“Architecture cannot be explained, it can only be experienced” – Geoffrey Bawa.
Every day everywhere, everyone is surrounded by an element of architecture, be it sitting in a plaza, walking by the garden, going to work in the office building or sleeping in their bedroom. Every person is at all times in the presence of the glory and infinite possibilities of architecture. Architecture as broad as it can be majorly impacts how a society is perceived, the spaces, culture or even surroundings are scaled from 1-10 on the proportion of form, function, accessibility and inclusivity of built and unbuilt environment.
Impact of Architecture: How and Why?
Imagine sitting in the cosiness of your bed watching the rain hit the glass of the big window in front of you with a hot cup of tea, and soft melancholy music on a recorder over a fireplace. It throws you directly into a place of comfort and calmness, no? That is the impact of architecture. Architecture can easily form an audience that differs or agrees on its various aspects from uniting in admiring the beauty of the Taj Mahal or Eiffel Tower to having differing opinions on the global demolition of historic landmarks.
Architecture cannot be defined as a space, the use of materials, lighting, finishes, shapes, colour or even furniture selection combines to create an experience for its user. Not the right use of material can adversely affect health, bad lighting can create discomfort, and even congested placement of furniture can arouse irritation for the consumer. Similarly, notice how straight lanes with no signage can frustrate you while walking along a circular path around a park makes you happy. Have you ever wondered how quickly you can associate a feeling with a space?
Architecture in everyday life
There is no denying that one lives in the presence of architecture every day. Let’s break a person’s everyday schedule, starting the day with getting ready in your washroom, having breakfast in your dining, reaching your office after those long hours in traffic coming back home cooking a meal in the kitchen and ending your day watching your favourite show in your drawing room or bedroom, every space is thoughtful and designed architecture. Every emotion has a place, Up for a celebration, you can hit your favourite café or bar. Seeking solace, go to your favourite spot in the city. Wanting peace, spend time in the halls of a holy place. Want to get away from the world, hide in your preferred corner of the house. Every day at least one person undergoes one of these feelings and every day at least one of the elements of architecture is accessed welcoming its users.
Architecture and People
Architecture is heavily user-oriented, the way people feel, sense, see, hear, act, perceive and respond to things defines how the design would change. A contemporary building designed in the minimalistic theme of grey and white muted tones may appear aesthetic to some but extremely dull to others. Additionally, a building may visually appeal to the audience due to its beautifully designed façade but it may fail to function for its inhabitants. What may appear overdone to one causing displeasure may match another’s exact vision satisfying them.
Architecture and Society
Architecture is the catalyst for society’s lifestyle uplift, community behaviour, cultural incompetence and general inclusivity as the means of designing spaces that define the development of the building, colony, street or city one resides in. The architecture extends beyond the confined rooms of homes, offices or even spaces used in everyday lives; it defines the character of a society. Architecture provides places to connect, gather and contemplate forming an urban tapestry that cannot possibly happen within the confines of four walls.
Architecture and Place
“You need to go on a trip”, is the most heard sentence, humans need change. Have you wondered why the beauty of iconic buildings or mesmerising new cafes excites you to visit new places? The desire to explore spaces breaks the monotonous lifestyle stirring new experiences and memories. Every space is built differently for different purposes and uses defining change associated with new places. Our ideas and memories of a place are widely impacted by the buildings and urban fabric of its woven architecture.
Architecture and Surrounding
Architecture and surroundings go hand-in-hand. They are defined by one another, think of the great Burj Khalifa placed between the busy streets of Mumbai or the Louvre Pyramid near the Empire State Building. Won’t quite fit together right? The surroundings speak of the timeless tales, evolution, glory and making of the architecture standing in that place. Likewise, the large landscape near India Gate would have had no meaning if not designed with long walkways sculpted with stories of Indian history or the Trevi Fountain would have no meaning if not for the myths and sculptures built around the waterbody. Architecture is broadly associated with its surroundings; the Taj Hotel in Mumbai justifies its splendour highly because of the view of the beautiful Arabian Sea in front of it.
Architecture in our lives: Then and Now
Architecture has always been and has impacted the phases of time and changed how people perceive buildings. The building styles were influenced by the climate, materials accessibility, social norms, and ideologies of the place. Some buildings were made bigger than the human scale whilst some followed the golden ratio, the architecture changed as the world interconnected, culturally incorporating the aesthetics and alignments of the built environment. The same may be true for the evolution of buildings over time according to new construction techniques, lack of land, new technologies and materials and increasing needs of its users.
The large grand doors once used for the Mughal forts changed into height proportionate openings in contemporary housing, and the bulky designed stone columns in the Parthenon changed into reinforced lightweight structural elements for cover plazas. We discover a great deal about the identities and lifestyles of the people who lived before us from the colossal constructions to the homes and buildings understanding our then and now and impacting our next.
Architecture: What’s next?
Architecture surrounds us and creates the framework for our lives. The success of a building cannot be calculated by figures alone but rather by the relationship between an individual or society with all its functional, universal and artisanal aspects. The pattern in which we occupy a space or organise our lives is guided by the architecture designed for that area.
Ever wondered how you feel composed and structured when you enter an office building but serene and at ease at your home? The dream of staying at a rustic cottage near the hills or vast forests when you retire contemplates the dream of moving to the main city living in a small flat to earn money and build a life. Everywhere, every time every space every feeling of everyone, every element highlights the impact of architecture in our lives.
Reference List:
- Shaymi Shah (2022) Importance of architecture in Everyday Life, gharpedia. Available at: https://gharpedia.com/blog/importance-of-architecture/ (Accessed: 05 July 2024).
- The impact of architecture on our daily lives (2023) Pacheco Arquitectos. Available at: https://spanisharchitect.info/the-impact-of-architecture/ (Accessed: 05 July 2024).
