Extra Credit. Architecture as Cultural Practice

I think "Black Vernacular: Architecture as Cultural Practice" was the most interesting thing I have read this semester. It furthered me to think about the thought that goes into all types of architecture. I have never given much thought to the structure of buildings, let alone the structure of my own house. I look at certain rooms of my own house and I wonder why my mom decided to paint the walls a puke green but I rarely think of why the house was built where it was, or the purpose of certain nooks and crevices in my house. In my mom's room there's a window seat. I always felt this spot was particularly special. On the left end of the seat, my mom would place the folded laundry. And on the right side, was enough room to curl up and do homework or read a book, or just sit and people watch through the window. Hook explains that all of us are capable of "making space", which I would agree with. I think he is saying this to go above and beyond just physical space, although I may be mistaken. He also explains that power and cultural production go into the practice of architecture, which I thought was also interesting. Another point that really stuck out to me was the idea of impoverished areas. Living in northern New Jersey, I was able to go into New York frequently, and when we would pass by some areas, I would notice much more run down buildings, and more graffiti on the sides of them. I can't help but wonder how the architectural design was linked to the cultural aspects of these neighborhoods. Overall, I found this article very interesting. It lead me to question many aspects of architecture and the areas of specific buildings.