Once there was a distinct profession called “Architectural Storytelling” in a world where creativity and imagination were the driving forces behind all endeavours. Architects were more than just builders; they were great storytellers who used architecture to bring ideas and aspirations to life. These stories stimulate our thoughts, elicit imagination, and challenge our perceptions of the world. Built or unbuilt, our surroundings similarly influence us, yet we rarely consider that they are also telling a story. We spend the majority of our days surrounded by various structures, and we unintentionally allow them to impact our state of mind and emotions.
Perspective on Spaces
Every person has a unique way of understanding space. Additionally, it fluctuates on a yearly, cultural, and demographic basis. Things that were once thought of as shelter places are today seen as infrastructures, skyscrapers, or pavilions. Every one of them receives a new name as people’s needs change over time.
All of our senses are affected by the influence of architecture in our lives. With the constructed spaces, we communicate, reciprocate, and redirect our senses. These built-up areas are envisioned by architects as a link between the micro and macro levels. By controlling the architecture to be in harmony with the environment, they hope to have an overall positive impact on the ecosystem.
Consider a garden in the courtyard of an art gallery, for instance. This area will be seen as a visual and spatial refuge from the gallery. The flow of air lowers the temperature in the area, the scent of greenery enhances the atmosphere, and so on. Simply said, any architectural environment can subconsciously affect you and the people around you.
Architecture’s Impact
The relationship between humans and architecture is quite deep, and it plays a crucial role in how we perceive what it means to be human. It serves as a visible representation of civilisation. Architecture shapes the physical and emotional well-being and disposition of its users through everything from the layout of a far-off, huge environment to the smallest of material finishes. It has a significant impact on society in addition to our personal lives. It simultaneously embodies our entire culture and the way we see ourselves.
The study of architecture psychology has seen significant growth. It focuses on the emotional, behavioural, and cognitive impacts of indoor and outdoor environments on people in order to enhance well-being in various settings.
The Impact of Architecture on Our Psyche
As buildings are thought to replicate the past, people frequently try to evoke nostalgia in them. People who live in buildings feel how buildings affect their souls. They are accepted and surrounded by feelings of admiration. We may all agree that we find some places unusually unpleasant, while visiting others may make us feel calmer right away. Everybody has that one place that subconsciously connects with them and always “feels right.” Buildings and spaces have an emotional quality that evokes a variety of difficult-to-explain emotions. According to numerous studies, a building’s façade complexity, colour perception, daylighting design, and accessibility to green spaces all significantly affect how happy and comfortable a person feels.
To appreciate and experience architecture, it’s crucial to keep in mind the emotional connection that exists between the user and the space and to allow enough time to consider the user, community, and environment. Our surroundings provide us with a healthy atmosphere in which to grow. While a lack of these spaces might lead to alienation and restlessness.
The Impact of Architecture on Community Development
The positive effects of architecture on society are also seen in local prosperity. Communities are linked by built places, which foster a feeling of cohesion. On a broader scale, while planning cities and towns, the designers purposefully designate places for people to congregate and interact. improving communities and societies as a result.
For easier access, the residential areas are situated close to government offices and educational institutions. People in these places typically attend similar schools and work in similar jobs. creating a society for themselves in the process. On a smaller scale, high rises and skyscrapers provide communal spaces for residents to congregate and mingle.
Differences in Perception
People’s personalities change depending on the situations they find themselves in. Since there are such wide differences, generalisations should be carefully considered. Understanding our interaction with certain environments requires an exploration of how we first become aware of them. Our experience of the area around us begins primarily when we view it. However, it is more than just a sense. Our traits heavily influence how we perceive the world.
Throughout their education, architects and designers are exposed to a wide range of historical structures and other architects’ works. In contrast to non-designers, who are simply familiar with the ordinary buildings in their surroundings, they are always inevitably influenced by their education and generally allow it to take over a significant portion of their view. Thus, harmonising their intention and perception becomes a struggle. A typical spectator may frequently be perplexed by what architects could perceive as a great ensemble of strange shapes and novel processes. Geographical location is another area where differences exist. What is common in one place for a resident may be unfamiliar in another.
Like any other narrative, architecture is a deft discourse that appeals to our senses, and like all communication, it always eludes prediction.
Conclusion
The influence of architecture on our lives is visible in our daily lives. Architecture preserves history, culture, and heritage. Events from centuries ago can still be tracked. These created areas teach us about our forefathers and their way of life. It also reflects their cultural, religious, and literacy practices. In the future, architecture will aid us in overcoming environmental and economic limits.
With all of these factors considered, the impact of architecture on our lives remains as profound as it has always been. Whether for environmental, economic, or ethical reasons, architectural practices will always play a critical role in advancing our way of life toward a more sustainable future.
References
- Books
Lawson, B. (2015). The language of space. London: Routledge.
Coates, N. (2012). Narrative architecture. Chichester, West Sussex ; Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
- Articles
ArchDaily. (2020). Social Impact: Architecture Building Space for Empathy. [online] Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/941031/social-impact-architecture-building-space-for-empathy.
The impact of architecture in our daily lives. (n.d.). The Times of India. [online] Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/artbypranali/the-impact-of-architecture-in-our-daily-lives-51839/ [Accessed 18 June. 2023].
- Online Sources
thearchspace and ARCHSPACE, T. (2022). Impact Of Architecture In Our Lives · the archspace. [online] the archspace. Available at: https://thearchspace.com/impact-of-architecture-in-our-lives/.
