Role of Social Media on Architectural Journalism
- Nishita Chopra
- Feb 7, 2021
- 3 min read
Architecture can be, put simply, defined as the art of designing buildings. The architecture looks to design and constructs space that reflects the functional, social, and aesthetic environments of the structure. Social media acts as a powerful tool that connects the design ideology to the masses at large, encouraging interaction among people. It displays the finest works while also putting forward the issues that need better planning and refinement by architects, conveying an easy and knowledgeable conversation among the people.
With being updated with digitisation, more so than ever post the pandemic, it is much easier now for anyone to send personalized statements in a matter of minutes. From half baked facts to full-fledged informative, we now hold the ability to communicate opinions and ideologies through images, posts, or tweets. Social media allows architects to communicate daily with vast audiences and harvest opinions that can affect design practices. Architectural Journalism is now gaining much traction as apart from design, explaining the same holds just as much importance as far as fabricating a brand is concerned. Social media has completely upturned the world of journalism. The way we perceive news today has drastically changed in the past years.
Influence of Social Media
Online platforms bring news to the masses instantly. It opens an interactive channel of communication where it involves seamless engagement in public debate and feedback. It opens more opportunities for journalists to work on online publications and freelance. Architecture Journalism becomes a niche subject covering limited data created for architects by architects. Since the audience reach is limited to these sections, this is where social media allows in a higher reach possibility by providing cues to attract and generate traction.
Clients have various communication channels with an architect. They are either based through face-to-face meetings, e-mails, or phone. Today, social media also plays an important role in client to architect contact. It helps the clients identify their needs and make a move to contact an architect through the basics of social media. Image rooted platforms such as Instagram, allow architecture immediate access with the local audience. This gives the authority to the public to share their views and perspective on particular architecture talked about, taking the control of editing out of the curator's hands. Such public platforms give the architects access to a plethora of insightful feedback on designs permitting any future refinement.
Architects and Social Media
Social media not only permits a convenient way to let architects stay updated with new trends but also establishes a potential communication channel between architects and future clients. Direct messaging on Facebook or Instagram or Linkedin page are some of the examples providing easy access. public comments also provide the architects with an opportunity to engage with the feedback in real-time. The key social media is not sales but communication leading to strong contact formation.
Sharing websites, blog posts, or possible links to works done by architects or studies they are researching about let everyone connect to the thoughts swiftly. It helps build a rapport and generate knowledge among laymen, starting a more informed conversation. Social media also allows other architects to comment and be aware of other local communities and architect related pages such as Dezeen, ArchDaily, or Architectural Digest. One won't only find architects browsing through their posts but also clients looking for inspiration for their picturesque homes.
Through social media, many clients are able to collate a storyboard as inspiration for their new projects before approaching a client. Identifying colors, textures, design styles, media trends are all kinds of information a client might need before he goes to an architect. Social media allows not only that but much more in terms of budget and time.
It is important to educate and communicate with the masses about the subject and new trends in the industry. Social media allows the architect to target a set of audience and narrow down key points to consider social media posts to the targeted few. This helps in more informed communication with the client during the design process.
Besides taking suggestions from the public, social media also allows them to take a look at the efforts and hard work that goes into the designing process. With social media being one of the simplest and economic means of connection, it is easy to communicate and look at the works in various parts of the world and be more enlightened when it comes to architectural knowledge.
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