1) The document advocates for thoughtful architecture that addresses issues of thoughtless consumerism in society and is designed with soul to reflect human beauty and connectivity. 2) Thoughtful architecture must reflect the complex identities of its occupants through addressing their socio-economic status, profession, culture, gender, race and other facets of their identities. 3) Architecture must adapt sensitively to its natural, cultural, and built environmental context by respecting and integrating with the spatial and temporal histories of its location.

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Sadia Tabassum
On Thoughtful Design:
Architecture with soul
We live in a world of thoughtless consumerism, existing from one moment to the next with little
time to spare for nurturing our core self- the essence of our being. Our society encourages the
consumption of products to fill that void of connectivity, and sadly, our architecture tends to
reflect this. We need to advocate for thoughtful architecture that addresses these issues and is
designed with soul- reflecting the beauty of everything human.
Architecture must reflect the complex identities of its occupants
Whether by addressing the socio- economic status, profession, culture, gender, race or any
number of facets of its occupants’ identities, thoughtful architecture must respond to the individual
needs and aspirations of those who occupy it. In celebrating diverse identities, architecture can
help reduce the gap between the elitist architectural communities that exist today and the general
population, and better cater to the needs of the people who are meant to experience it.
Architecture must adapt to its context, both spatial and temporal
By being sensitive to the natural and cultural histories of the environment it inhabits, thoughtful
architecture must integrate itself into the built and un-built space around it. It is important to pay
just as much attention to the parts of the cityscape that aren’t built upon as those that are, to
understand the chronological growth of the city and to occupy a portion of it with respect and
sensitivity.
Architecture must be at once fearless and humble
Whether by introducing bolder forms, strategies, or even building materials in an otherwise
orthodox region, thoughtful architecture must be audacious with its imagination, pushing the
boundaries of social constructs. But it must be humble in equal measure in accepting that not all

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experiments are ultimately successful and respond to the consequences of such situations with the
grace and optimistic resolve that are necessary for its growth.
Architecture must be deliberate
Thoughtful architecture must clearly be able to identify its true purpose to everyone who
experiences it. Whether by addressing the divide between public and private spaces within its
form or by highlighting the ambiguity between the two, architecture must be intentional in its
design in a way that is legible to the people who occupy it. Each individual component of the
overall form must reinforce the intentionality of the design and thus communicate the purpose of
the overall form.
Architecture must evolve
Like every art form that hopes to survive, thoughtful architecture must be open to change. By
cultivating sustainable design and providing economic solutions where it’s necessary, for our
present time and for the future, it must constantly learn from the past to improve.
Final thoughts
Truly thoughtful architecture must help us connect to our humanity. As the Austrian architect
Friedensreich Hundertwasser put it in the description of his work:
“The flat floor is an invention of the architects. It fits engines - not human beings. People
not only have eyes to enjoy the beauty they see and ears to hear melodies and noses to
smell nice scents. People also have a sense of touch in their hands and feet. If modern man
is forced to walk on flat asphalt and concrete floors as they were planned thoughtlessly in
designers' offices, estranged from man's age-old relationship and contact to earth, a crucial
part of man withers and dies. This has catastrophic consequences for the soul, the
equilibrium, the well- being and the health of man. Man forgets how to experience things
and becomes emotionally ill. An uneven and animated floor is the recovery of man’s
mental equilibrium, of the dignity of man, which has been violated in our leveling,
unnatural and hostile urban grid system. The uneven floor becomes a symphony, a melody

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for the feet and brings back natural vibrations to man. Architecture should elevate and not
subdue man. It is good to walk on uneven floors and regain our human balance.”
Hundertwasser chose to use the uneven floors of his architecture to help people get in touch with
the part of their humanity that has been stripped by the grid- locked machine of efficiency that is
our society. In similar fashion, thoughtful architecture must find ways to help us recollect our
humanity, and reclaim our relationship to the built environment that surrounds us.