Frame and enclosure, our dominant system of construction, is still new and developing. This implies a responsibility that often conflicts with other cherished goals of architects. A building is a shelter for human activities and physical expression of human aspirations. The purpose of a building often defines the public character of its architecture. Architectural culture, through our education, apprenticeship, and practice, affects us for life.
Contemporary practice is complex, based on teamwork, and itself requires design.
Those who select the architect, pay the bills, use the building, and judge its success have a formidable effect on our designs and careers. Through our lives, we develop a body of ideas and principles that guides our actions. Connections impose limits that are encountered by every architect. These limits are always addressed in one way or another, but that is not enough. A mishandled connection can abort the project, weaken the architecture, or damage a place.