Architectures is

an evolving profession like all professions

so changes over time. It changes due to technology, but it also changes
due to new materials, it changes due to new ways
of understanding the field. We've asked Sarah Wigglesworth,
architect from London., what is her opinion about the most important
characteristics of an architect for
today and tomorrow. Sarah Wigglesworth founded
her own firm in 1994. She builds housing, libraries, civic buildings, many
types of buildings, but she also teaches. She's a professor at
Sheffield University. She seeks to combine
research and practice, and especially is interested in the fields of new materials,
uses of materials,
and sustainability. Yes Sarah Wigglesworth and
we're recording in London. Sara I wanted to ask you as
you know we're undertaking MOOC and architects think in a very different way
from other professions. If you had to describe, what is unique about
the architect's mindset? What makes an architect unique as he or she
approaches a problem? Okay. Well, in many ways, I don't really see architecture
as being problem solving. What I think it is, it's about creatively taking a lot of
issues which are
culturally based essentially, bringing these strands
together and then making a new insight
as a result of that. Actually, I think
the main attributes that you need to do that well are you really going to be
interested in people because architecture is really just the backdrop
to everyday life, and of all the rest
of it and it's got to facilitate social life, cultural life, business life,
whatever a whole life. So it has to make that work
better and more pleasurable. So being interested in people and what
their motivations are and how they think and how
they might behave or how they would want to inhabit somewhere is absolutely
crucial out there. I think you really
need curiosity, I think that you've got to
be curious about humanity. I think being interested in your surroundings,
being observant, looking at how it's been done
in the past and interested in where we've come from and where we might be
going is already good. I think curiosity
is really important because I think in
all of these things, you never want to take
anything for granted, but you need to do
your research and then workout right what's
the issue behind it, or what might my contribution to something that's
already there. So your adding another layer to a historical situation and even a
blind sight
is a condition. It's got history and the reason for being the way that it is and
you have to
understand and tap into. So I think you've got to be
incredibly intense to be conscious of that sort of
cultural backdrop as well. So of course, you've
got to pay special, I think it does help to be
good at drawing actually, but I think it's by no means a barrier if you're
not very good at drawing and especially now computers are so
prevalent in everything. But actually to be I
think truly creative, actually computers can
be a hindrance because they direct you towards a way of representing your ideas
which is very controlled
by the software, but a pen doesn't do that. Do you think the
architectural profession is changing and or has changed from models of the past and
where do you see the architectural
profession going? Well, architecture has
always been changing, but I think that probably is
quite a large shift going on at the moment because
of technology. I don't think that's necessarily a shift for the better actually, I
think what it's enabling is a massive dinstantiation
from the side of production. I mean lots of people would argue that it's not like
that, that actually computers and software brings you close
to size production through, CNC controlled manufacturing
and the rest of it. But actually I don't
find that and especially not in the way that people think about
architecture anymore. It's almost as if
the computer is a barrier, it's cozy barrier that stops you really interfacing
with the real world. I think that's so
retrogrades that actually, and kind of it goes against everything I've
been talking about which is that you need to be interested in people ultimately.
It's very easy if you just
exist in a world of software, where you don't ever
have to really deal with the outcomes of what you do. I think you need to keep
your feet firmly on the ground. Would you encourage young people to go into the
field
of architecture? That's a different world. I think it's a pretty tough career
actually and
especially for women, it's a very tough career. So I think you've
got to be really dedicated and
single-minded in doing it. Also, remember why. Never lose touch with why you went
into it
in the beginning, what really motivates you to do that because it won't be easy.
Lots of the exams aren't easy, that's not a reason not to try, but yeah, you have
to work
out what's in it for you.