As a child, many of us get excited about school notebooks, especially their first pages, which feature famous buildings, cities, etc. The only thing that matters to a child is fantasy, liking, and disliking. As such, there are different terms or typologies of the building for various activities, such as museums, worship settings, community halls, corporate offices, and gardens. Aside from that, there are spots in the street where people gather or children play. From the general public’s perspective, there is only one explanation, and it is the functionality of the space. There is no other description up to this point. But as an architect, there are a variety of narrations we could give. Because we understand the relevance of designing a space with all its relevant aspects. From a child to a user to a creator, here is a narrative of perspective and how it differs from others.
Buildings have a unique identity that stems from their form. Aside from the general wow factor, architects will notice minute details which make us feel that way. In other words, its scale and proportion, the architectural elements and their articulation, solid-void play, material used to build, the colour- how it reacts to the environment and the context, the openings – how it is used, the organization of the space, the interaction between two spaces. And these segregations together create the whole image of the built space.
As an architect, we are able to interpret a point, line, plane, and volume on our terms. Most people understand that volumes are spaces and forms. Yet we can figure out the links that lead to the development of those forms. It started from a point that indicates where humans are in space-position, from where they pursue space. An extension of this point forms a line that shows a direction – A person’s movement. An extension of the line becomes a plane that indicates the surface shape, which can be labeled as a floor, wall, or roof. In the continuation, the plane extended becomes a volume, a form. Hence, the point of view of this whole loop can only be interpreted differently by a person who has knowledge of architecture.
Furthermore, let’s use the example of any fort to demonstrate the point. While tourists may paint it as a king’s empire and the throne of a structure, architects see the building with a closer eye. Its massive stone structure is the first thing that strikes you, followed by the symmetrical arrangement of the columns as well as the intricate carvings that emphasize its richness. There is a geometric pattern of the top view and of being inside space while moving in harmony with its hierarchy. Considering different distances to perceive volume, About the arches, dome construction, Relations between open-semi open and closed spaces along with the functionality, and Differentiating private, semi-private, and personal spaces.
Roaming inside a public space as an architect would be more interesting because they can think of the reverse process of existence. A further illustration, the space within a space makes an enclosure in the open space. The overlapping of the circulation patterns and the different age group activities make a space alive. The interlinked actions of the vendors seem like merging in the harmony of public spaces. To make these existing scenes feasible, an architect can see the process behind the curtain—the answer to the ‘why’. Additionally, the answer to this question began with an analysis of the site. Also included in this study were analyses of tangible and intangible factors, a derivation of the concept, and a consideration of practical aspects. We can thus visualize the whole process from the analysis to the design to the implementation. We are able to understand the why and the wow factor through this process. Only the architectural eye can see all phases of the process of creating a space, whereas the other human eye only grasps the final result. No matter the place, the first thought that comes to our minds is always about design aspects, and this changes how we look at things.
As a way of looking at the urban scale, if we observe a street surrounded by skyscrapers, we can justify human activities in the street and the interaction between the facade of the tower, the street, the landscape, and the small inserts that allow certain actions. In addition to considering the previously mentioned aspects, we can illustrate our architectural perspective.
An architect’s role goes beyond building up buildings; they can also develop experiences and build memories that can be cherished for a lifetime. It is a powerful tool for creating vivid experiences about space and impacting people’s emotions and moods. In conclusion, one cannot have the same thoughts and theories about their surrounding environment as another. Each person has a different story to tell about a room full of vibrancy or dullness. Moreover, if we gain more insight into architecture, we are able to achieve higher frequencies for our perspective antennas.
References:
Books:
Francis D.K.Ching. (2007). Architecture (FORM, SPACE, AND ORDER). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Images:
- Image1_Parc de la Villette_Architect Bernard Tschumi
http://www.tschumi.com/projects/3/
- Image 2_Gwalior Fort_Mukul Benerjee
Mukul Benerjee- https://www.flickr.com/photos/mukulb/50108718937/
- Image 3_Publc Plaza_Imperial main news 2012
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/image/mainnews2012/38667.jpg
