This year, I was thrown into a world of political conflicts in the architecture field. It was a very brief glimpse of what it was like to be working in the midst of it. From event organisation to attending meetings of different committees, as if it was not obvious from the very beginning, there lives a huge political agenda behind each section of the faculty. Whether it’d be who would be running the studios to what projects can go through, or who can be part of the party the circle can become a toxic bubble - let alone those who have come across it can already become part of the degrading situation.
To elaborate, I become part of this stigma during my third year. My friend and I were discusing the studio outcomes for each class when he bitterly told me that some studios were simply hand picked. I didn't want to believe it initially however, it was through conversations with tutors and piecing words together that I realised that we as students are slowly being enveloped y this main problem and whether we realise it or not - we can either do something about it otherwise continue to endure this issue.
Couple months ago, I sat in for my friend at a Board of Education meeting, it was a surreal experience to sit among people who have shaped and structured the way we learn about architecture and approaches to events and wellbeing. I had the time of my life opening a can of worms and debate about possibilities for students, which proceeded to a large debate and discussion that made the meeting go over time. I didn’t know what to expect in all honesty, but there was an element of excitement to be able to voice my concerns and hopes for the future. It was interesting as well, to see how proud they were of the course, and how defensive they could become when I question about some of the structures that has been implemented upon various studies. However, what I find interesting is how there is a sense of detachment of empathy among the directors – the further removed from studies, the lack of understanding about the mentality of students today. One of the most interesting defensive arguments when I stressed the importance of placements and internships was that tutors did not want bright eyed students to have their idealism of architecture shattered. That comment hit quite close to home, as I personally believed that it was not a proper excuse for directors to use considering how students are treated mentally and physically in terms of the work outcomes that were given to us each week. Namely, if we already having students feel the pressure or producing sixteen drawings by hand within the course of two days and receive rather pompous and condescending remarks – I don’t see how our we could keep up with our optimistic nature of what the real world would look like. Rather, to say that the work environment would remove the glory of studying architecture, I’d like them to revisit the course in our shoes and make them reconsider the remark again.
Back then, I used to tell my friends that the best way to be a good leader is to remove your ego away from your position. Whether you are above someone in position or age, there is no right to carry an air of arrogance in mannerisms as well. Perhaps that is my opinion and I am aware that not everyone is aware of their attitudes but, a simple conversation with students and understanding and respecting their goals are just as important as to provide a form of guidance. However, if you believe that it is better to sometimes teach others with supreme confidence, let me dare to challenge you about students reflections upon you and your future should you ever run it in that manner.
“Education will always be the biggest playground for politics”
I’ll never forget my friend telling me this when I explained to him about my pettiness for not being able to be in the class I wanted (although I have to begrudgingly admit that it was a blessing in disguise as it prepared me for my semester this year). Comparing to his architecture school back in Israel - there lies an even more complicated system in terms of deciding which staff teaches each subject that could ultimately hinder students’ ability to learn. It breaks my heart to hear this, especially when education is something I prioritise for myself and others as well. Sometimes I want to know at what cost people are willing to pay by pulling strings to make things go their way - are we willing to sacrifice students’ potential by only helping the same professor teaching and sticking to what they know when there are other bright minded tutors who could help push eager minds to their fullest potential? Keeping the same professors because they’re doing their research when students have given them criticisms of their negative teaching behaviours? Or keep a class of like minded students in one studio because it is better to keep a clique than sharing their knowledge to other students (we are not in high school anymore and this is ridiculous).
There is a lot of weight to the cliche “for the future generation” and that is absolutely true. We cannot rely on favouritism and politics to advance us into society - students are not naive, ears have walls and how words are formed by teachers leaves a huge elephant in the room. This results in a disinterest in wanting to complete our tasks, especially when majority of us already have high expectations of ourselves and putting our health on the line (silly I know but, we’re all chasing the dream of being the architect stereotype).
Perhaps I am writing recklessly with a lot of anger in my mind, but might I say (clichély) that we are paving the future for the younger generations. Sure, university studies are an opportunity for us to become independent and choosing when to be depending and we can joke about letting students experience the stress and agony that we’ve been through. Yet let me remind you, I don’t believe putting students down or degrading them via the intense workload is always a good way foster architects out of us. Rather, yes, there are times where it is the student’s organisational habits that could be the main fact but it is also the impression we cast upon the students. How we teach will reflect on the students behaviour, and how they perform is also a reflection of ourselves, and what we can learn in the passing years.