BPO design problem

Answer 1

To answer to this question, (a) one has to define what architecture is and (b)what architecture is expected to do. Let me define what architecture is: Architecture involves creation of forms and spaces expected to enable the performing of certain functions, which may be intervened by quantitaive dimensions of form and space as much as qualitative characteristics of form and space. Specific people are involved whose previous spatial experiences of the world as well as future expectations have to be accounted for. (a) A good definition of architecture would thus be, "Architecture is the creation of forms and spaces so as to produce in the participants a definite spatial experience in relation to the previous and anticipated spatial experiences". (b) As can be seen, architecture is expected to produce definite spatial experiences. The question 'what is an architectural design problem' pre-suppopses that architecture is a problem solving activity. In that context, we may ask, what is the purpose of creating spatial experiences ? or which problem will the spatial experiences will resolve ? That indeed is the architectural design problem. If we look at architecture as a problem solving exercise, it deals with numerous problems. Among them are problems of site, problems of context, problems of structure, problems of climate, problems of internal environmental controls such as airconditioning etc. as well as mecahnical problems etc. Although a building deals with them, they are essentaily not the core of the architecture. As per our definition, creating a spatial experiences is made possible by these and they create their own problems. But they are not the critical architectural problems. The architectural problems are the ones that can be affected or resolved by the spatial experiences; which undeniably are social and psychological by nature. Thus the archiectural problems are those social and psychological aspects of 'being in' and 'using a piece of architecture' for the 'purpose for which that piece of architecture is intended'. By purpose, this means not the mundane function of a space but the underlying deep rooted, social and psyhological conditiions required for the performance of that function. An Architectural design problem therefore is the social/psychological condition necessary to be acquired by a user in order to perform the major/ the most significant activity of a given project. A project has more than one architectural design problem and they can be recognised as primary and secondary ones, depending on the nature of the functions and activities expected to be carried in a given project.