The world still expects the architect to come and present their vision, to be the person who ‘sees’. If you decide not to be in your ivory tower and simply produce an object – which may or may not have value in itself – then the question arises, what is being an architect about? It is providing something for the people who live, work and play in that building. We need to value the space these people inhabit rather than the object itself.
Of course, to get a void you need a mass, so I’m going to talk about mass. To perceive light, you need a wall, so I’m going to talk about walls. But what I am really interested in is what is happening in-between: more than just floorplates or historical references to the place where I am working, I am interested in creating a vibration and resonance.
Architecture has the potential to change the way people live. But it can only go so far in answering the needs of its end-users. After that, the architecture must be silent and a form of mediation needs to take place, whether that be through public space, art projects or localized design reaching beyond buildings. The Black Box is really a way of ensuring that there is, in fact, a shared vision of the project before the design development process begins.