Architecture is not for selected few but EVERYONE.

Chinese Tomb (Central Java, Indonesia)

The Chinese does not only view a tomb only as a burial place to commemorate those who have passed away but also a place to gather with family members along with the departed. It is a place to pay respect, eat together, and talk to strengthen family ties. That is why this tomb is placed on a three plot of land making it large enough for a gathering place.

Traditional Chinese tomb is curvilinear in shape and decorated with elaborate ornament. The proposed tomb is to maintain this basic curvilinear shape but stripping off the ornamentation. The design further enhances the space as a gathering place. Sitting bench is design to be part of the tomb completing the shape as number 8 which is a good number in Chinese culture as well as symbol of infinity.

Sumner Public Library (Sumner, Washington State, USA)

Siebert Remodel (Tacoma, Washington State, USA)

Highline College Campus Wayfinding Concept Study (Des Moines, Washington State, USA)

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News

Mahlum, in partnership with Architecture for Everyone, is selected to design New Middle School for Edmonds School District.

Architecture for Everyone is part of BCRA Design and Korsmo Construction Design-Build team to deliver the Lowell Elementary School replacement for Tacoma Public Schools.

Architecture for Everyone and Johnston Architects have been designing the Sumner Public Library for the Pierce County Library System. The project is to start construction in Spring 2025.

Architecture for Everyone is involved in a couple of feasibility studies for The Washington State Fair in Puyallup.

Thoughts

Architecture is not for selected few but EVERYONE. The upper 1% can buy with their wealth, the bottom 5% are taken care of by the government. The challenge for each architect is to also serve the middle from the bottom 5% to the upper 1%. That is social justice in architecture.

If Disneyland is to Apple Macintosh in its integrated design, Las Vegas is to IBM PC in its open-source method. But both employ Robert Venturi’s “ugly and ordinary” design approach.

Creativity is to solve design problems, not to creatively force the realization of a heroic design ideal.

We expect our buildings to be flexible and adaptable but fail to recognize that we, humans, are the most adaptable creature. Architecture is heavy and static and, therefore, shall not be expected to be able to be changed too much without significant intervention.

Between three east Asian traditional architecture of China, Korea, and Japan, the most ornate and decorative is Chinese, followed by Korea and Japan being the least. That is why Japanese architecture can accept and adopt the idea of modernism well, especially minimalism.