On Perfection and Architecture

The More It Costs to Make Corrections or Changes, the More Perfection Matters

Buildings Are Not Digital

This morning the nice folks at LinkedIn prompted me to expound on the topic of #perfection. Implicit in the invitation seemed to be an assumption that as a culture, we strive for perfection too much of the time. I tend to agree… sort of. Where I disagree is when it comes to objects made from real materials (not 1s and 0s), architecture and the “built environment” being the most extreme case.

In the new digital age where so many kinds of companies now think of themselves as tech companies, perfection is probably overrated. A simple app can be created from scratch in a weekend and if it’s not perfect, updates can be pushed out daily until it works. As Mark Zuckerberg says, “Fail Faster!” This mantra is the anthesis of perfection.

This approach works great for software, business, and certainly for growth. However, it’s no way to think about, designing, or creating things that are meant to last. If we were to put more attention on attaining perfection when it came to making physical things, we would have far fewer landfills brimming with broken, obsolete, imperfect objects.

You Only Need One Really Good Knife… or House

On top of being an architect, I’m a chef. I own 4 chef’s knives. One of them approaches perfect, at least for me. Made by hand, in Japan, from specially forged carbon steel, I use it every day. My other 3 chef’s knives serve as backups, for when my “perfect” knife is off being sharpened, or when I have someone else cooking with me in the kitchen and I need spare. Most of the time, however, these other knives are totally superfluous and unnecessary. One might even argue that they are a waste of natural resources, sitting unutilized most of the time. All 3 are also far from perfect in my opinion.

Perfection Is the Opposite of Disposable

You see, when it comes to a high-value, physical object, one that required time, attention, and natural resources to create, one that if maintained properly, could remain functional for an entire lifetime, I’d say perfection is paramount. Perfection, after all, is the opposite of disposable.

Buildings Should Not Be Considered Disposable

And what are the longest lasting, highest value, more resource intensive objects that humankind makes? You guessed it, architecture. Buildings should absolutely not be considered disposable. Get a building wrong, and the occupants, maybe even an entire community, will live with those bad decisions for a lifetime, potentially even hundreds of years. Make it poorly and it won’t last a generation before it begins to leak, rot, and otherwise decay into dust. So you see, I’m all for striving for perfection, especially when it comes to making architecture. Sure, it takes more time, attention, and energy to do so, but the effort pays dividends in the form of longevity and that means that a well made building can maintain more value over a longer period of time.

And so while I might tend to agree that many of us strive for perfection too much of the time, stressing ourselves out over unnecessary concerns, I believe architecture to be one of those places where we should strive for perfection far more often. Of course, there’s ultimately no such thing as perfection, but aiming for it delivers results far beyond not trying at all.

Aiming for Perfection Together

If you want to design a home of lasting value and beauty, create a legacy that will bring joy to generations, let’s talk about how your vision for your project.