We often get asked where the name Brutal Art came from.
It actually came from a quote by one of our favourite Australian architects, Robin Boyd:
“This often brutal and always mercenary industry is, in fact, involuntarily directed at a remote distance by intellectual and artistic passion beyond its ken. – Robin Boyd”
Brutal Art … by Robin Boyd?
Robin Boyd’s quote has always been of special significance to us, but on a recent leadership session we analysed this quote and realised how profoundly relevant it still is today:
“This often brutal and always mercenary industry…”
- The building industry is and always has been a hard and uncompromising industry.
- The industry is made economically sustainable by the engagement of sub-contractors, each of whom is responsible for their own part of a project, delivered to a price.
“…is, in fact, involuntarily directed at a remote distance…”
- It is fair to say that the two primary disciplines that must come together to deliver a project (the designer and the builder) are completely different types.
- Whilst the apprentice carpenter starts his working life on site, the architect is still receiving their general education.
- By the time the architect has settled on their chosen profession and started their formal education, the carpenter is practicing his trade.
- When the architect comes to instruct on site, this carpenter may well be the site supervisor.
- By this time the carpenter and architect (who have gone down distinctly different paths) are expected to come together to deliver for the client!
“…by intellectual and artistic passion beyond its ken.”
- The trades are not generally educated in the design process or the principles involved, but are expected to interpret these designs and build what has been drawn or documented.
- It is unusual to come across supervisors that have been formally trained in reading plans, and equally unusual to find an architect who truly understands how the building trades work.
- It could also be said that the quickest way to educate “across boundaries” is not to educate builders in design principles, but to educate designers in building principles.
- To some extent then, the designer or architect who can best navigate this process will generate the best built outcome.
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