Artistic
license Construction
is a moment of art surrounded by labor.
You can’t look at a construction
site and see art. You’ll see dirt piles, cement slabs, partially framed structures,
trenches and maybe a guy working a jackhammer into a chunk of concrete. The
art of construction is behind the scenes. It’s not the shovel in the dirt.
It’s the reason someone is shoveling in the first place. It starts the moment
someone harnesses a vision long enough to transfer it to paper. That’s
art in the same sense as any other act of creating. It’s also just one opinion.
And in art, just as in construction, opinions are as common as tenpenny nails. So,
is construction a form of art? Here’s what some in the industry think: - Peter
Vogel, president of Vogel Bros. Building Co., Madison: “I think there’s
an element of art in everything. So there is some portion of construction that
is art.” - Mike Fabishak, CEO of the Associated General Contractors
of Greater Milwaukee: “In a practical sense, I don’t characterize
it as art. It’s more of a left brain vs. right brain thing. I would characterize
it as more left brain, more rooted in engineering and logic. The capability to
massage a project through time restraints and the needs of owners requires finesse
and artistry.” Mark Reihl, executive director of the Wisconsin State
Council of Carpenters: “My first response is yes, absolutely. Certainly,
the design of a building and the architecture are all different, and they are
somebody’s vision for a building. I also think it’s art because on any
construction project, things don’t go as planned, and people come up with
innovative solutions to make that project complete. Construction is a collaboration
of many people completing a vision.” - Tammy Meyers, human resources
manager with Altmann Construction Co., Wisconsin Rapids: “By all means.
It’s a landmark and permanent structure. It’s a beautiful picture of
man’s work. When I think of construction and artwork, it brings to mind the
great architects.” - Cherie Claussen, regional office director
and principal of HGA Inc., Milwaukee: “It depends on how you define
art, but I think it would be. It’s part of the built environment. They have
the wonders of the modern world, which tend to be architectural edifices. I think
that would extend itself to believing architecture would be artwork. A building
could be considered a sculpture, which is art. We tend to think buildings are
sculptured art ... not all of them, mind you.” 
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