What is a designer?

Designing is an art, an art in which work is done to make objects become reality and acquire meaning. As proposed by architect Zumthor and structural engineer Rice, both in readings and in documentaries, the design process must include certain aspects that I will discuss within the propositions and should be framed within a particular space. The first proposition will be the conception of an architecture that transcends the design process, taking into account the feelings and emotions that this can and should come to produce once the construction is done. As a second proposition, there is the architecture that achieves a purpose through the materials used. A dual relationship between feeling and reason, passion and objectivity, action and thought is necessary to transcend design.

"A Way of Looking at Things" is the text of Peter Zumthor in which he exposes several important aspects when designing. These aspects range from the material to be used to the dialogue that the building will have with the landscape in which it is built. This is the relation of the apparent dichotomy between feeling and reason. It is interesting to compare Zumthor between Bach's architecture and music, in which you can appreciate the melody, harmony and rhythm in detail while still appreciating the piece as a whole. Equally architecture consists of designing a whole composed of different parts and details.

On the other hand, the Menil Museum in Houston, Texas, is a vivid example of architecture that achieves a purpose through the materials used. Structural engineer Peter Rice designed gratings of ferro cement, which is a material that reflects and diffuses natural light, for the remodeling of the Menil Museum and thus maintain the collections. Similarly, the design of the Pompidou Center in Paris, the structure is all in metal and glass with all its functional parts exposed, thus producing more space inside the building. It is worth mentioning that there are no walls inside the Pompidou Center except for those of gibson board that can be easily removed and relocated.

Definitely the art of design has a distinct aspect of everything that can be studied in the discipline of architecture. Being able to transmit feelings and emotions through a structure is something that can hardly be learned in a technical way. Achieving functionality and emotion through a design is a task that translates into a true masterpiece, as well as those of Bach.