Have you ever pondered over the thought as to why one of the most famous and lionized paintings – Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh – leaves such a scintillating effect on people all over the world, even after more than a century? It’s the power of art – it can make people feel an essential self-sense and form perspectives.
Reminiscing the words of Frank Gehry, “The Mother Art is Architecture”, the architect made sure the coming generations understood the power of this profession. Architecture leaves undying echoes through time, on the lives of people, via tangible as well as intangible means. Aspects ranging from its language, form, function and experience – all of it plays major roles in the way it makes people think, and perceive. When these echoes are regarded in retrospect, they would justify our very sense of being.
As someone who has studied this well-celebrated métier, over the years I have realised that architecture has deeper complexities than just being a study that teaches one to create physical spaces and environments that are inhabited by people. As unique and creative that it is, it is more than just a profession; it’s a way of life.
Having recognized the physical and mental grasp of it, I now know that it shapes perspectives – about built environments, unbuilt spaces as well as life.
From skyscrapers to slums
Skyscrapers have always attracted the attention of not just the rich and high-class people, but also the common man. With urbanization coming into play, upcoming skyscrapers reflect an awful lot on the progress in the realm of technology and science. Standing tall in pride, with its overpowering verticality and the skyline that they contribute towards, skyscrapers are a sign of high dreams and aspirations. But having been exposed to a deeper knowledge on this, my perspective has changed over time.
As majestic as they are, they are not just “islands in the clouds”. In the Indian context, especially Mumbai – which is the financial capital of the nation, these skyscrapers are a backdrop to the penurious slums. This becomes a sight of irony and showcases the economic discrepancy in the country. They cause so much shading on these low-rise structures that hundreds of houses don’t experience direct sunlight anymore.
The glass facades that these buildings adorn, are merely non-contextual and cause an increase in greenhouse gases which in turn, contributes to global warming. These structures are supposed to resolve the issue of population density, hence it is imperative for one to have a more sustainable perspective and attempt to make more context-friendly high-rise buildings.
Old and crowded localities
Wrapped and weaved in the complex urban fabric of the developing city life, is an old breathing pocket of locality which is supposedly a soon-to-be-demolished area. A person with a varied outlook would look at these localities as the lost treasure that takes us down the history of the place.
Lanes and roads running here, carry with them an architectural language which is now long lost. The windows, grills, carved wooden brackets, discoloured buildings, tangled wires running across the street, the street food, the small festivals, the old religious spaces, the attempts to urbanization, and so much more make it interesting and appeal to an admirer on a whole other level.
Public spaces
Pre-architecture school, most of us didn’t pay as much heed to the importance of public spaces as we do once we understood the depth of the subject. Public spaces are usually looked over just as areas meant for the elders walking, kids playing and health-enthusiasts running. It must be perceived not just as a green breathing pocket for the neighbourhood but also would be a means for urban regeneration. An upgraded and enhanced urban ecosystem would lead to a future with revitalised urban development.
For example, an attempt to redevelop the areas under flyovers by the means of effective landscaping, in the city of Mumbai, has been a good place to start. It has become a space where individuals interact, exchange ideas and connect. These small landscaped areas also affect the microclimate in a city, and at night, when the streets are desolate; these well-lit insertions make people feel safe and secure. This change in perception is coming with the youth getting involved in the collective progress of the country.
Outlook towards life
Architecture has provided me, and several other people I am aware of, with a pair of glasses through which we see life now. As in, without those glasses, I’d not be seeing it the way I see it through them. With the numerous trials and tribulations that academic and professional life throws, one emerges with a vigour and a feeling of achievement like no other. It gives one a sense of satisfaction and gifts them with the belief that there is nothing that they won’t be able to achieve.
In conclusion, I’d like to quote Zach Mortice, who in one of his articles said, “Spend some time observing how architecture reflects culture, and you’ll get the sense that it’s less of a profession and more of a world-view, a lens with which to interpret all of your surroundings.”(1) The amount of impact Architecture has had on peoples’ lives is incomparable, and will go on to influence, and change perspectives, more in the future.
Reference
(1) – Mortice, Z (2019 Jan 14), Why Architecture is important, Study Architecture,
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