Essay 2 Book Review – Architecture: One Might Think This Would Be Easy

Architecture is a very broad subject with many specialties. People spend years studying in an academic environment, hoping to become architects in their field. The entire industry has a long and fascinating history, having been a part of every construction project since the dawn of civilization. While having a blueprint of a house is usually necessary to start any project, without people to actually build your creation you will get nowhere. Carpenters and other skilled tradesmen are responsible for the majority of the construction involved with building a house. Many attempts have been made throughout the years to try to find ways to make people understand the basic concepts of construction and design. It is by no means an easy task, usually being within the domain of experienced craftsmen and artists. This book is an attempt to completely go through the process as a layman would, while leaving the required expertise behind. While no substitute for real training, the book is a fascinating story about the author’s experience over several years while building a writing hut in his garden. Although A Place of My Own may be described in its basic form as a guide to building a house, Michael Pollan takes it to the next level and accomplishes so much more because of the human connection, history, and reality.

Building any kind of structure can be a daunting task, especially for someone who has no experience in the field. Any kind building that exists today has had some help from someone who designed it. We are nowhere even close technologically to the point where a building can be designed without human input. Every part of the design process, from the first idea to habitation, involves input from people. This kind of in-depth human involvement has resulted in architectural designs that capture the essence of humanity in a way that few other creations can. We comingle with our habitations every day of our lives. The importance of good design choices cannot be denied when faced with the challenges such as the simple act of occupying these spaces. Pollan takes a look at these facets in a very thorough and involved way. Under heavy discussion throughout the book, the underlying concept of style is steadily emphasized as being an important concept of architecture. This concept is drawn upon when selecting a foundation site all the way up to the complete interior decorating that must be done. Pollan is greatly involved in this pet project of his. Even though the size of his writing hut is rather small, the attention to detail and craftsmanship drew out the construction process to the point where it actually took several years to complete.

Pollan also goes into great detail about the historical aspects of architecture. One undeniable fact that we must realize is that history influences everything. From this reasoning, one can say that modern architecture is heavily influenced by different classic and historical styles. When Pollan first begins the steps of selecting a site in his garden to lay a foundation, he draws a connection to the past and compares this aspect of an architect’s mindset to the earliest people who first built a hut out of branches and mud. This historical retelling is pronounced throughout the book and gives the reader a larger perspective than what may usually be found in a story of this type. While always giving an honest, modern view on every step of construction, lessons about past accomplishments and feats help us understand exactly why things are the way they are. Each mention of historical architectural styles, famous architects, or notable buildings will help deepen the reader’s core understanding of the industry as a whole.

As complicated a process as one might think constructing a house might be, Pollan is able to realize his small dream by willfully taking each step one at a time. When he first thought about building his writing shack, it was just idle thought; a small footnote in a larger piece of text. Having set about devoting some serious thought to this idea, Pollan eventually began setting some gears in motion and started to talk to people whom we would seek advice. Every step that Pollan takes is described in detail which allows the reader to understand just how important each part of the project is. Close to starting the construction of his building, Pollan wants to first complete the entire thing himself. Faced with the daunting reality of how complicated this really is, he is forced to accept that he will need assistance. Stuff like this is never easy, and Pollan repeatedly expresses this reality throughout the book, going so far as to warn the reader against making mistakes like these. One of the major hurdles that Pollan and his hired crew (actually consisting of just a carpenter and architect) face early on was dealing with a foundation that ended up being out of square. “The error, this simple, stupid, unconscious, un-undoable error, haunts my building even now” was a description that Pollan probably would have rather not made while writing this book. This small mistake affects the entire building process, almost every step of the way until completion. Foundation work, framing, roofing, and finishing ended up being more complicated than they had to because of the very real effect of a tiny mistake.

Anyone who is seriously considering starting any construction project should be happy to know that reading this book beforehand would be a very wise idea. Pollan has taken on a project as an amateur, and throughout the entire book helped us understand what architecture really is. The fact that a smaller structure was chosen only allowed so much greater detail in the descriptions during each step. We end up with a deep connection with this particular hut out in the middle of a garden in Connecticut, reflecting on the necessity of human emotion in our surroundings. A Place of My Own is a masterful work, proving that there is an artist in all of us.

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