Architecture vs Building - What Is The Difference 

Hey Andrew, thanks for the videos. I was wondering about your commentary at the beginning regarding your self-proclaimed communist views on COVID lockdowns. I would ask: do you think that a communist ideology is the only way that people can cooperate with others and act for the sake of others? I personally think that putting others ahead of yourself does not equal communism. That’s common sense, human decency, valuing others. I know that this is not an architecture specific question, but you do mention it in other videos too. I’m sure that you would agree that the perspective that we have on human life will effect how we build and do architecture, so in that sense they are ultimately connected. Maybe you could expand on how you (both) arrived at your own philosophy and how that contributes to or motivates the architecture that you produce. Thanks

In one of the lectures during my first year of uni, we were asked to define architecture, the lecturer also showed us a picture of a coles warehouse and ask us if that's architecture. It was a tough question to answer because I always assumed that architecture equals to building and building equals to architecture, never thought much about the architectural qualities (experiences, memory, senses etc) of it. Even now when I am in my final year of master, i still don't think that i will be able to answer that question with confident .. The food analogy is a clever take on explaining the difference between architecture and building and I like how you also include a ratatouille clip to give more context to your food analogy! I will most certainly reference back to the food analogy in future discussion !

I've found it's easier to nail a jelly to a tree than define Architecture. After watching you entertaining piece, I happened read Becky Quintal’s article in Arch Dailey “121 Definitions of Architecture” featuring quotes from a selection of the great and the good defining their interpretation, I particularly liked a quote from Amale Andraos - "Architecture is a strange field where we’re constantly asked to demonstrate over and over why design matters, to everyone, all the time. It’s exhausting." - after 50 years in the profession I can identify with that sentiment.

Never asked myself such questions. Really intriguing. As a recent graduate i find myself lost and somehow these videos are giving me purpose. Thank you.

We could say that Architecture is a Building that articulates well a proposition, in turn dwellers of that building gain a profound experience. To quote Marlon Blackwell "Architecture is not about an idea, or an experience of an Idea but about the experience itself"

Once again I'm late to another fascinating conversation 😢 After 25 years I've decided to brush up my education and am back studying arch tech. I've realised we have an enormous fundamental problem facing our part in the industry. The education simply cannot keep up with the speed and erratic nature of the changes. By the time you get out, nothing is the same as when you went in. Everything from legislation to products and tech are just changing far too rapidly for such a slow way of learning.

What an interesting video thanks 🙏🏽

Thanks for this video! I can tell Andrew is pissed about having to re-record which is hilarious. I'm also with him on the cooking thing, but will certainly adopt that analogy for future discussions (crediting you of course)

Great discussion, as always!

I think the word building and architecture are interchangeable as there are plenty of bad architectures or great buildings all around us , so it doesn't really matter which term you use. But ironically though , in most developed/developing countries only architects can legally produce Architecture / Architectural services ( hi ARBV !). The general public or building designers can only design buildings, this protectionism is another topic all together ( next episode perhaps ?) Interesting point that got me thinking from this episode is that whether the act of thinking/expressing idea about architecture through media is considered "Architecture" ? . As Andrew mentioned , for example, that Zaha/Eisenman' drawings or scene from video game are architecture. What if Lebeus Wood had used other medium other than drawing, for example, film ... would it be considered an architectural film ( Art) or "Architecture" ? ; is Eisenman's book about architectural theory "Architecture" ? I guess not. An architectural thinking/ideas which being made through different media is surely a subset of architecture but in and of itself doesn't necessarily become architecture .

please talk more about paper architecture

Thanks for the video !! You should talk about registration; when is the right time to get registered.

Being called a communist and mentioning architects who were drawing paper architecture, I was hoping to hear the names of Soviet paper architects like Ivan Leonidov. 😉 I think this guy travelled in time to the XXI century and just sketched the actual buildings. Incredible how in the 1920s, he imagined all these skyscrapers and flying buildings. And how he questioned the spacial and cultural traditions when thinking about a new political regime and philosophy.

Great video! Please, improve the audio, I think it just pierced an eardrum.

Hi Kevin We have been looking into duo units houses this semester in uni, I was wondering if there's any that type of housing designs you guys have done? That has been a brand new type of housing I came to know recently.

@17:33 because I'm drawing a building in BIM and this is entertaining.

Success in life has proven to be freedom. If an "Architect" doesn't want to deal with what I want to build, they can always move along and hand someone else their bill. So it is with all things in life.

The question that I get more often which is typically in relation to residential projects is, what’s the difference between an architect and draftspeople / building designers...

Sometimes 20/20 vision... Lesson in Architecture Part 2 In the end does one become a Architect to express a humanity or is it, a humanity seeking expression in Architecture ? It is time, in the end, we must all face the facts. Do we participate in a promise of debit or a promise of a shared humanity? A..calls on us to hope. B..calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism here - the almost willful ignorance that thinks underpaid employment will go away if we just don't talk about it, or the pandemic crisis will solve itself if we just ignore the Annual leave deductions. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the lunchtime hope of the office gathering around a microwave singing Christmas carols; the hope of Hungarian and Italian immigrants from Europe setting out for distant shores; the hope of young new RIBAs bravely patrolling the Airport constuction site; the hope of the young modelmaker who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny architecture grad from Budapest, with a Hungarian name who believes that Hong Kong has a place for her, too. Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The hope ...... ....a personal creative nonfiction ....20/20 Vision

Episode suggestion: early vs late zaha hadid works

The answer to the question does depend on the local context isn't it? The local perception of an architect differs according to generations. For instance, in my hometown, the older generation's perception of an architect is someone who is hired primarily to sign off the drawings for local authority submissions. To them, design input from an architect is not important as long as all the components are there to make the building work and fit their personal (non)aesthetics and budget. Sometimes, the design and drawings are provided by the client themselves.Thus, many architects end up producing buildings rather than architecture. On the other hand, younger generation of adults have a different perception of an architect. To them, an architect is more like a turn-key builder who they hire to carry out both design and construction works, without the need to hire two separate parties - the designer, and the contractor. This is quite interesting as this perception has seen the increase of small scaled architectural projects e.g. renovations, interior designs for both residential and commercial projects. However, in the overall context, the two different perceptions of an architect has caused a polarising divide in the local architectural industry - bigger companies who continue to churn out cookie cutter buildings and developments which the general public perceive as architecture versus the smaller practices who strive to produce quality architecture but are left fighting among themselves as well as against turn-key contractors, interior designers or decorators, and building material suppliers for a very small piece of the "niche" market. So depending on whom you work for, whether with a big architectural practice or a small studio, explaining architecture to people can be quite simple or an arduous task.

To paraphrase Truman Capote's comment when asked his opinion of the work of Jack Kerouac, who famously never looked back when committing words to paper - That's not architecture, that's building.

Who was the person you were talking about on 15:20?

Thank you guys for all that you are doing!. I just want to ask you if you suggest a side study for architectural engineering and architecture students to enhance their way of approaching or thinking about the architectural aims and meanings. Like any short courses or other fields that universities don't provide when studying architecture?

Hello Kevin I like how you said early Zaha Hadid

I’ve just watched some of your videos and your take on Aussie culture - a cluelessness of architecture, a glorification of the military, and a hatred of medical science. Are you sure you’re not actually here in the U.S.?

I could probably say, at least in my opinion, that "modern Australian suburbia style single-family housing" isn't architecture, but tacky attempts at trying to pull off a modernist style of housing without any regard for the neighbourhood or the human occupants within and without the "dwelling", aimed at maximising resale value in an overheated Australian real estate market. I really hate seeing those horrible boxy rowhouses, they look like items you buy at Kmart that read "live laugh love". Whenever you sneeze inside one of these modern houses the paint strips off the drywall. Not that you really notice, as most people just seem to slop on an undercoat over the drywall. Whatever that is, it isn't architecture. Just my opinion.

Architectural merit is not in every building

Architecture is the design and style of a building? At least that would be my simple summary. meanwhile the design and style of that 80s/ 90s hair 🤣

its simple; builders studied at school; Architect's stuffed around :)