What's the Point (of Crits)?

After 5 years of studio presentations, you'd think it would be no sweat. But asked to write about what makes a good crit, I realized that I've never given it much thought. I still view my own presentations as something I simply have to do, and the presentations of others as something I simply have to sit through.

Unless it's clear what the point of a crit is, it's hard to say what makes a good crit. So really, what's the point?

First of all, a crit is really a public forum. The formal presentation is a briefing - what follows should be a discussion. If the response is simply negative or positive ("Your drawings aren't great" or "I love how you engaged the site") without evolving into constructive dialogue, the purpose of a critique hasn't been met. You can walk away from your own crit feeling great ("They loved it!") but without any new ideas for developing the project or anything learned at all. That would be a good moment for your ego, but not necessarily a good crit. The point is for you and others to share ideas and dialogue about each individual project.

Second of all, a crit is practice for the real world. An architect regularly meets with clients to talk about proposals - though we don't refer to them as such, these are actually crits. Each party should walk away feeling that they have benefited from the exchange (the architect knows more about what the client wants, the client knows more about what the architect is proposing, and both are glad to be working together). A studio or Gateway crit is a 'safe' opportunity to hone the skills required for a good client presentation (clarity, engaging all members of a group, fostering trust and respect, providing feedback, critical thinking). The point is for everyone in the room to get better at having clear, respectful and constructive group exchanges.

Lastly, a crit is an opportunity to gauge progress. When everyone's projects are pinned up, you should be able to look around the room and see the progress of each project and the overall progress of the studio. It's a way to evaluate individual work as well as the studio material and environment. Is the intent of the studio being conveyed clearly? Are the students being challenged? This is not only a chance for the instructor to gauge progress, but a chance for students to review their own understanding of the studio goals and see their own work in relation to others'. The point is to evaluate progress and reveal opportunities for improvement.

Ultimately, a good crit is a learning opportunity. If the crit serves these purposes (exchanging ideas and dialogue, practicing for the real world and evaluating progress), it's been really constructive for everyone.

Check out this book in the library for more useful pointers:
The Crit: An Architecture Student's Handbook. (Doidge, Sara, Parnell, Parsons) Architectural Press, 2000.