Our perspective of the world shapes the way we build it, and that may be where the issue lies. The built environment goes beyond the visuals of the product but its impact on the environment, how we interact with it, and the message it sends out to the world. Modernity’s push for steel and concrete as the “go to” materials for structure has caused many to forget about all the structural techniques and forms that came before these materials were available. This is a point John Ochsendorf brought out to us.
As a well accomplished academic, working simultaneously in the world of engineering, archaeology, and design Ochsendorf has researched extensively into forms of building from cultures all over the world. He highlights the power of architecture to tell a story beyond just what you see. It is more than a building, it is an instrument of humanity, a space for community, and has dialogue with the environment.
In the mountainous landscape of Peru we see the genius of the Indigenous culture through the Q’eswachka Rope Bridge. The long spanning tensile bridges exist throughout this region and facilitate more than just movement. They were seen as ‘the work of the devil’ in the eyes of conquistadors because they could not comprehend the structural brilliance that the Inca’s had. Spanish conquistadors tried building bridges with their technology but could never achieve the success and efficiency of the indigenous engineering. The Q’eswachaka bridge is built by three local villages every year through the process of a three-day festival. A process of renewal is expressed through these festivities and how a community can sustain its architecture while continuing to further its culture. This celebration brought together many age groups, families, and connected those individuals in many ways. It wasn’t just about getting from point A to point B, but about the journey and process. Architecture can have a monumental presence without being monolithic. The rope structures represent more than just its tensile capabilities and structural endurance. We must begin adapting this mindset as designers. Our job is to sustain communities and we should allow them to sustain the architecture within them. The cycle and renewal of the spaces we live in can be a growing process, but we must create that atmosphere through our designs. Form, and aesthetics must always be in dialogue with function.
The fact that this bridge is still being renewed today should be a lesson for us and how our designs can foster this type of legacy and cultural impact. In a pursuit to advance, we’ve lost the knowledge that has gotten us to where we are today. We must question our environmental impact and social impact as designers. Looking at these cultures can help us to realign our perspective. Architecture from indigenous cultures and the past should not be looked at as outdated because those practices and techniques come with a wisdom that we cannot ignore. John Ochsendorf’s body of work is an amazing example of analyzing building practices from the past and re-contextualizing them for use today. He leaves us with a lesson that will change the way I continue as a designer. When you design, what will your perspective be?
Cornelius Tulloch