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"Luminous Art & Design :: Art & Artists"
Architectural Design :: Biography and Books"
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Architecture is the art and science of designing and erecting buildings. It developed out of need for shelter, security and worship and throughout the history buildings were based on the principles stated by Vitruvius; durability, utility and beauty.
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Architecture is the art and science of designing and erecting buildings and structures. It involves the manipulation of space, volume, texture and light in keeping with functional and aesthetic criteria. The aesthetic aspect of architecture distinguishes it from engineering, which concentrated purely on utility.
The word ‘architecture’ is derived from Greek ‘architektoon’ meaning ‘chief builder’. And later on used in Latin as ‘architectura’. The first written work on the subject was ‘De architectura’, known today as ‘The Ten Books of Architecture’, by the Roman architect Vitruvius in the early 1st century CE. Vitruvius describes three principles of a good building; durability, utility and beauty. The architect is firstly concerned with the construction and the practical limitations. Secondly, the building must suit the needs of those who use it. And aesthetics is the third concern. Throughout the history the same principles are applied.
Architecture is as old as the first buildings. It developed out of needs for shelter, security and worship. As human cultures developed, architecture became a craft and later on even a form of art. In ancient cultures architecture reflected the engagement with the divine and had mostly religious purposes, like the pyramids, tombs and temples of the ancient Egyptians. Classical civilizations (Greeks and the Romans) based their architecture on civic ideals rather than religious and new building types emerged. Amphitheatres, basilica and thermae were public buildings in the Roman and Greek periods. During the Medieval period guilds were formed by craftsmen and general civil construction such as roads and bridges began to be built. It was during the Renaissance, that buildings were ascribed to specific architects as Alberti, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Raphael.
The history of modern architecture began in the end of the 19th century, when architects found themselves in a world being reshaped by science and industry. The first uses of structural iron and steel, reinforced concrete and electricity laid open the door for mass production. And with the rise of new materials and technologies, the architect began to lose ground on many aspects of building design and shifted his focus on aesthetics. Visual qualities became a criterion for the middle class and the ‘gentleman architect’ started to create country houses for wealthy clients and use the cheaper machine-produced ornamental products.
Architecture of the 20th century approached engineering. Buildings were reduced to pure forms, exposing steel beams and concrete surfaces, or steel substructures sheathed in glass. Architects of Modernism were celebrating the new means and methods made possible by the Industrial Revolution. And in the mean time, modern works of engineering aimed at beauty.
Today, architects are searching for more people-oriented designs. Social, behavioral and environmental research has a major influence on the design process. And a new concept is added to the three principles of Vitruvius; sustainability. Buildings should be environmental friendly in terms of materials used, surrounding areas and power efficiency. Buildings begin to be very complex and architecture more multi-disciplinary than ever. Architecture today usually requires a team of specialist professionals, with the architect as the team leader.
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