The Architecture of the Ordinary - Jeremy teaches at Ball State

I had the great honor of guest lecturing at Ball State University on Thursday.  My lecture "The Architecture of the Ordinary" was presented to Arch 100 students as the final lecture of the semester. 

My goal was to introduce students to realities of practice, and to get them thinking about the role of "fabric" buildings, rather than trying to all become design stars.

The lecture was peppered with architectural cartoons from Roger K. Lewis and Steve Shaecher, quotes from Andres Duany and Steve Mouzon, and a "Rogues Gallery" of terrible, though well intentioned, historicist architecture from central Indiana.  I also introduced the students to the heretical idea that, when designing a historically inspired building, there are actually "right" and "WRONG" ways to design. 

Referenced texts are all available through Amazon.com:

• Architect: A Candid Guide to the Profession, Roger K. Lewis
• Traditional Construction Patterns, Stephen Mouzon
• Classical Architecture for the 21st Century. Jean-Francois Gabriel

Rogues Gallery: Retail strip center in Fishers, Indiana

"Yes, traditional architecture appeals.  But, the fact is, most of the vast production of traditional building is dismal, ranging from the merely inept to the simply hideous."   - Andres Duany, in Traditional Construction Patterns