The Big Names in Architecture
There’s a thin line between imitation & idolization.
I don’t mean to pointedly criticize anyone, in particular, I write for the sake of reflection only.
Every time I hear or read the sentence — I want to be the next Zaha Hadid — I become irritated. It’s not because I am uninspired by Zaha Hadid. On the contrary, I always refer back to her story for motivation. But it is the use of words in that sentence that disturbs me.
To say that you want to be the next “X” means that you want to clone yourself into being that person. You would be fading yourself out to morph into being someone else, unintentionally disregarding your own worth.
You can idolize and admire someone without resolving to imitate them.
When I was a child, I read Michelle Kwan’s autobiography at school. I was only 10 years old at the time, but one thing remained stuck in my mind. She grew up and evolved to be an A-class figure-skater while learning from her precedents. She noted down the most startling featurette of every one of them. She picked out every quality that she wished to attain and added them to her own. She re-created herself by interweaving the skills she has learned.
Similarly, we can learn the many qualities attained by every architect.
We ought to understand Peter Zumthor’s appreciation of material beauty, to work out Frank Gehry’s eccentric creativity, and to adopt Hadid’s tenaciousness to succeed.
If you can appreciate those true qualities means that you can perceive beyond what the name of an architect alone holds.
You can pick the qualities that resonate with you and work on acquiring them yourself.
It is essential to draw the line between embodying that person you admire and learning from them. While studying architecture, we reach hard breaking points. It is natural to relate to those iconic characters who went down the same path.
But remember to always draw the line.
To put it simply…
Learn from the big names out there, but do not forget who you are.
Believe in your own skills and your own architectural method & techniques.
Believe that your evolution will need time.
Be confident that one day your time will come. At your own pace, it will.
Learn to never give up on yourself, on being who you are, and to create what blatantly speaks of your nature, of your character, and your story.
Of course, do not make it too subjective. Just let your signature touch be your work ethic, performance, and character.
Next time, if someone asks who do you want to be, give it a thought. Rather than saying that name you have in mind, consider saying yours.
