The Architect's Dream: Specifications and Fine Art

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The Architect's Dream, Thomas Cole, 1840, public domain

 

Architecture is the only one of the original Fine Arts with a functional purpose as a defining part of it's  description.  Architecture without a program (Commoditas) is "sculpture" ( a fine art in itself), while architecture without inspiration or that touch of the sublime (Venustas) is simply "building".

Clearly, this fragile element, whose existence can be felt, but which escapes definition, is essential to Architecture as a Fine Art.

Today's painting, made for the architect Andrew Jackson Downing by Thomas Cole, a celebrated artist of the Hudson River School, shows the entire world history of Architecture (through the date of the painting, at least) as inspirations available for the Architect.  Downing is shown in the foreground, relaxing on his exotic cushions with plans in hand, able to select from Egyptian, Greek, Roman, or the brooding Gothic of the European forests.  Nowhere to be seen in this Dream are Owners, Contractors, or Specifiers.

Essential to the completion of this Dream is the written compilation of products, execution, quality, and General Requirements; administrative, procedural and temporary, describing the physical matter of the Architecture, as well as the skilled administrators and mechanics to assemble the pieces.

Art may not reside in the Project Manual, any more that it can be said to reside in the drawings, but both components are needed in order to realize the Facility as it is conceived.  But, it's fair to say that Specifications are applied technology in the service of a Dream.