Design Methods

LE CT U RE 0 9 ( CR I T I Q U E ) 2 N D S TA G E | 2 0 1 9 -
2 02 0
Today’s topics
 Critique in architecture
 A critic’s criteria
 Skills and qualities of a critic
 Different approaches to criticism
 Samples
Architectural Critique

DESIGN PROCESS
Critique in architecture
 Architectural criticism amounts to an assessment of the architect's
success in meeting his or her own aims and objectives and those of
others.
 The assessment may consider the subject from the perspective of
some wider context, such as planning, social or aesthetic issues. It
may also reflect the critic's own values.

 Architecture critics not only assist architects in understanding the

nature of their own project but also help them in developing a critical
judgment about it.

CRITIQUE
Critique in architecture

“Good critics really know their territory. Many media sites

now just assemble images and news items without lending a
point of view. That’s not criticism; it’s pimpery,”

Blair Kamin
Pulitzer Prize winner
Architecture critic of the Chicago Tribune

CRITIQUE
A critic’s criteria
The critic's task is to assess how successful the architect has been in
meeting both the criteria the project set out to meet and those that the
critic himself feels to be important.

Specific criteria include:

 Aesthetics
 Proportion
 Functionality
 Architectural style
 Choice and use of building materials
 Built environment or context
 Sustainability

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
1. Fairness in Judgment
The critic should be a ‘man of principles’. Fairness and clarity are
essential when judging a design.
The design should be assessed as per its own requirements rather than
taking another project as a basis for comparison.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
2. Logical Reasoning
The critic should always have a logical reason behind the argument.
“Emotion doesn’t trump reason” Robert Ivy, CEO of the American Institute of Architects.

Having an affinity towards a particular designer or style isn’t wrong,

unless it affects the way in which others are criticized.
The goal behind criticism should never be insulting the architects or their
designs, rather it should be pointing out the wrong in order to improve
the whole situation.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
3. Building a Persuasive Case
“The critic has to build a persuasive case–brick by brick” Cathleen McGuigan,
Editor in Chief of Architectural Record.

The art of convincing is very significant to make criticism more

constructive. The critic’s opinion is not of any use if the receiver does not
understand it and truly agrees with it. Describing a real life experience as
an example to prove a point might help.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
4. Adequate Delivery
Occasionally, it is the language that ruins a good critic. Poor delivery may
ruin the effectiveness of a critique, despite good intentions.
Similarly, appropriate delivery may promote an egocentric criticism. The
critic should deliver the message in a positive and motivating manner.
An evaluative language like “You are wrong” or “This is a stupid idea” will
not help. Instead use “I feel like this may be a better solution”.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
5. Objective Commentary
Criticism should be more objective. It should be specific, relevant, and to
the point. Focusing on the problem at hand helps in understanding the
context.
“Your design lacks this” is anytime better than “Something isn’t right but
I am unable to put it”.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
6. General Knowledge of Architecture
Awareness of the past, present, and possible future issues and trends of
architecture is a genuine requirement for a critic to be capable of
commenting on an architectural design. Also, experience as a practicing
architect can be very advantageous.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Skills and qualities necessary for critics
7. Understanding the Architect’s Point of View
It’s essential for critics to put themselves in the shoes of the receiving
architects in order to adjudicate the design properly.
Doing this will enable them to understand the problem from the
architect’s point of view and hence deliver more appropriate
suggestions.

Credit: Kushal Jain (editor in Arch2O)

CRITIQUE
Different approaches to criticism
T H E A C T A N D A RT O F A R C H I T E C T U R A L C R I T I Q U E :
A D R AW I N G , A H O U S E , A N D A S I G N
By Andreea Mihalachehow
Critique as “dissecting”:
Saul Steinberg
Doubling Up, drawing
first published in
Architectural Forum,
February 1946.

DESIGN PROCESS
Critique as
"orchestrating": A highlight of the exhibition in Moscow (1959 during the
Cold War) was a fully-furnished prefabricated house
The Splitnik, Moscow
presented to the Soviet audience as an affordable option
(1959).
for average-earning Americans.
Dubbed the (Splitnik) – a pun on the name of the Russian
satellite (Sputnik) and the English verb "to split" –

DESIGN PROCESS
Critique as
“reshuffling”:
Robert Venturi’s
Grand’s Restaurant
(1961-1962).

DESIGN PROCESS
“Even though I wished for her attention, I was scared
of it.”
Frank Gehry

The New York Times was the first newspaper to

appoint a full-time critic (Ada Louise Huxtable), who
held the post from (1963-1982) and was the first-ever
recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

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Arts by Leewardists

DESIGN PROCESS