According to editor Yeon Kyeong Choo, this richly illustrated book is intended as an opportunity for both current and prospective architects to ponder and explore everything from fundamental to trivial questions about architecture. What is architecture? What does an architect do? Nineteen ordinary architects and offices from around the world are asked to define who and what an architect is, offering pieces of wisdom, examples of their work, sound advice and personal anecdotes with which readers can build a bigger picture of the discipline. Among the contributing practices are NL Architects, Luca Galofaro, Moussafir Architectes, studio GAON, Miha Volgemut architect, b4 architects, casanova+hernandez architects, H&P Architects, OPARCH and Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates.

Architecture seems to be a foreign and distant displine the more one ponders upon it, to students who are about to begin their studies, those who have already begun, and even for those who are practising. Actually, it must seem daunting. Because as time goes on, the great impact and significance of architecture only gets deeper not only to those who are willing to immerse their lives in it, but also for those who currently are living with it and for those must live with the meaning of it all.

This book is for those prospective architects as well as for current architects, to serve as an opportunity to ponder and explore both their fundamental and trivial questions about architecture. During their interview, OPARCH advised, “for the designers who are just starting out, don’t fall into the illusion of thinking there is always a design solution in every situation. To be exact, design actually creates problems from the beginning.” CHA said, “Like an artist who paints a never finishing self-portrait, every day you must define a little bit more who you are in order to be capable of creating authentic architecture.”

--- Editor, Yeon Kyeong Choo

According to editor Yeon Kyeong Choo, this richly illustrated book is intended as an opportunity for both current and prospective architects to ponder and explore everything from fundamental to trivial questions about architecture. What is architecture? What does an architect do? Nineteen ordinary architects and offices from around the world are asked to define who and what an architect is, offering pieces of wisdom, examples of their work, sound advice and personal anecdotes with which readers can build a bigger picture of the discipline. Among the contributing practices are NL Architects, Luca Galofaro, Moussafir Architectes, studio GAON, Miha Volgemut architect, b4 architects, casanova+hernandez architects, H&P Architects, OPARCH and Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates.


“I would like to study architecture, but I don’t know anything about it. I feel lost.”
“I came to architecture simply because I wanted to study it. But what do I do with an architectural degree exactly?”
“So, what is architecture? What does an architect do?”

Architecture seems to be a foreign and distant displine the more one ponders upon it, to students who are about to begin their studies, those who have already begun, and even for those who are practising. Actually, it must seem daunting. Because as time goes on, the great impact and significance of architecture only gets deeper not only to those who are willing to immerse their lives in it, but also for those who currently are living with it and for those must live with the meaning of it all.

This book is for those prospective architects as well as for current architects, to serve as an opportunity to ponder and explore both their fundamental and trivial questions about architecture. During their interview, OPARCH advised, “for the designers who are just starting out, don’t fall into the illusion of thinking there is always a design solution in every situation. To be exact, design actually creates problems from the beginning.” CHA said, “Like an artist who paints a never finishing self-portrait, every day you must define a little bit more who you are in order to be capable of creating authentic architecture.”

I would like to borrow the words of the 19 current, ordinary architects to define who and what an architect is. Of course, these architects may only be a piece of the whole in painting the big picture of architecture. However, it is still meaningful to revisit where we stand in this piece of the puzzle and create more pieces ourselves.

--- Editor, Yeon Kyeong Choo