CITIZEN ARCHITECT

SAMUEL MOCKBEE AND THE SPIRIT OF THE RURAL STUDIO

PRESENTED BY
Shikha Kaul
(A/2518/2012)

CITIZEN ARCHITECT
Mockbee introduces us to the concept of Rural Studio
and the idea of turning design problems from a solution
on a piece of paper into a real life project. In his
documentary Citizen Architect, Samuel presents a
second year architecture students experiencing a
reality based design problem in a rural area. Students
meet their client who is named as Music Man for his
great fond for music, and let to discuss design and even
construct for him.
Citizen Architect basically starts with the idea of
revealing the reality of design conditions in the world
outside design studios. Students are asked to design in
Dubai conditions, but the reality check is that designing
is done for affordable housing with adequate facilities
for 90% of the entire world.
The practise of architecture is way different from the
way we deal it in our studios, solving design problems.
Rural Studio is an influential initiative by Mockbee.
Rural Studio helps students to deal with their first
client, experience the environment of their site, have
some words with the other people and know them
better and their views on Architecture and an Architect.
According to the people in the rural area, an architect
designs for people whom they love and they cannot
love the rural. To change such perspective, an architect
needs to interact well with his clients and help them
know each other better.

The initiative of Rural Studio is beneficial in many ways.

Students not only solve a real life design problem but
also handle it onsite and continue working on it
throughout its completion. Designing is one
achievement but constructing the same helps them
study not only design but also building construction.
This makes an Architect a good designer as well as a
self-relied designer. Designing a solution on paper and
executing it through its physical completion are way too
different and Rural Studio highlights such difference.
The design and built experience of the students with
Jimmie Lee Mathews (aka, the Music Man) has been
shown as a lively event throughout the film. Mathews
with a charismatic personality, is a collector of audio
equipment and lives in a house in disrepair, without the
running water. He cannot afford a sustainable shelter
and thus, Mockbee guiding his students of the 20022003 Rural Studio class, designed and built a new
house for Mathews that matched his lifestyle.
The film also discusses Architecture as a Social Art.
The art of connecting with clients and making them
comfortable enough to be able to discuss freely their
ideas of living. Architecture challenges people in terms
of their idea of living.

There should be a shelter for every soul with this

notion, Mockbee initiates the concept of Rural Studio
which achieved great success in terms of familiarising
the future Architects with some reality projects and
building up their social art in the field of Architecture.

REFERENCING
Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of
Rural Studio