How to Write About Architecture: Part 1

Paul Keskeys[1] How to Write About Architecture: Part 1

It is a debate that has raged for decades among architects and architectural journalists
alike: how can words encapsulate the intricacies of the built environment without
becoming stuck in a quagmire of esoteric sound bites and pretentious clichés? Writing
for Architectural Record, renowned critic Robert Campbell coined the word “ArchiSpeak,”
a compound word that has come to define the obscure and alienating language that
architects are frequently accused of using when describing their work to clients and the
wider public.

Thankfully, Phaidon’s book 10x10_3[2] — an expansive volume on emerging architecture

firms by 10 preeminent writers — goes to show that it is in fact possible to succinctly
write about buildings and their designers while remaining engaging to those outside the
realm of architectural design. Exploring the texts by this distinguished lineup of
journalists, editors, curators, and architects, certain stylistic traits and linguistic devices
can be picked out that serve as a guide to how good architectural writing can emerge.
Here are five pointers for your consideration:

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[3]

Bakkegard School by CEBRA

1. A Personal Perspective
Bart Goldhoorn — founder and publisher of Russia’s leading architecture journal Project
Russia — instantly engages readers by conjuring up intimate imagery and adopting an
unusual first-person perspective. He confronts his own preconceptions when describing
the refreshing approach of the avant-garde designers at CEBRA[4]:

“A decade ago, when reflecting upon Danish architecture, I imagined quiet, pipe-smoking,
corduroy-clad men, a bit dull perhaps, producing responsible and ecologically sound
architecture with a light postmodern touch. At best one could expect neat modernism. The
architects of CEBRA … do not fit this image of Danish architects.”

Goldhoorn paints a detailed picture of an architectural stereotype before smashing it to

smithereens, waxing lyrical about the “wild landscape” and “spectacular, multi-faceted”
spaces of CEBRA’s Bakkegard School[5] extension in Gentofte, Denmark. The writer’s
honesty and personal perspective adds clout to the visceral project description that
follows.

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[6]

Agriculture School by Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen

2. Visceral Imagery
As a highly visual construct, architecture is best framed by words that conjure emotive
images in the mind of the reader. London-based writer and curator Shumon Basar — a
former employee at Zaha Hadid Architects — describes an installation by Office Kersten
Geers David Van Severen[7] using highly evocative language:

“Hundreds and thousands of brightly colored confetti were strewn across the floor, a carpet of
delicately disorganized paper detritus. A few black chairs were scattered about. The rest of the
pavilion seemed empty, almost abandoned, bereft of the usual feverish desire to explain, show
off, divulge, or disclose.”

This poetic observation of After the Party — an artwork examining the fleeting nature of
the Venice Architecture Biennale — alludes to the wider philosophies of this
experimental practice, encouraging us to mentally immerse ourselves within the firm’s
multilayered works.

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[8]

The Mountain by Bjarke Ingels Group

3. Rhetorical Questions
While most architectural journalists will be wary of Betteridge’s law — “Any headline
that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no” — there are some
instances in which questions can be utilized to strengthen an argument. New York-based
architect and critic Joseph Grima’s introduction to his analysis of BIG[9]’s rise to
prominence is a case in point:

“To understand the true measure of the accomplishments of Bjarke Ingels … consider this:
when was the last time reporters from every corner of the world were seen scrambling to cover
the opening of a building by a thirty-three-year-old architect?”

This question need not be answered, of course; it is intended purely to emphasize BIG’s
unparalleled achievements for such a young firm. Grima takes great joy in describing the
concepts behind the firm’s seminal Mountain[10] housing project, recounting BIG’s
ingenious idea to “spread the housing on top of the parking like jam on bread.”

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[11]

Leaf Chapel by Klein Dytham Architecture

4. Metaphors and Similes

4. Metaphors and Similes
When trying an unfamiliar food, we often ask the question: “What does it taste like?”
Seeking clarity via comparison appears to be an instinctive human characteristic, and
this characteristic also applies to architecture, for which metaphor and simile can
provide valuable insight into the subtle qualities of a space. Andrew Mackenzie, the
editor-in-chief of Architectural Review Australia, illustrates this point with his
description of a project by Klein Dytham Architecture[12]:

“A good example is the Leaf Chapel[13] in Kobuchizawa, a wedding chapel conceived as two
leaves. One is glass and stationary, the other perforated white steel that lifts as the groom lifts
his bride’s veil.”

For the vast majority of readers who will never have the chance to stand inside the chapel
themselves, references to leaves and the bridal veil offer a tangible vision of the
building’s unique features.

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[14]

SGAE Headquarters by Antón García-Abril and Ensamble Studio

5. Personification
Beyond describing physical attributes of architecture, more abstract, playful adjectives
and idioms can enliven your writing and elevate it above purely academic prose.
Architect and professor Carlos Jimenez utilizes such linguistic gymnastics to great effect
in his article on the extraordinary SGAE Headquarters[15] by Antón García-Abril and
Ensamble Studio[16]:

“The SGAE is a porch-like building whose elongated screen wall is a marvelous concoction of
tumbling and irregular granite pieces, all held captive in a resilient dance of weight, light and
gravity.”

Words and phrases such as “tumbling,” “held captive,” and “dancing” lend the
architecture dynamic, human-like qualities, encapsulating the drama of a building full of
tension, weight, and theatrical contrasts in scale.

Want to see more architecture critics’ favorite projects? Check out Phaidon’s book
10x10_3[17].

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[18]

Links

1. http://architizer.com/users/p-david/
2. http://www.phaidon.com/architizer10x10?
utm_source=architizer&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=10x10
3. http://architizer.com/blog/how-to-write-about-architecture-part-1/media/1336512/
4. http://architizer.com/firms/cebra-as/
5. http://architizer.com/projects/bakkegaard-school/
6. http://architizer.com/blog/how-to-write-about-architecture-part-1/media/1336541/
7. http://architizer.com/firms/office-kersten-geers-david-van-severen/
8. http://architizer.com/blog/how-to-write-about-architecture-part-1/media/1336542/
9. http://architizer.com/firms/big-bjarke-ingels-group/
10. http://architizer.com/projects/the-mountain/
11. http://architizer.com/blog/how-to-write-about-architecture-part-1/media/1336543/
12. http://architizer.com/firms/klein-dytham-architecture/
13. http://architizer.com/projects/leaf-chapel/
14. http://architizer.com/blog/how-to-write-about-architecture-part-1/media/1336614/
15. http://architizer.com/projects/sgae-headquarters/
16. http://architizer.com/firms/ensamble-studio/
17. http://www.phaidon.com/architizer10x10?
utm_source=architizer&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=10x10
18. http://architizer.com/blog/how-to-write-about-architecture-part-1/media/1336679/

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