In Conversation with Mark Schoeman: the Architecture + Innovation Podcast
Hosted by Tom Dioro and sponsored by Ceraclad, the Architecture + Innovation Podcast is a “platform for the AEC community where industry leaders lend their voice to the conversation by sharing their vision and experiences in their fields of expertise.” On November 7, 2023, Tom spoke with ABA’s Design Principal Mark Schoeman, AIA, on a variety of topics from creating environments for health and education to the use of lights and why young people should consider becoming architects.
Here's an excerpt from the conversation, in which Tom and Mark discuss the value of constraints in architecture.
Tom Diorno: I wanted to ask about constraints in architecture, how I've heard that it can actually help or assist in the architecture. What's your take on that?
Mark Schoeman: Absolutely. I remember coming up to the years and the code book is something that helps us. There's this aspect of looking at a blank sheet of paper. And there's a lot of fear with that blank sheet of paper. So let's just start at the beginning, right? Some people cannot put that first line down. One thing, they’re beholden to it. But what a constraint does is it gives you a piece of paper with a grid on it or a piece of paper with property lines or whatever that constraint is. So you’re not, you’re almost never, dealing with a blank sheet of paper. The constraints can help you get moving and they can also force you into creative solutions. I believe that you can accomplish anything, money aside, because there's a way around a problem. If you think of constraints as problems, and I don't necessarily think all constraints are problems, but they're a problem to solve. Some of the most exciting buildings I've seen, or the exciting projects, are ones where there was something that had to be overcome.
Click here to listen to the whole podcast.
Many thanks to Tom and sponsor Ceraclad for the opportunity to have a fun conversation on design and architecture.
