What is architecture?

I strongly and personally believe that when an architect is been added to a certain project it clearly meaner that art is being added to a project. Architecture is what runs a society. Without architecture society can be peaceful and happy but it cannot be organized and functional. Architecture brings stability to the society. Now why is architecture important? Because we all spend most of our lifetime indoors. We want a good environment. Our environment is largely effected by buildings and the amount of energy they use.When I came to Pip to study architecture I thought it will be easy but then I realized architecture requires commitment. There is no room for choice. Either you will love it or hate it, there is no middle ground if you wish to be successful. If you want to be an Architect you must free your mind, break sways convention, think critically and learn to question and when appropriate challenge. I was told to study history in Architecture. I hated it because I am a militant modernists but history is essential and can't be ignored.From history we get precedents, form, influence, challenges, failure and materiality. An Architect is very important to the society for not what only do or what he brings to the society. A tremendous change can only be brought if an Architect works with its full education. Change is constant in this society and this amazing process of change has long been a source of inspiration for designers and Architects. Engineers and Architects for their building projects. This is because the designs which bring change are not Just aesthetically pleasing but are also practical and innovative.Architecture is about ideas. Ideas can come from the location, nature, human beings, planets etc. The form can be inspired by the location. The materials can be influenced by the form. It is about space. Space is influenced by materials, scale, people and texture. â€Å"look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. â€Å"-A lbert Einstein. As I love buildings which are nature inspired. These buildings which are inspired from nature are more sensational because some of the designs also take on adaptive features of the things they were based on.And I went searched for some buildings which were nature inspired and I was amazed to see the results that these buildings mark a great importance in today's world, For example- The Beijing national stadium r better known as the bird's nest stadium was designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & De neuron for the 2008 summer Olympics and Paralytics in Beijing china. As the name implies, the stadium looks like a giant bird's nest made out of 110,000 tons of steel. The entire cost of constructing the stadium has been reported at over IIS$420 million.The infrastructure was also built using advanced energy- saving design and environment friendly features such as natural ventilation & lighting, a recycling system for rainwater, use of renewable geothermal energy sourc es and utilization of photovoltaic power technologies. Now I said so much about this mega structure. Why? Because before reading about this bird's nest stadium I always thought designing nature inspired building is useless. We can't go far. Somewhere we will get stuck. This building changed my perception.When I first saw this building in a magazine, the next fifteen minutes I Just stared at that image of this building and continuously asked Just one question to myself, how could they do this? I was Jealous at the very same time by the architect. By his vision. By his creativity. No matter he Just used steel to wrap up the stadium but the idea behind this was something very amazing. Another building I want to mention is Palm islands. Palm islands are an artificial archipelago in Dubbed, I-JAKE that is shaped like a palm tree, topped with a crescent.The archipelago is made from sand and dredged from the Persian gulf and is house both residential and commercial establishments such as h otels, residential beach side villas and apartments, theme parks and restaurants. As an architect I want to leave an emotional response because architecture is about creating space in which people feel-sense and the proportions and rhythms of buildings create understandings that I know but how to put that into words. The beauty of architecture and the Joy of architect is we can set up potential for certain responses, but we can't force it. Owe someone will react is entirely subjective. Some spaces may energize one person and frustrate another. However if I careful craft my design, I can make opportunities for people to engage most of their senses. Smooth, rough, cold, warm. When I will introduce water or other calming feature, the sound can create a memory of what one was doing or thinking at that moment. Visual qualities can certainly create an emotional response with color, texture, light/shadow ND form. The emotional response does not need to be profound, Just a response. Was the person happy or feel pleasant is one response.Did it emitted curiosity? Or simply, does a space help one to focus or learning or lift their emotions to aid in their healing. Architecture of big malls and clash of sight and sound cause me to be frustrated, sometimes angry and sometimes I left an emotional response. In college every teacher who taught me said design a building in such a way that natural light should enter but when I design I hardly care about natural light. When any normal unman being goes to a mall he admires the outer faded of the mall. Then he enters and see interiors and gets amazed by it. He never cares about if natural light is coming or not.If the building is functional or not. He Just admires what he sees. Taking an example of MOM Amanda, in this building natural light plays a great role. This is an remarkable building. But I got to know this thing after I came to study architecture. Before that I was unaware of this sensational master piece. My point is norm al people hardly cares about all this. They Just want building to be beautiful. Hey want a building to glow like gold or smooth as silk or white as milk. La m not saying building should not contain natural light or it should be not functional. These points are very important for a building to work.My point is these points should be kept in mind while designing but they should not be given over emphasize. In this world there is a line of good ideas. What we think that good or brilliant ideas comes rare to the people. No, this world is full of talented people. But there are powerful people too who are at the top and dominates everyone. Making a good design is not enough. You should first learn to save what you have created if you want to survive in this world. If you want to prove your existence that yes I do live here you better know how to respond when someone raise a finger over your work.Anyone can through away your work or design in a dustbin saying this is a sit. If you don't kn ow what to say or if you have not prepared yourself for that then no matter how amazing your design is or was, that was nothing. Many architects take this term way too seriously- sustainable architecture. When a builder tells them to design a building for him they hunk of giving a foyer, multiple opening in the wall so that light can enter. But they forget that their first motive is to give their client a fool profit design. They should think about their client first.Morals too order you to do this. If someone has asked you to do something and he is paying for you than you should better think about them first. Suppose you were asked to design an office building and how your client will make more profit. You think about going for sustainable architecture and help in giving back something to environment. That is very good thing. But thinking other ay round if you will give windows and openings then the workers working inside will remember that they have a life outside too. They will b e connected to outside world too. F we think of sustainability than we should too think about this. This world work both ways. If I talk about why I chose architecture over another profession its because, to be very honest architect sounds cool. I know I will feel very proud to introduce myself as Architect Dear Bagman Sings. It sounds so good now too. Santiago collateral inspired me. I am a big fan of him. Why I love him or why I respect IM so much its because he has its own signature style. His buildings only will tell you that I was designed by collateral or I am a result of collateral's vision. This happened with me. Hen I was gowning through a magazine I saw a building and I thought this might be collateral's work and I was very happy when I read his name on the next page. This proves he has done architecture right when he is basically not an architect too. If you go and see collateral's building it will tell you a different story from every side you see. His buildings always h ave something new to offer. A suspense, a never ending building is what he designs. This is how architecture should be done. On your own terms. In this modern era when there are many great architects present, collateral stands in a different row.He has developed his own style and that's the most significant thing about him. He combines artistry with engineering. The title of the book written on him goes perfectly on him- â€Å"poetics of movement†. He is truly a genius in himself and the best thing is he is best in the stuff he do. Collateral's entry into high rise design began with an innovative 54-story-high twisting tower called Turning Torso(2005), location Mammal, Sweden. He is famous for his bridges and train stations. He is someone I want to be. He has his own thing in architecture. He belongs to architecture.There are many more great architects, greater than collateral too but what he is, is more important for me. I don't know his full biography or his history neither I no about all his works and projects but still he make me go crazy with whatever I know about him. Some of my classmates made a model of Lyon, airport railway station, Lyon France and they had many difficulties in starting. When they finished making the model they were very happy. The model name up very good. They said this was one of the best experience for them. But what I liked was when they said,We felt very good after making this model. I love this impact of claptrap which he have on every one of us. He faced a lot of criticism in his life but he replied by making awesome buildings. His work speaks. The thing I learnt from him his if you believe in yourself and in the stuff you do than you too can become great. Mummy†¦. One thing I realized after studying architecture for 2 years is most of the buildings which stands out loud in croup were the result of an architect ho designed by theory. If you Just make a functional building it will be like any other normal building.Bu t if you start a building with a concept which has nothing to do with architecture and then after you explore that and then when design a building by the properties and character of your concept you will surely win the battle. The more you think about theories, the more you will go into detailing. Theories will lead you to design every part of your building differently and with something which will increase the importance of that part. I will explain it with an example.. Like when you a photo of ours you like that photo more which was taken random.The picture in which you made poses will not entertain you that much because the picture which was clicked random will have a certain story behind that and that increases its importance. Same goes to design of a building. When you design lets say a room and if it has a certain concept or a story or a theory behind that then there are chances that your client will love that. Anything which is expressed or told in a certain way attract us. S o does buildings too. Coming back to Pip, design reviews are the most difficult parts but cost important and interesting too. T that time I find that I am finding it difficult to discuss my own design. Not Just me, even the student who has highest number of sheets and has worked very hard whole semester finds tough to deal with reviews. When whole class is standing behind you and you are there selling out your design to the two externals you never saw. Its hard. But from design reviews only we learn many things. At that very same time when I see my design I automatically realize I should have done this or I have made this block here. Reviews should be held very often.Reviews are the best teachers if someone asks me who is the best teacher of the block. That's the point where you have to save what you have created. Your design is like your small baby and you need to protect that from the world. You have to be at your best if you want to mark your existence. The last thing I want to a dd is architecture is clearly the most interesting thing ever happened to humanity. It is interesting, it is important, everyone needs this, it is cool, it is awesome, it is big, it is great. We need architecture to survive. Architecture changed the face of the earth. This explains its greatness. What is Architecture? What is Architecture? ‘We form our edifices, and afterwards they shape us’ [ 1 ] Architecture, like history, is undependable, subjective, selective, rewritten, continues to be influenced by rich or powerful persons or establishments, and is seldom a contemplation of the common adult male. The common aesthetic of a state has been carefully curated and developed over many old ages, to the point where it is no longer a true contemplation of the common people. Much like national costume, state dance or common people music, architecture is excessively frequently used to continue the memory of a aureate yesteryear. Architecture is an ideal.. It can and should germinate with the passing of clip toreflectnew challenges, aspirations and values. Modern western society has ne'er been more classless or democratic and its built environment caters to its dwellers in all facets of their being:it’s where they live, work and drama. As such the function of modern architecture is to profit ordinary people while at the same clip incorporating the reverberations of the yesteryear. Architecture has, and will, ever be used as a symbol of power and wealth or promote political orientations. From theRomanEmpire to theNew York skyline, the purpose of the abiding architecture of the yesteryearis toobserve the victory of the little category of governing elite, despite masquerading as a cultural infinite, where political undertakings attempt to go socially meaningful.[ 2 ]Today, the bulk of European national authoritiess have an architectural policy designed to profit their populations, and advance their alone national image or ‘brand’ abroad.This essay is intended as a limitedscrutiny of England as an illustration of how such a policy can accommodate the desire to continue our heritage without impeding advancement. Architecture as representation of national individuality. In 2009 Denmark launched its first national architecture policy, ‘A State of Architecture’ with the purpose of guaranting the production of high quality architecture, thereby vouching a good quality of life and economic growing.[ 3 ]This policy was specifically introduced to advance the values that Danish architecture seeks to stand for.[ 4 ]In 2013 Scotland introduced its ain architecture policy, ‘Creating Places’ , seeking to title-holder quality design which reflects Scotland as a modern, forward-thinking state[ 5 ] England remains one of the lone states in the European Union without any kind of policy[ 6 ]. Earlier this twelvemonth Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, invited Terry Farrell to carry on one of the most extended probes into the UKs built environment.[ 7 ]Both Ed Vaizey and Terry Farrell have been outspoken about the importance of the built environment to the state as a whole, yet a Built Environmentwas non a subject covered by the footings of mention for the Review[ 8 ]andeven before the reappraisal had been published, Vaizey publically stated, â€Å" I have n't anticipated that the study will ensue in any alterations to statute law. †[ 9 ] Architecture in the UK The Farrell Review The Farrell reappraisal is an analysis of the current reinforced environment of Britain.It recognises that Britain has ever played a important function in architectural invention, and that in general the criterion of architectural design has improved.[ 10 ]However, this does non intend that current criterions are sufficient ; English architectural design has stalled and is confronting new challenges. The reappraisal high spots countries which are in demand of betterment over the coming old ages.[ 11 ] An Architecture Policy for 21stCentury England In the 1970s, England moved off from its industrial yesteryear, and old regional fabrication human dynamos, such as Birmingham, Newcastle and Manchester were eclipsed by London’s chokehold on the fiscal market.[ 12 ]In 21stcentury England there is one time once more a demand for alteration and a displacement in accent from the capital to the parts.[ 13 ] RIBA argues that a Minister for the Built Environment should be appointed to sit within the Cabinet Office â€Å"advancing quality in the reinforced environment and implementing a Design Policy across government.†[ 14 ]While ‘core’ sections such as the Treasury, Foreign Office and Home Office have continuity from authorities to authorities, architecture, lodging, substructure, conveyance and planning are apt to be lumped in with any figure of other ‘minor’ministries.[ 15 ] Presently, architecture is a subset of Heritage within the Department for Culture, Media & A ; Sport ( DCMS ) . [ 16 ] The effect of this changeless shifting around is a haphazard and confused system that certainly indicates the dismissive attitude of cardinal authorities to the function of the built environment. This deficiency of focal point must be rectified. Nor is at that place any bing authorities appointed ( or other functionary )representative to defend the cause ofdesign[ 17 ]Farrell recommends that the currentDesign Review should be reinvented under the acronym PLACE – Planning, Landscape, Architecture, Conservation and Engineering.[ 18 ]All authorities sections and government-funded organic structures would so subscribe up to an agreed set of rules and a design policy statement, which would put out how they intend to organize the design quality of their several built environment aspirations, activities and duties.[ 19 ]Such a policy would besides take history of â€Å"procurement ( of services and merchandises ) , handiness, sustainability, information and communications engineerin g, care and stewardship and the public realm† .[ 20 ]This more cohesive attack lends itself non merely to greater efficiency and economic system, but besides represent a ‘kitemark’ of uniquely English architectural design, instead than merely current British criterions of buildings. Percepts of English Architecture Scotland and Denmark are confident that their peculiar national individualities are reflected in the values they intend their architecture to convey. If such a policy were to be in England what would its individuality be based upon? As the cardinal, dominant state in Great Britain for more than 300 old ages[ 21 ], and laminitis of the British Empire[ 22 ],the English have non needed in the yesteryear to worry about a specifically English national individuality: the place of authorities has ever been in London, the common linguistic communication has ever been English and the established faith has been the Church of England. England equated to Britain. However the recent ballot on Scots independency was a crisp reminder that nil is set in rock. The Empire, maritime and fabrication domination have all gone, and now there is a demand to rediscover an individuality that is unambiguously English and non merely a rehash of British cliches. The danger is that a policy based on national individuality might acquire hijacked by chauvinists, romanticists and diehards. In a address on St. George’s twenty-four hours, 1993, John Major attempted to chase away public frights of fall ining the European Union, by claiming that Britain would ever stay, â€Å"†¦distinctive and in Europe. Fifty old ages from now, Britain will still be the state of long shadows on county evidences, warm beer, unbeatable green suburbs, Canis familiaris lovers and – as George Orwell said – old amahs biking to Holy Communion through the forenoon mist. . .†[ 23 ] What he was depicting was middle-class, conservative, Home Counties England, which has ever resisted alteration and modernness. This nostalgic and rural English idyll is non a true contemplation of English national individuality and is exactly what has to be avoided if a national Architectural policy is to be genuinely good to the English state. The guardians of cocoa box England side-line the impact of the industrial revolution, which funded the manor houses and sign of the zodiacs, and the civic edifices so beloved to the Black Marias of environmentalists, ignore the slum clearances done in the name of societal justness in post-war urban planning, and keep in cheque edifice work of national importance that would profit the huge bulk of the population,in order to protect the privileged few[ 24 ]. Such attitudes in no manner reflect English national character traits of ‘pragmatism, Puritanism and utilitarianism that are aligned with ( instead than hostile to ) urbanism and econ omic growth’ .[ 25 ] There is a existent disparity betweenwhat ispromoted and protectedas‘English’ architectureby these privileged categories, and what ordinary people need. Introducing an architectural policy to England would non merely guarantee some sort of minimal design criterion, but could besides stomp inclusivity, invention and individuality as the war cries of modern English values. â€Å"The differentiation between historical and recent is excess. All that is past is our history. That which is most ancient is likely to be valued more extremely because of its rarity†¦ . Our recent history may turn out to be tremendously of import to future coevalss so we should try at least to expect this.†Steven Bee [ 26 ] England drastically needs to alter its attitude to architecture and individuality and recognise that a national individuality is about the present and should non merely be based on the yesteryear.Its incontrovertible repute for saving and preservation is a comparatively recent phenomenon: 75 old ages ago there were no listed edifices, whereas today there are over 375,000.[ 27 ]However, these are chiefly edifices which are sometimes referred to as â€Å"poster British heritage† ferociously defended bycertain coterie of British society whose gustatory sensations are selective and blinkered.[ 28 ]Merely 0.5 % of all listed edifices are modern, built after 1945.[ 29 ]The architecture of the industrial Revolution ( much of it based in the Midlands and the North ) are less prized than the Georgian sign of the zodiacs of the south-east.This is non a rejection of the yesteryear: There is an undeniable relationship between heritage, topographic point and individuality.[ 30 ]However, th e yesteryear is merely an facet of who we are. Persons have dreams and aspirations, and in the same manner topographic points should be aspirational. Even HRH Prince Charles who late released his ain recommendations intended to protect English design, insists that he is non against modern design, and stresses that edifices must take peoples’ demands into consideration.[ 31 ] Rather than being run by a self-seeking elite of upper and middle-class diehards, an effectual policy should be carefully curated by a panel of experts who are in melody with the people and the nation’s needs, able to judge without prejudice the best way for a modern England on a universe phase and willing to accommodate and amendprogramsto reflect altering fortunes. â€Å"( Britain ) stands out †¦ as a state with an vastly strong and diverse cultural individuality and memory expressed in its built and natural environment to which we all†¦ can associate†¦ It is those foundations of individuality and memory that provide Britain with its successful hereafter in a competitory and fast-changing universe.†Alan Baxter[ 32 ] Design for the Future The term ‘heritage’ is highly confining, it is frequently merely associated with the distant yesteryear.[ 33 ] The current coevals does non separate traditional and modern design as it was in the 20ThursdayCentury, this current mentality recognises sees the potency in what is already at that place, the value of topographic point, individuality and sustainability. [ 34 ] The attack is no longer to construct to be remembered, but to construct to profit future coevalss. â€Å"‘New’ and ‘old’ need non compete.† Lucy Musgrave. [ 35 ] After printing his reappraisal Farrell suggests that in fact England is a state which would non profit from entire, inclusive formal ‘English’ policy, and would really profit from regional policies which reflected our truly alone and diverse state. A policy that might work for cardinal London could hold really small relevancy to a small town in Wiltshire or a Northern industrial metropolis. Such an across-the-board formal policy is more effectual on smaller states,[ 36 ]a state like England has such a unique and huge scope of regional individualities that need to be protected, and possibly England’s long history and international presence means that it is non as easy for it to show a individual, cosmopolitan image. Farrell besides calls for a Chief Architect, similar to a Chief Planner, which would intend a consistent high criterion of design – our reinforced environment must execute successfully, we must hold adequate places for our population, we must und ertake clime alteration, andeven how can wedesign to cover with our altering environment, such as the inundations which hit Britain every twelvemonth.[ 37 ] Decision â€Å"History is non defined by the ‘discrete projects’ ( one-off edifices such as baronial places or palaces ) but is continuous.† Hank Dittmar [ 38 ] If England is to hold national individuality as an facet of national planning we must guarantee that it is the best qualities that are in grounds. Whether the solution is a one size fits all attack as suggested by Prince Charles, or a more localized, regional policy, as proposed by Farrell, the purpose should be to profit the full community by set uping standard values in architecture. That manner ‘good’ physiques are designed before they are erected as opposed to placing them as worthy or important long after they have been built.A design policy offers a centralized end for all those lending to the built environment. It goes beyond merely design,to a purpose and ultimate endto bring forth good designed quality edifice which to the full benefit the dwellers of England. Regardless of whether a policy is for a whole stateor a individual small town, it should be developed and enabled by authorities, but ledindependentlyby industry. The stewardship, long-run planning and individuality of existent topographic points should be a cardinal portion of reinforced environment policies.[ 39 ]It is critical that if a policy is of all time put in topographic point it must be right implemented. Past RIBA President Sunand Prasad compactly states, â€Å"It is people that make the difference non policy. Crudely put, good people can work round bad constabularies but good policies can non work round bad people.†[ 40 ] Policy is non about making a common manner, or seeking to mime the yesteryear, it is about guaranting quality design for edifices which decently benefit their users.