{"id":6202,"date":"2016-08-16T13:35:24","date_gmt":"2016-08-16T11:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/?p=6202"},"modified":"2016-08-16T13:37:15","modified_gmt":"2016-08-16T11:37:15","slug":"traveler-backpacker-better-architect-city-planner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/2016\/traveler-backpacker-better-architect-city-planner\/","title":{"rendered":"Why being an avid traveler & backpacker makes you a better architect & city planner"},"content":{"rendered":"

A famous architect once said that “Architecture is for those who love the world and have something to say about it”. Well, if you love\u00a0the world you cannot resist exploring it, and the more you explore it the more you can say things about it, hence, be an architect… But the important thing is, that by being a world explorer you get experience from experiences, and gain essential skills that supplement what you learn at school and in the office.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Develop sensitivity\u00a0and attention to details<\/h2>\n

Extensive traveling sharpens your senses, enhances your ability to absorb information and pay attention to details. These skills help architects and planners to better understand the environment and site they work on, and later suggest detailed solutions that correspond to the various\u00a0aspects of the site.<\/p>\n

\"P1050957\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Get a real feel for spaces – outdoors and indoors<\/h2>\n

One of the main skills that architects and planners develop\u00a0is the sense for space. Understanding\u00a0dimensions, proportions and elements composition for a room, a house, a building, a street, a block… is something that takes time to develop. Traveling is a continuous encounter with a variety of new\u00a0places.\u00a0Outdoors and indoors. Travelers, without noticing, gradually develop the\u00a0sense that tells how does a certain space feel – whether it is too big or too wide or in “human scale”, if proportions are reasonable and composition is intriguing. The accumulating space experience is stored somewhere in the\u00a0brain. For architects and city planners this is a fabulous\u00a0way to gain this capability, much more effective than browsing through websites\u00a0or analyzing printed plans and sections.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_0079\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Observe quickly\u00a0– the visitor point of view<\/h2>\n

Familiar environments make people less aware to things around them, as they are gradually getting used to elements and situations. But arriving to a new place, you immediately pay attention to things – unusual to the place or to what you are used to, good or bad. Thus, you quickly spot\u00a0new aspects about places and add important references and ideas to your knowledge.<\/p>\n

\"P1060711\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Learn communication skills<\/h2>\n

Extensive backpacking brings\u00a0you together with people. Engaging with other travelers as well as locals improves your communication skills. You ask questions about people and their way of life, learn about their habits, traditions and wills. This skill is highly important when you aim at providing the best solutions for the people you design and plan for.<\/p>\n

\"guy_locals_nepal_CIMG2068\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Utilize space and services extensively<\/h2>\n

As a traveler and backpacker you make extensive use of various spaces and services, both public and private. Utilizing public infrastructure and services is highly important to gain actual experience of how these systems function – sidewalks, streets, parks and open spaces, and various public transportation means – key factors in modern settlements. In addition, as more and more private ventures affect places and daily routine, experiencing private spaces and services is vital as well – taking a rest in a privately owned public space, visiting various venues, and using services like Uber and Airbnb.<\/p>\n

\"P1130805\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Obtain\u00a0a world wide perspective<\/h2>\n

The architectural discourse is Eurocentric. Ideas are mainly spread and implemented by North American and European architects and planners according to books and\u00a0papers written by North American and European professors. Exploring the world reveals the rich architectural heritage of numerous cultures across America, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, Asia and Oceania. Furthermore, currently the main growth of cities and the largest mega cities are located in these regions. An unmediated understanding of the characteristics of these places and learning from their experience is a must for current architects and planners.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_8056\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Study\u00a0vernacular practices<\/h2>\n

Extensive traveling takes you to remote places and communities, often maintaining unique traditional way of life. This includes local, vernacular architecture. Although mainly functional in its nature, vernacular architecture is often highly sophisticated\u00a0in terms of aesthetics, use of materials and engineering solutions, thus a\u00a0startling inspiration source. In addition, knowing that these structures were built by ordinary people who have no academic\u00a0architecture background, makes you\u00a0humble and respectful for people, places and the environment.<\/p>\n

\"P9050119\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exploring the world earns you important skills and tools to become a better architect and city planner; From developing sensitivity and feel for spaces, through learning communication skills to getting inspiration from vernacular architecture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6291,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[16,42,56],"class_list":["post-6202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global","tag-architecture","tag-people","tag-urban"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6202"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6290,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6202\/revisions\/6290"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guyshachar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}