Paul Pholeros story of taking new architects to the Australian outback, and the value of scarcity
From collaboration book project:
Once a year Paul takes a group of young aspiring architects to the Outback of Australia, far from any buildings, with only basic camping supplies. No phones, no computers, iPods or connections. He tells me the story over a photo of a solo swag, Australian for sleeping bag.
The students have the tasks of setting up camp, gathering firewood, making a fire for warmth, and cooking s simple meal. What happens over the course of the next few days is the team learns what each person does well. They trade chores with each other-- one drives tent stakes, another builds a fire, and another gathers kindling. This is collaboration at the frontier, far from the social media and other technologies of the desktop.
There are fundamental lessons to be learned, such as the best site for putting up a structure, or the proximity of heating sources. The students need to build relationships first, before the design. When the rich resources of the office are stripped away, there is a more direct, even visceral understanding of the core challenges, the things that matter most. Call it building "muscle memory." |