Celebrating the Past, while Designing the Future

Celebrating the Past, while Designing the Future

Ar.Pooja Jaiswal

Vadodara

 

“Architecture is the blend of science, art and technology to provide a

Meaningful interaction between an audience and the space that they occupy.”

−Journal Psychology−psychology and architecture ˘ March−2011

Do Homo−sapiens (humans) have an innate ability to perceive patterns in artificial forms? Is the human body physically able to `recognize’ the patterns or proportions?in art or architecture? If people do indeed react to the structure would they explain why people react emotionally or `spiritually’ to some of the places? Why would people either “like or dislike” the same place for example TAJ MAHAL? The human body is biologically predisposed to recognizing design and structure either consciously or unconsciously and that a variety of criteria may be at work influencing us when we find ourselves living, working or playing within the urban environment.

How does a man dislike a built or an unbuilt form? Built and Unbuilt form to people other than architects is something like the brick, cement, steel, and mortar, mud to be as built and green spaces or open spaces to be as unbuilt. Space is actually a defined area which makes us aware of our being present in it. The built form means the space carved by different materials, a space moulded with different attitude in terms of ideology, concept, economy, affection. The unbuilt form is space which

gives totally separate feeling of being free, a symbol of being existing on THE

EARTH, a view of nature and an opportunity to merge with it.

Architecture has developed all these years with strong amalgamation of ideas of architects and the influence of tradition and culture which varied in its own terms and extends from island , country to city.

Making an artificial space of the material available, worth to be called as a place to live, to be surrounded by, or called as SPACE is the key role. In initial years whether we take the planning of Mohenjo−Daro to the other end of Egyptian Civilization, they were real masters designing the built and the unbuilt spaces together and making them to full contentment of humans. The foremost designer,NATURE designed

both the built and unbuilt spaces equally for us which we divided into built and unbuilt ones . The natural caves or the islands developed by the natural calamities and the forces of nature are also the part of nature’s architecture which is adorable.

An individual usually decides the quality of the space by what he visually experiences and what he feels being in that place .The kind of vibrations a built line or a space give to a particular person or how a person adapt to the particular form, decides his conception of space. The built space were equally concerned and thought off and designed because we as humans weave our life around or in these spaces. The material, locality and the space in terms of area were the choice of the people. The unbuilt spaces were not the left out ones and the open spaces were not created after the built form being erected .It’s how people cognitively map what they experience based on what they know or think they know about their environment; Preferred environmental psychology studies people’s motivations illustrating that people naturally seek out places where they will feel competent, confident, where they will feel comfort or enjoyment.

Proximity gestalt illustrates how people see a pattern in space despite distance. For example, the stars representing the `big dipper’ star constellation are in fact stars at different distances from the earth but they are perceived as being on a single plain. Repetitive gestalt demonstrates equalities in object spacing where none may exist. The corner columns of the Parthenon designed to be thicker and spaced closer to surrounding columns will be visually interpreted as being of equal size and spacing. Indeed the entire structure itself was designed with subtle curves, the

columns are slightly tapered, and the rectangular base is slightly curved purposefully engineered to withstand the lateral movement of the earth caused by

earthquakes.

An average population of the world views space and structure through the

visual elements provided. Brick , tree, corridor , door , window, trim and carpet

are only a few of these visual elements. All of the elements combine to allow

us to experience a space. These experiences should be the designer’s goal when conceiving the space in question. Some spaces are created to encourage social interaction while others are designed to encourage silence and reflection.Change is intrinsic to all living organisms; it is intrinsic also to human institutions and to the arts that accompany them, and without which they cannot live. Again, the arts cannot Jive without the protection of the institutions which they both reflect and support ; and this is a fundamental symbiosis. Evolution created traditions and culture between species that proved to a great help in creating varied architecture that varied not only in the terms of place but also form and details. Whenever we pass by a street we get the feel of the space and sense of the locality present there, who made effort to create that space. Tradition had a tremendous impact in changing the form and way the built forms were constructed. Culture influenced the architecture equally by changing the language of the building.

Structures in the past were designed as per their need using the bare minimum of artificial resources. The exterior face of the building was enough to tell the purpose of the space.

Communities had a passion to show off their pride and talent in a way creating competition between human creed to design new and better. The

arches , domes , vaults , jharokhas , different forms of opening of built structure, satisfied their need and had different geometric ways of expression. Traditional architecture has always taken into account innovation in terms of material and structure. Many of the buildings that we today call traditional, were actually stretching the limits of spanning and forever innovating in terms of building material to come up with sensitive designs.

The paths and the cities were being designed on the grid pattern. Proper layout was made that varied as per the topography. The communities had their own share of land on which they used to develop their : a little differed culture and much differed architecture. Few components of it were similar depending on the locality. After all architecture is the art above all others combining technology, satisfaction of human needs. Its purpose is to make spaces which are more human, more alive, more fulfilled.

 It is in Vitruvius’ words the art which combines utilitas, firmitas, and venust

as or human behaviour technology and beauty.

 Designing within a tradition is not pretence for repeating the old in order to avoid the pains of new birth. It is no mere act of imitation, for mimicry destroys all the significance of form. Traditional design is a complex process of adaptation and assimilation in a perpetual act of gestation. Only through the re−establishment of our spiritual identity can the dynamic and

continuous process of consolidation and reorganisation be truly assured.

When we look at the planning of the city the uneven branching streets, like sinews,seem to tie and hold together the built mass. With the densely build structure, the open space in the form of streets seems to have been carved out of solid mass.This reflects the nature of Indian urbanity, where no single order, be it religious,social, economic or cosmological , prevails over the others , instead there is a layering of these orders, each important in the way that it influenced society. As in

the traditional cities in India, the social and religious divisions of the population were reflected in the morphology of the city. Areas in the city were allocated

according to one’s caste and occupation. This is not so evident now as many

original occupants of havelis (larger residences) have moved to the suburbs while the residences have been subdivided to house several families belonging to different castes and tenants.

In some areas where there are limitations of building material, natural materials such as mud, grass, bamboo, thatch or sticks are used, instead of transporting materials from far place which is a blot on sustainability practices, for semi−permanent structures which require regular maintenance and replacement. The advantages of such traditional architecture are the construction materials are cheap and easily available and relatively little labour is required. As the needs and resources of the people change, vernacular architecture evolve to include more durable materials such as stones, clay tiles, metals etc. Though they are more expensive to build, they are very durable structures.

A country is not only identified by its people and government, but by its architecture.Through architecture it’s possible to gauge many things about a culture, such as lifestyle, artistic sensibilities and social structure. For example, when one thinks of India, we think of the Taj Mahal. Without their culture, would it be designed that way, or would it look like another building. The Egyptians are another amazing example, their environment and culture produced the great pyramids . How do modern cultures produce and maintain such beautiful architecture?

Architecture is not always defined as large or magnificent; sometimes it is simply a dwelling. For centuries, homes have been made out of mud built along the main dirt road. The roof could be used for an oven, to hold chickens, or just as storage. Egypt,like the rest of the world is going modern, and newer homes are being built out of brick, which although more expensive, they can build higher which is proving to saveland. Culture has brought about the country socially with tradition. If we take an

example of Chinese architecture probably has the most cultural influence.

Traditionally buildings were designed for its width, not its height. Every important building is guarded around a large wall to protect their assets. While ordinarily dwellings are grey and dull, palaces and places of importance are quite colourful.Imperial buildings have golden yellow roofs, red columns and doors, and walls of red, pink, or purple. Tradition and religion are the largest pieces to the Chinese culture and architecture. Each home has their entrance at the front and facing the east with a screen because it is believed that spirits travel straight and cannot go through screen. The main building faces the courtyard and children’s rooms would be on the side of the home. The purpose of a south−facing entrance is to avoid north winds, gain more possible sunshine during the winter, and the overhanging eaves help to keep the building cool in the summer, as well as help with the heavy rain.

Every culture can inspire a type of architecture that can range from landmarks to everyday homes. Religion and family seem to be the most common influences overall. Each culture is unique and the more we learn about them, the more we appreciate our surroundings and understand why certain things appeal to us.Architecture is essentially an epiphenomenon, dependent on socioeconomic, political, and technological processes for its various states and transformations

“Architecture reconfirms the hegemony of culture and helps to assure its continuity.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

−IDENTITY, TRADITION AND ARCHITECTURE 

−CULTURAL STUDIES OF ARCHITECTURAL SPACE

− JOURNAL PSYCHOLOGY− BY CARL GIBSON ˘ MARCH−2011−