Assessment 1b Part One

In his paper, On design problematization: Theorising differences in design outcomes, Steve Harfield investigates the inner mechanisms and actions that lie behind the design making process, in order to illuminate ideas of the role of individuality, such as ones beliefs, preferences and assumptions, of an architect but also the ways in which architect construct the problems they choose to solve.

In addition, Peter G. Rowe in his book, Design Thinking, supplements and supports Harfields beliefs, adding to the persuasiveness of Harfields opinions, particularly in the idea that decision making process, and the problem that is conclusively solved for the final designed, is highly influenced and constructed by the unique context of the designer.

Harfield firstly illuminates that design is the core activity of a range of creative disciples and that the common perception holds that design is, initiated and predicated on problems of which the problems are then ...presented to the designer as part of a brief (Harfield 2007, pg. 161). Architectural design, therefore is the addressing of a problem through a decision making process in order to produce the solution, or structure. What Harfield argues is that not only is the decision making process being transformed by the personal context of the designer, but the

problem-as-given (Harfield 2007, pg. 163) or the original problem given by the brief, is also influenced by individuality.

Harfield argues that the original problem given by the brief the problem-as-given (Harfield 2007, pg. 162) is not the problem that designers eventually solve (Harfield 2007, 163), but like, parameters that established the problem (Harfield 2007, pg. 165), the architects decisions: position[ing] this problem in a state of constant revision (Harfield 2007, pg. 165). Again, Harfields concept of change and progression of the original problem by the architect is encompassed in his idea that rather than the perceived, different solutions to same problem in which of solutions are different architectural designs to the same brief, different designs are rather, different solutions to different problems (Harfield 2007, pg. 161). Harfield then, through a statement of Dorst and Cross, firstly explains that the changing nature of the problem by the architect is because creative design seems more to be a matter of developing and refining together both the formulation of a problem and ideas for a solution, (Harfield 2007, pg. 166), meaning that the design process must involve active development of the problem to create a solution. He secondly enhances this idea by justifying that the development of consequential problems are created through: the lens of our theories, our positions, or ideologies and beliefs, our past knowledge, our preconceptions, biases and preferences (Harfield 2007, pg.

171) as the architect aims to fulfil their own design goal (Harfield 2007, pg. 169) which is the personal reflection upon the design brief manifesting what he/she wants to achieve (Harfield 2007, pg. 169).

This individuality attached to the creation of new problems in order to address the brief is also explored in Rowes text in which he reiterates the design process is determined by a designers personal attitudes and prejudices towards such things as functional expression (Rowe 1991, pg. 2). This emphasises the subjectivity that is applied to the problem in order to create a path that will lead to the achievement of the architects design goal (Harfield 2007, pg. 169).

Thus, architects choose the problems they wish to solve as not only a part of a developing creative design process and but also in order to fulfil what they believe the final outcome should be: their design goal, (Harfield, 2007, pg. 169), which is evidently influenced by their own personal ideologies, perspectives and individuality.

Individuality, such as ones beliefs, preferences and assumptions, does not only affect the problems that are consequently solved to create a design, but it also informs and influences the decision making processes that go towards the problem solving to create a solution.

The decisions made by the designer in order to interact with the problems to solve them are justified by Harfield to be not only affected by experience, differences in the range and level of the skills, professional competence and imagination of the

designer (Harfield 2007, pg. 161) and a range of additional information but also, is always informed by and significantly structured by personal design preferences and positions already held (Harfield 2007, pg. 163). This points out that clearly the problems created, ones chosen to be solved as well as the way they are solved, i.e. the decision making process, are inextricably connected and affected by the architects personal perspective. It is the architects own personal values and ideas that ultimately decide actions which they think are best suited to create the final design in response to the brief: their design goal (Harfield 2007, pg. 169).

The validity of this idea is strengthened extensively in the reflections of Rowe who also states: there are many styles of decision making, each with individual quirks (Rowe 1991, pg. 2) highlighting the variations of approach as a factor that influences that decision making process involved in design. Again and as afore mentioned, Rowe illuminates, the unfolding of a design process seems more determined by a designers personal attitudes and prejudices as designers move back and forth between

the problem as given and the tentative proposals they might have in mind. (Rowe 1991, pg. 2). This expresses that processes of design, including that of decision-making are again, subjective, but also essential to the dialogue that exists between problem and solution in order to fulfil a brief.

Harfield and Rowe in their explorations illuminated the intricacies that lie behind the design making process. Through the consideration of the two in combination, a successful acknowledgement of the importance of the subjectivity and contextual individuality of the architect to design: in the areas of problem solving and problem and solution making, is achieved.