case study I

seidler

as i’ve been considering my career redirection this year i’ve questioned myself over and over on what it is i am truly interested in, without being deliberately told. i’ve been able to (over)analyze and critique my past work with redirection at the forefront of my mind for my future work from a perspective that almost feels third person- which has been both good for, and tough on, me.

i came across this interview on dezeen with penelope seidler after dissecting her and her late husband harry’s, work recently of which i am deeply drawn to. at 81, she is still the director of their architecture firm in australia. their firm website makes me giggle, it’s the vibe, too busy actually building. she reaffirmed the way i’m feeling in my work with her interview, and sparked something in me to start this series of case studies where i showcase what catches my eye in the design and architectural world as i dive deeper into what i want to be creating out of my career- which is ultimately design that remains timeless with personal flair.

penelope is unimpressed with new construction, and disappointed on students of architecture not receiving education that is particular. this resonates. a lot of what we see and do today is copy + paste. a friend this week even asked me, ‘do you feel like a lot of your work is things you see that you blend together, or is it your original ideas?’ my answer was, ‘both.’ when thinking of my new path, i’ve realized i’ve never not been bombarded with inspirational images that fuel my own ideas and creativity. i have also loved to combine ideas i have seen and make them my own- which i think i can expand on in this next season now that this has become a realization for me. i’ve tried to allow inspiration to come to me for what i want to create as opposed to be inspired by someone else’s work- which can seem challenging, uncomfortable and disrupting.

i loved this quote from penelope’s dezeen interview:

‘they seem to learn everything but actually building.’

because ah, story of my little life as i’ve seemed to learn everything but actually building.

architecture and design today are capricious, we can build whatever we’d like, but why are we building it?

something i loved learning while researching the duo is whatever they’ve built whether residential or commercial, it is not disposable- and it’s recognizable. the mixture of the harsh elements with seductive curvature is so intriguing to me.

also as i was doing my research on the seidler’s, i came across this article and it made me laugh because i feel like i’ve totally designed and sold residences that were aesthetically stunning and ‘hideous to live in’ and i don’t know why this was so funny to me, to be honest. they’re like ‘we’re hoping to sell this historic architect’s home quickly because you can hear everything in it,’ gets me.

*loves an architectural drama*

and just because i’m forever a romantic i have to put interview snippet here. i want this:

a question for you, for me, for design, for architecture, and for life:

what am i building?

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