Architecture in our life: The architecture of a space plays a definitive role in our day. The immediate visual perception brought out by color, lighting, and accessibility of a space is what determines the mental perception of that space for each individual. A lush green lawn seen in the day lights up our mood whereas the same lawn seen at night time would evoke an entirely different feeling towards it. A dimly lit white-painted hallway might create a sense of boredom and be found eerie but the same hallway being well-lit and having a few works of art would create curiosity & interest.
The authenticity of a town is brought out in its architecture. The architecture of a place is what tells us its story. It is the combination of culture, technology, community, etc. For example: the project initiated by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board involves creating heritage facades on the shops along the entire street and has been made with a uniform design. This has increased the tourist inflow and the local footfall.
Architectural Identity
Traveling around the world and taking note of the diverse architectural facades and building designs, there prevails the element of culture in each of them. Each of them stands out differently. Cultural architecture serves as a tangible manifestation of the culture’s intangible aspects. Cultural factors like local materials, symbolic structures, and ornamentation play a role here. Though the architectural style has been spread across, the primary architectural design holds ground. If we look at the typical design of buildings from the history of a culture, we would not mistake one style for another. The strong, sturdy columns belong to Greece or Rome whereas a pagoda makes us think of China. Intricate carvings are usually seen in Indian temples whereas stained glass is seen in Churches. Individual cultures have had less of an impact on architecture as globalization has drastically altered the planet. Rather, new designs worldwide aim for a more modern appearance, which has led to a globalization of architecture.
Architecture is a part of the identity of each community and carries a message of the culture of that society. When we learn about the history of a building, like a museum or community center it makes us feel more connected to that space and helps us understand how best to use it. With the developing world, the natural cultural and heritage elements of a city/town are limited, the rest coming up in the way of museums. Architectural landmarks have a way of showing us how everything was back in time. One of the many that unite state and civic efforts to conserve heritage is The Mumbai Art Deco project. With urbanization evolving, protecting the heritage structures in cities could become even less of a priority than it is.
Individualistic and Collective Spaces
Collective cultures tend to have communal layouts, whereas individualistic spaces emphasize individual preferences. Individualistic spaces focus on particularity. Brian Healy says “Individualism feeds art and should fuel design”. In architecture, the industry’s appreciation of individualism is truly enticing. Individuality is what is seen as true vision, as something unique, as something out of the ordinary. Collective culture has evolved through the experience of living in a community. It may not be the same for everyone, but it does create a sense of community around certain concepts and practices. A collective culture is an essential part of the story of architecture. It helps in understanding how societal shifts affect our designs. It is what evokes an emotional response and allows us to connect with our environment.
In small towns and villages earlier, people used to gather around under a tree whereas these days people meet up at malls. The essence of having community spaces still thrives regardless of the setting.
Bringing in Modernisation
“As an architect, you design for the present with an awareness of the past for a future which is essentially unknown.” – Ar. Norman Foster Modernisation in the architecture realm is unstoppable with today’s developing technology and growing minds. A simple footpath that indicates a separate lane for pedestrians from the moving traffic is nowadays seen to be paved and also used to showcase mosaic art.
Even today, every space has evolved through its history into something magnetic. With the diverse use of concepts of sustainability, history, and technology, The Indian Coffee House – Trivandrum by Laurie Baker stands as a historic architectural landmark. The Neo-vernacular structure started during the British Rule. The building structure is shaped like a spiral and the central core is like a ramp. Made with the city’s local materials and taking into consideration the climate conditions, it also caters to the needs of the people traveling and stands as an important structure that is built from its essential history and is today helping the economy as well.
The approach toward preserving historical structures is a combination of socio-economic and environmental factors. Creating a balance between the modernisation and preservation of cultural heritage brings along unique challenges. As these historic structures provide a true link between the past and the present and are symbolic of the cultural identity in terms of architecture and collective memory, it almost grows into a heritage-led regeneration. The concept of revitalization brings in a sustainably vibrant community whilst the historical and socio-economic factors are being considered. Innovative methods for maintaining cultural heritage while meeting contemporary requirements are explored by modernization.
The end game is to achieve efficiency, functionality, aesthetics, and economical balance in each space while taking the natural environment surrounding this space as our biggest cheerleader.
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IMAGE REFERENCES
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