Scratching the Surface 110. Sam Jacob
Feb 13, 2019
In this conversation, Sam Jacob, an architect, writer, and educator with a rich background in architecture and design, delves into the interplay between writing and architectural practice. He discusses how his journey into writing began through design critiques and explores how video games can serve as architectural narratives. Sam shares his approach to teaching writing in design, the influence of literary figures on his work, and how writing informs his architectural sensibilities and projects. His hybrid, politically aware stance on design blurs the lines between aesthetics and contextual critique.
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Late Start, Fast Takeoff
- Sam began writing late, first publishing short 150–200 word reviews on a nascent hard-coded blog.
- His first paid piece for Icon compared Resident Evil's mansion to Tadao Ando's Maison à Bordeaux and launched his published writing career.
Design As Criticism
- Sam treats projects as forms of criticism that should have a clear thesis or narrative.
- He argues design should narrate context, history and people, producing a take-away beyond abstract experience.
Works Mirror Their World
- Sam sees cultural production as both autonomous and responsive, acting as a lens on its circumstances.
- He borrows broadly from books, films and music to make work that responds to its social context.
