Bases for development of Architecture

The study of history reveals that the bases for development of architecture are the following:

1.       Life: Ever since the earliest times man is trying to seek protection of life against weather, wild beasts, so as to have safe living. Thus architecture had its simple origin in the early efforts of mankind.  The earliest efforts of dwellings of ‘savage’ hunter were dolmen, rock-cut caves.  Later he learnt to build huts of reeds and tents of saplings sheathed on bark, skin etc.

Thus from the ancient cave man, he emerged into a present-day modern man and as a result came into existences the houses, mansions, palaces and sky-scrapers. Hence architecture of any place is the clear picture of human life. Architecture is a social art which is related to the life of the people. The spirit of life makes the building alive, gives vitality. It has power to inspire.

2.       Love: For sake of live many splendid buildings have been constructed. For example, Taj Mahal of Agra is built in token of love by the Emperor Shah Jahan of Delhi for his beloved wife Mumtz.

3.       Hope:  This has been responsible for the construction of religious buildings such as temples, churches, mosques etc.  The shrines have been built all over the world ‘hoping’ to secure a good life by offering prayers. The Great Pyramids of Egypt were constructed to preserve the dead bodies of the royal people in the form of mummies with the ‘hope’ that they will secure immortality of soul and will come back to life after some time.

4.       Death: This has been resulted in the construction of tombs. Also to cherish the memory of men of great ages, many monumental buildings have been constructed after their ‘death’. For example Raj Ghat built in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi. Indian War Memorial at Delhi, and Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, Statue of Gomateshware at Sravanbelgola etc.

Thus architecture has supplied “homes for the living, shrines for the gods, and tombs for the dead.”

Principles of Architecture

The great principles of architecture are:

i)        Goodness or convenient arrangement

ii)       Beauty and

iii)     Truth

(i)      Goodness or convenient arrangement: Every architectural building must possess the principle of goodness and utility. In case of ordinary house we should first consider the adequate sizes of rooms, their convenient arrangement or grouping, rather than decorating with costly sculpture, paintings etc. Moreover the house should provide the informal intimacy of home life. A museum should have galleries, with ample wall space and top light, which eliminates windows and necessitates the use of sky-lights. A shop should have large show-windows for the display and sale of merchandise.  In school building, we need large sized classrooms with many windows to admit the necessary side lights, meeting halls and a play ground at the rear.  Similarly, a factory should not be a structural erection of four walls and a roof for mere sheltering machinery and labour. But general arrangement of office, workshops, and godowns etc. should be of convenient sizes based on well thought plan for the co-ordination of various activities and manufacture process from raw material to finished product.  Under such arrangement work is more pleasure than a task, efficiency ensured, output is increased and labour discontent eliminated.

(ii)    Beauty: Beauty is the second great principle of architecture.  The spirit of beauty which poet Shelley describes “Dear and yet dearer for its mystery.” It is some illusive principle and cannot be easily determined in terms of its essential nature. It remains dearer for its mystery. It lies in the eyes of the beholder. It raises the thought and touches the heart. One cannot measure beauty, but one can feel it.

A grand building with the imposing mass and graceful out-lines creates a deep impression and stimulates emotions in the human heart. We enjoy at the look of such building. For example, Taj Mahal, Here goodness or convenient arrangement may not be an important criterion at all. Such building of architecture has the main consideration of aesthetic appeal. It produces and brings immense pleasure in the minds who look at it.  We enjoy at its look because according to Keats’ saying “a thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its power is to kindle imagination, purify and stimulate emotion.”

(iii) Truth: The third great principle of architecture is the truth by which we mean harmony with the established laws whether moral, aesthetic or scientific on which the strength and beauty in the universe are built up.

Truth is exhibited in two ways namely clarity of purpose and clarity of structure.

a)         Clarity of purpose: Good architecture should not be devoid of truth. There should not be deception in its expression.  Good architecture can never deceive the eye even for a moment. Nothing must appear other than what it is! The building should express the true idea of the purpose.  A residential building should neither look like a theatre, nor a town-hall like an assembly hall. A temple of Dravidian style or a church of Gothic style must express its spiritual, ecclesiastical purpose and should enhance the religious moods and sentiments. On the other hand, in a theatre building recreation or enjoyment must be sought in the design.  Again the town – hall should express the dignity and importance of official life by largeness of scale and stately arrangement of various parts.

There should not be a false statement in regard to the purpose of the construction. A living room should not look like a store room. A smoke chimney should not pretend to be a supporting column or a buttress.  A church should not look like an Assembly hall. What the eye does not admire, the heart does not desire.  Any type of deception is a departure from the principle of truth.

b)         Clarity of structure: Each part of the structure should express the function it has to perform.

The different materials of the structure should be used in the truthful manner to perform in their proper function. Stronger materials should be used to support the weaker ones. Suppose we use brick-work for foundation and size stones for superstructure. Even though such structure may stand but it will find lack of function. It may produce a sense of incongruity, if not danger.

No confusion should arise by the mis-position of materials. The materials should be used in their proper place. Granite which is hard and carries heavy weight without being crushed is fit for foundation and basement, brick for supporting walls, marble for tracery-work, pumic stones for vaults, etc. Such a skilful disposition of materials will not only make the building strong, durable but also produce an appearance of strength. For example, the Pantheon at Rome.

Architecture and Engineering

Engineering comprises a wide field of activities such a Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc. which have precise scientific laws. Here we are concerned with the properties and strength of materials, safety and economy of construction.

In architecture in addition to above human aesthetics and cultural values are most important consideration. Architecture covers a remarkable wide field of knowledge and of human activities. It makes use of applied services such as structural engineering, sanitation, hygiene, heating, lighting and ventilation etc.

A bicycle shed is a building but Taj Mahal is a piece of architecture.  The term architecture applies only to building designed with a view to aesthetic appeal.  The designer therefore should use his specialized knowledge in designing to combine into an aesthetic whole, programme or requirements of materials, and construction which distinguish and make the structure beautiful or a piece of architecture. It should therefore be noted that Engineering and Architecture are fundamentally different. Engineering is based on scientific laws whereas Architecture is based on certain principles such as goodness, beauty and truth, together with its fundamental qualities and factors.

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Importance of Architecture

1.       Inspiration:                
Some of the monumental works erected to commemorate some important event or in memory of great national leaders arouse inspiration in the minds of the people for all the times. For example, the Tower of Victory built by Rana of Chittor and Indian War Memorial at Delhi inspire the feelings of patriotism.

2.       Record of the past history:
Architecture is the most powerful record of the past history of any country. It throws light on the social, religious customs and manners and development of the county. The development of civilisation of any country is reproduced in the development of architecture.

Architecture is therefore considered as the ‘printing press of all ages and gives history of state of society in which it was erected’.

Thus Egyptian architecture reflects the absolute power of the Pharaohs and slavery of the people. Greek architecture that we so admire was the product of the democratic belief of Greek civilisation. It had rich beauty which reached highest perfection.  The majestic buildings of Rome clearly show the great skill and constructive ability and expression of ‘Roman Imperial Power’, but royal palaces and thermae speak of their luxury. Basilican churches reflect religious enthusiasm. Gothic reflects the condition of passionate energy.  French Renaissance shows the pompous life of Monarchs, in their palaces and the Indian architecture clearly shows its spiritual contents and represents in numerous religious buildings which are characterised by the treatment of wall surfaces containing the high or low relief of noble ‘Gods of Indian Mythology.’

Now temples and churches are becoming less and less in 20^th century, whereas we come across libraries, museums, markets, hospitals, town-halls, institutions, swimming pools, theatres etc. which are the indices of social forces at work.  Architecture is more than a history of form and style, it is a product of cultural and environmental factors and expression of the way of life of the people for whom it is built. Architecture is therefore sometimes called as “martrix of civilisation.”

3.       Architecture as a Fine Art: 
Any human activity where there is skill directed towards production of beauty, is considered as an ‘Art’.

Art is both static and dynamic. The static art delights in order and proportion. It deals with space and result in find architecture and painting. The dynamic art delights in movements and rhythm. It deals with time and results in music, poetry and dancing. The painting and dancing appeal to the eye, whereas music appeals to the ear and poetry to the mind. Architecture is the most comprehensive of all visual arts and has a right to claim superiority over other arts, since it assimilates and translates all these faculties and beauties into an elegant building.

4.       Architecture as Mother of all Arts:  
We can look at a thing in three different ways.

First we may look at a thing considering its practical goodness and usefulness. We may be pleased, only because the thing is useful and hence it may be considered as suitable. Such kinds of arts are called ‘Technique Arts’ where utility alone is important. For example, cooking, fishing, etc.

Secondly we may look at a thing in a speculatively thoughtful way, which is different from appreciation of utility. The scientific happiness derived from ‘truth’ will be the result of art. Such arts are called ‘Phonetic Arts’. For example, drama, eloquence, etc.

The third way of looking at a thing is not from point of view of goodness, truth but at its appearance, shape and colour. What it looks like is more important than what it is! Here we search for beauty in a thing rather than its practical utility. Such arts, which involves beauty are called ‘Aesthetic Arts’. For example, sculpture, fresco, etc.

Technique arts stand for ‘Goodness’, Phonetic arts for expression of ‘Truth’ and aesthetic arts for ‘Beauty’. But architecture stands for ‘Goodness, Truth and Beauty’ which are its three main principles.  In short, architecture can thus be said as “Mother of all Arts”.

5.       Architecture as Poetry of Construction and Frozen Music:
Architecture is based on building construction and poetry is based on prose.  But architecture is not mere art of building construction so also poetry is not mere prose. Prose converts into poetry with the introduction of verses, metres, and find flow of language etc. and there is enjoyment over the artistic representation in poetry. So also in music, there is a combination of harmonious sounds arranged in a systematic way so as to arouse excitement and enjoyment.  Similarly the building converts into fine piece of architecture when it is composed of elements which are systematically as well as aesthetically arranged so as to serve a utilitarian purpose and in addition to have emotional appeal. And we enjoy at the look of such building which strikes deep and solemn chords in the human heart. In words of Goethe “architecture is ‘poetry of construction’ and frozen music”.

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Aims or Goals of Architecture

obvious purpose is to house the complex activities of man, its more positive attribute is to elevate the spirit of humanity and be sympathetic and integrated with its idealism. If we believe in freedom for the individual and in the dignity of man, then the qualities of humanity needed to implement these beliefs must include love, gentleness, joy , serenity, beauty and hope. An architecture which is representative of and need to implement a better way of our life must recognize these human characteristics which are fundamental to it.

A humanistic architecture must aspire to the following goals:

1.    Utility and Suitability. A good architecture should be useful and suitable for human activities. One should feel a building as cozy shelter when planned and designed as a residential building.  The sizes of the room, arrangement of doors and windows, stair-cases should be useful and suitable so as to create comfort, convenience for the occupant. 
2.  Appreciation of visible beauty. Good architecture should stimulate a sense of appreciation and kindle imagination in the minds of those who look at it.  To look at a building is to examine how far it satisfies the essentials of architecture and how far these are combined to give a harmonious unity of form.  A good building with its imposing mass and graceful outlines produces happiness and enjoyment on seeing it, i.e., the aim of architecture is to give such satisfaction and enjoyment.  According to poet Keats’ saying “a thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Its aim is to enhance the enjoyment of life through beauty and delight. 
3.     Orderly disposition. The third aim of architecture is to place the building in such a position that it should appeal to one and all in relation to the sun, wind, aspect, prospect and topography. In other words, the third aim is to give order and through order, a background of serenity for the complex activity of modern life to live in harmony with nature. 

A domestic building should have a beautiful garden in front. Indian temples are usually built amidst natural surroundings and at the top of the hill so that they can guide the pilgrim from miles away.  A good building may lose its significance by improper placing.  For example, the Pyramids of Egypt appear grand, impressive, because they are constructed on flat ground.  If they were built on high hills they would have lost their importance.  With nothing behind them, the pyramids stand against the sky, as though in a world of their own!

4. Truthfulness. It should be truthful showing clarity of structure and clarity of purpose.

5.     Scale. If a building is too strong or brutal, it tends to overpower man. In it he feels insecure and    uncomfortable.  Hence architecture should be in scale with man so that he is secured and at ease in his    environment and intimately related to it.

6.    Faithfulness and full understanding. It should have full understanding of and faithfulness to our technological processes so that we may conserve our efforts and resources in rebuilding our environment.

7.      Nobility. It should be uplifting so that we can reflect the nobility to which man aspires. 

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Factors of aesthetic appeal in a building

The aesthetic appeal is introduced in a building in three different ways.

1.       The aesthetic sensations may be caused by the treatment of walls, the proportion of openings in the form of doors and windows, relation of one storey to another etc.
2.       It may be cause by the treatment of exterior of the building which is aesthetically significant as a whole, such as a pitch of flat roof or a dome, the rhythm of the projections and recessions etc.
3.       The effect may be produce by the treatment of interior , the sequence of room circulation etc.

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