FROM THE SARA NATIONAL BOARD: Basketball, Surfing and Architecture

By Patrick Banning, ARA

Here we are in April 2020, finding ourselves in the midst of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. We’ve just observed/celebrated the anniversary of the late great Richard Neutra’s revolution around the sun, on of the stars of early California modernism, but I doubt this crowd requires an introduction. We are all enjoying a forced migration to work from home and on our own journey figuring out what that means, personally, to each of us. I find myself in the unique circumstance of starting up a new business this year, my own architectural firm, and have been managing my own little ‘Tenant Improvement’ since January. As such the only real difference I felt was becoming the homeschooler of two elementary age children at the same time. Note - My wife is a first-responder and out on the job every day. What a life-changing experience!

Don’t get me wrong, there are silver linings to this historic event, or the Great Pause, as some are calling it. I’ve spent more time with my children than I have in years…combined! Home projects are getting attention, and being completed. More than anything, the busyness of life has slowed down and offered time to think, reflect and evaluate where our energies should be focused, that they really are finite and precious. No, the experience of “finishing Netflix” has not been mine, but we have discovered new analog family games to keep us busy, and of course there is this start-up I mentioned. I feel busy in a different way and fortunate for it!

The other day, my son was on a zoom call with Cub Scouts. Zoom calls, raise your hand if you’re an expert by now. He is one of those kids that just can’t sit still. It’s been a tremendous, TREMENDOUS, effort to focus him in on school work each day. So, he’s presenting on a Tiger-scout sports badge requirement and his leader is asking the questions. Basketball is his favorite and we had attended a San Diego State game in this latest of their historic seasons. Asked why he likes basketball, and he responds – “Basketball is my favorite sport. When I play, I feel free…” There it was – what a smack in the face! Of course! Sure, he loves the game so much he practically skips up and down the court, but what a interesting thing to say for such a usually stoic young boy. What an awakening moment as a father. 

As humans, we share the quest, for feeling “free” and in the moment. 

Surfers find it.

“You come in contact with your own spirit through experiencing what the ocean has to offer. I think that’s what touches all of us, is that feeling that…that very pure and very free conscious feeling of flight when you arrive there. It gets to the point where you’re thinking your way through your movements, and everything is secondary. Your body is secondary Your equipment is secondary. You’re actually moving on terrain…with your mind. It’s about as close to flying you can get I would think. And, I think there’s something in the spirit sense, of being able to do that.” ~ Bill Hamilton in the documentary Laird

Race car drivers find it.

“There’s a point at 7,000 rpm where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless. It just disappears. All that’s left, a body moving through space and time. 7,000 rpm, that where you meet it.” ~ Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby in Ford v Ferrari

My son finds it in basketball.

And if we squint really hard we can find it in architecture.

I’ve spent 18 years in a supporting role to a wonderful and fantastic architect, my mentor, Manuel Oncina. As great as that was, and the wonderful bond and friendship formed, it’s not equivalent to being on your own. Being the architect, in responsible charge, of your own work is unmatched and exhilarating. Even in this pandemic, unlikely time, I’m experiencing my first tastes of freedom and it’s due in no small part to Architect Helping Architect. Once we choose to believe in a couple principal tenets:  Life is one big collaboration; and Abundance of work – we realize that the greatest joys come in sharing our experiences with others and that learning, sharing, and supporting one another as Architects wins the cost-benefit analysis of firewalling and compartmentalizing our knowledge and opportunities. Work can be work, but what excites YOU? What an important question that can guide our practices.

Circling back to SARA, and Architect Helping Architect, I believe there is great opportunity in uniting small firm and solo practitioners. 

In this time in which the complexities of regulation are soaring, more principles of 'good practice' get codified in every tri-annual cycle – the checklists keep getting longer, and the bar for entry to the best projects is set increasingly high with technology and very specific and recent experience requirements funneling the practice to specialization at a high level, it is also the time for innovation on the front of small firm and solo practitioners. What is this innovation? Perhaps time will tell. I have a feeling our experience of the world in these days will have something to do with finding it.

SARA’s strength is our national network of 'second family' members. Reach out and make two calls today. One to a SARA member, and one to a potential SARA member.

Family members love one another, support one another, and sometimes they argue; but we never forget we're family. Enjoy yours!

Patrick Banning is Principal of Banning Architecture in San Diego, California. Patrick is currently serving as a National Director of SARA. He subscribes to and supports the pursuit of SARA’s Architect Helping Architect and is interested in how SARA might be a platform to aid and support small firm architects in their pursuit of a fulfilling career through architecture.