An Analysis of Rob Imrie’s “Architects’ Conceptions of the Human Body”

An Analysis of Rob Imrie’s “Architects’ conceptions of the human body”

The preconceived notions of what architecture is in being taught and learned in a comparably one dimensional realm when there are really two and three dimensions of architectural design that embodies and exemplifies the complex elements that make up the human being. Architecture today limit’s the actual possibilities when “basic fundamentals” are taught in a way that already constrains the design process. In reference to the very complex physical and mental attributes of the human being, it’s seeing, using and incorporating only the very basic physical characteristics and understanding of how interaction and the process of building affects a design. It doesn’t incorporate the other many vast areas of the human processes physically and mentally. With these sets of standards, it is hard to look into where or even how those standards came to be.

Example, the standard sizes of doors; designers may take advantage of these standards and not look past the elements that make up the actual relationship between the design and human size. These methods of teaching almost set one up for failure to recognize the basic elements of what understanding design really is on a higher level beyond standard measurements. This is only one aspect of how design is being stifled; other areas of human understanding would also fall into sexuality, ethnicity, disability, bodily diversity and difference. These are also enormous elements that could and would be of great educational value in stimulating and educating about the overall process of what great design formulates to and for. Without it, designs are fabricated with a predefined notion of what the space will be used for and a general use of the general public of that specific area. It is not for anyone individually as a person, but rather a general predefined group of people. The architectural courses that embody many of the set architectural standards do not...