwhelming sometimes when you are simply out of ideas and like you said, sometimes all you get are a few words of encouragement. Sure it helps, but you is so much better when someone genuinely takes interest in what you are doing and gives some substantial feedback. I think that this level of camaraderie is very important and should be promoted among students.

    ReplyDelete