metalex

I didn’t suggest that work is offloaded to full time visualists. They are not part of the actual design process (heaven forbid). Their area of expertise lies solely with casting a finished project in a particular light and it is this light that is fully controllable by the architect or designer, just like a film director directs. It is quite unfortunate that my practice cannot afford 20 seats of 3D Studio Max (my particular favourite piece of modelling software). In a perfect world my mac would have this piece of software in order that the project visuals would be solely created by my own fair hands. I am a passionate advocate of 3d software and agree with you entirely that every architect should have the skills to use it. I am presently holding in-house seminars to teach this software to colleagues who were genuinely amazed by the seductive quality of work I did for several recent international design competitions (one of which I won). The combination of powerful modern day computers coupled with increasingly affordable software (apart from the really high end stuff) makes it feasible that all architects have this skill. I am also currently studying part time at one of London’s more illustrious schools of architecture to finish my part II course and am always inspired by the quality of work produced (always on a par and often surpassing the best work produced by seasoned professionals). But the most important tool in an architect’s armoury is not the ability to use a piece of software well but the ability to design wonderfully. Any monkey can pick up a piece of software and learn it.