When I began my own architecture practice in 2022, I wanted its name to reflect my core values as an architect. I intuitively gravitated to “Humble Home Architecture” and I've enjoyed practicing under this banner. “Humble” because humility is a guiding principle in my work, and “Home” because of my passion for residential design.
Humble
Humility can get a bad rap. We don't like to “eat humble pie”, and the word “humility” is sometimes confused with “humiliation” (and no one likes that). But humility isn't self-deprecation, lack of confidence, or devaluing one's own talents. It doesn't conflict with taking pride in one’s work, or the satisfaction of a job well done. So what does it mean to be humble?
I believe humility is simply knowing the truth about ourselves. As an architect, it means that my role is one of a servant. I need to serve my clients’ needs above my own. I leverage my expertise to serve their goals, to help them actualize the home they need and want. It also means that I’m a team player, dependent on the work of engineers, interior designers, contractors, tradespersons, and many other experts, to complete the project and turn my vision into a reality.
Humility is found in being receptive to feedback, in the empathy of seeing a situation from someone else’s perspective, in being able to admit when you're wrong, or in doing excellent work without demanding praise from others. Gratitude is another common way of practicing humility. Many of the characteristics we look for in business, as well as in our personal lives, can be traced back to humility.
I'm still a novice when it comes to humility. I have to practice it in the same way I practice architecture: bit by bit, one day at a time, always learning and growing. Humility is less a personality trait that one “has” or “doesn’t have”, and more a guiding principle to strive for.
Home
I've always loved designing houses. That’s probably because I think “home” is an essential part of what it means to be human. Of course, home is so much more than four walls and a roof, and some people’s experience of home might not include a building at all. But most of us enjoy living in the same place each day, filling that place with the provisions we need and the people we love.
Houses become homes when they’re customized. This customization can be as simple as putting pictures on the walls, or as ambitious as designing and building your forever home. Our personalities and lifestyles are unique to each of us, so it follows that our homes should be uniquely adapted to suit us. Humans can’t resist making changes to a place to “make it their own”. For example, my wife and I can't even move into a house without giving in to the urge to paint walls and replace flooring. (I wonder if cave paintings were our ancestors’ way of home decorating?)
Architectural needs vary by household size, lifestyle, and taste. One person may thrive in a downtown studio apartment, while another needs a seven-bedroom resort to house all their grandchildren for the holidays. Homes also grow and shrink with the lifecycle of the family, whether by moving houses or by altering the building.
Design trends and market conditions may not always offer exactly what you need. A good architect can design the house of your dreams (not theirs!), or help you modify a house to suit your needs. In that sense, an architect is like a tailor: You may want a bespoke outfit, or you may just need some adjustments to an off-the-rack suit. Either way, they can help you achieve an ensemble that functions well, fits comfortably, and suits you personally.
Thanks for reading,
-Tim
