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How Architects Learn


I recently finished reading a book called “The Architect’s Apprentice” by Elif Shafak. It is a work of fiction set in the historical period of the Mimar Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. The book contains some real gems for architects, and gives some really good food for thought.

One of the things struck me as particularly timeless and relevant. Sinan used to encourage his apprentices to go and study and document great works of other architects. Though they never met, Sinan and Michelangelo shared mutual respect and admiration. In order to gain knowledge, learn and grow, Sinan talks about three “fountains of wisdom” – books, works and roads.

“there were three fountains of wisdom from which every artisan should drink abundantly: books, work and roads. Reading, practising and travelling.” 

Reading not only about architecture and construction, but allied arts like painting, sculpture, and music, and sciences – astronomy, physics, chemistry, and life sciences, apart from the study of theology, philosophy and social sciences. The “cross-fertilization” that occurs due the consilience of various fields of knowledge enriches your work immensely. Sinan shared a special friendship with the astronomer Taqi ad-Din and spent countless hours discussing about astronomy among other things. It is important for architects to develop these friendships and relationships with men and women from different arts and sciences.

You truly grow only when you work; when you roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Sinan used to regularly assign tough real-life design assignments to his apprentices to hone their skills. It is no revelation that the more we actively engage in work, the more we grow in our understanding and knowledge, but it is good to keep reminding ourselves.

Travelling and studying works of other architects is another great way to grow your knowledge. Architects do not actively undertake study travel beyond their academic life. When we talk about travel, it is not travel for leisure or vacations, but travel specifically to study architecture and cities.

In our daily routine of deadlines, contracts and meetings, it is important to actively read, practice and travel to grow our knowledge and enrich our work.

I will leave you with one of my favourite quotes form the book:

“In order to gain mastery, you need to dismantle as much as you put together.'
'Then there'd be no buildings left in the world,' Jahan ventured. 'Everything would be razed to the ground.'
'We are not destroying the buildings, son. We are destroying our desire to possess them. Only God is the owner. Of the stone and of the skill.” 

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