Dakota Rhodes ‘18
Architecture as Art
I was walking through Berlin, on my way to Checkpoint Charlie when what I had been learning at Wabash had kicked in. It was a utopic moment of clarity when I could clearly see the difference in the eastern and western Berlin architecture. It sounds so simple, but this was a defining moment for myself. I had been learning about art and architecture through my many classics classes at Wabash, and then I saw its practicality in real life. Architecture is more than a way of building; it is a way to express a cultures view of the world around them. No architect has ever built something because it looks beautiful; they built it for a reason beyond what a wondering eye can see. The difference in architecture was astounding and showed the separation of a capitalistic view of the world and a communistic past. This was so astounding to me because it is something that everyone else looked past. The public was looking for touristy shops and landmarks, but to stop for a moment and wonder, wonder how great men and women depicted their timeline through these buildings, incredible. I wouldn’t have been able to experience this profound moment without the help of the Givens Family. It is because of them that I was able to experience art as it was supposed to be experienced, in person and with insurmountable appreciation.
