Alternative Histories

If at the end of Second year in an architecture course, one doesn't know

that pointed arches do have keystones
who is B V Doshi
that its Frank Lloyd Wright and not Frank Llord Wright
you can not pronounce Antonio Gaudi
the significance of Vitruvian man
Le Corbusier's Modular theory
that Le Corb's Mill Owners' Association is in Ahmedabad, which is in India and not abroad
that Le Corb designed Chandigarh and not Jaipur
that Egyptian pyramids have 4 sides and not 3
that Gallerie des Machines is a Gallery for Machines (the name is the function)
that Triumphal Arches were for the triumph of the Emperors (answer hidden in the question)
that Kanchanjunga is in Peddar Road and not in Colaba and is designed by Charles Correa
that IIM was designed by Louis Kahn
that IIMA is in Ahmedabad; IIMB in Bangalore
that Le Corbusier means "The Crow" and his name is Charles-Édouard Jeanneret
that Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci (having seen the film Da Vinci Code)
that the column beam structure of the Parthenon is called Trabeated system
that the St. Peter's square is an oval (after showing the picture)
that Charles Correa is the last one to be amongst the pioneers of Modern Architecture
that "Less is More" was the statement by Mies Van Der Rohe
that the prime contribution of Romans to our social space is democracy
that Mosques have no idols
that Renaissance was before Industrial Revolution / Modernism
that Eiffel Tower has no vertical but inclined lifts
that escalators are conceptually 'lifts'that iron was discovered and not invented!

then

what does one actually know for one's future  architectural practice?

No, it's not to laugh. It's the reflection of the interest level. In an age of media, where one has access to information 24x7, we see students killing all their time on facebook! But one can even share these facts and discussions on FB! Perhaps, our fundamental perceptions of FB do not match. But FB is killing the age of 12-25. Atleast the others know how to use it! and how much to use it. But it's not only FB. The whole of Internet.

Media has restructured the whole of society. I dont know what it would do to the average architectural practice? Are we just supposed to "learn from them" finding out newer patterns of the market? Its rubbish - what is the content in it - there is not intellectual thought. Should meaninglessness be always proven through a rubbish physical manifest? Our engagements with technology are so half-ripe. At least the developed countries use it right from their birth. We have a condition where such access is not even available to everyone. Weird conditions that the current dynamics of space and time has created. Where children struggle with language, basic spellings (the don't even care for them), what do they really want to do? Are they lost? then why don't they express that they are lost? how will they resolve it? why dont they speak up? what is their problem? I am worried about my place and my space which they could possibly ruin with ugly meaningless monsters! I hope the next three years open them up with their true goals!


(all responses from History VIVA at AOA)