Architecture has grown deeply entrenched in the world we live in. From jaw-dropping skyscrapers and impressive buildings to the bright and calming rooms and spaces, we get to avail the sumptuous benefits of the built environments around us. It has become the avenue that displays not only beauty and fascination at its disposal but wherein the aspiration and needs of man are fostered. With this, we have deemed the impacts of architecture in our lives impossible to dilute.
In Architect/Designer’s Perception
One never outgrows the innocent excitement and delight evoked by the works of architecture, and this is especially true for those who belong to the creative field. Connecting with buildings, spaces and landscapes do potent in spurring our feelings, memories, and emotions that lead to timeless, unquantifiable impressions. Those reactions to an atmosphere may be intuitive, but as the prerogative of being in the field, we have also grown visually probing built environments with much greater sensitivities. We sense the permeating design of buildings, landscapes, and cities. Our conception of spaces escalates that we look for aesthetics in equal measure to function. We invest in the full power of observation to heighten our response to our surroundings, absorb architectural elements present before our eyes, and survey the visual weight of structures–everything under what can be enhanced, corrected, and created. The impact of architecture on our perception and mindset on viewing its works has become increasingly far from the ordinary.
In Common Users’ Perception
We may possess different perceptions on architecture as inherent to us, but in the same way the impressions emerge to those who belong to the profession, we can also enumerate the impact of architecture among the common users of a space. We know they are the primary recipient of what the built environments can cater to. And from this perspective arises that the capturing beauty of architecture hits its user on different scales. Those who are outside of the field tend to connect with built environments on a more personal level. More often, they survey it according to their personal preferences on styles, color, materials, and elements. As they commonly lean on the trends, ideologies and philosophies behind the built environments often fall by the wayside as soon as they pay an assessment on the structures. They certainly delve into various environments differently than those who are in the field. This tells us that the impacts of architecture may vary among its users depending on their scale of perceptions and mindset, but what inextricably links the respective impacts is the certain feeling resonating when a space just feels right.
In Society
We see much of how architecture responds to the changing needs of society. Many distinctive buildings that usher in purposeful designs continue to unveil before our eyes. To name a few, current trends drive some of it like futuristic designs with strong ties to technologies. Others stick to timeless movements like modernism and brutalism which are continuously furnished to the contemporary needs of man. However, though the creative field indeed serves as one of the plethora of innovations around us, it remains unexempted to the pandemic-discredited time. The pandemic has posed numerous challenges of rethinking spaces and held the transitioning to a new normal strictly necessary. It suddenly rendered insufficient the values and measures we once convened. This may seem sudden and unwarranted, but changes have never been anticipated more than in the rooms of architecture. To be timely and relevant, we have witnessed architecture evolve through time. Gravitating toward the sustainable impacts of architecture, the continuous developments around us assure the profession undergoes incessant exploration, refinement of ideas, and innovation that all set forth to deliver momentous buildings corresponding to our needs.
In Education
With the multitude of changes brought by the pandemic, online education in architecture school is no exception in trying to come into normalcy. This has been a challenge, especially for the output-based modes of learning. Personal consultations, site visitations, and thesis presentations and exhibitions are some of the essential parts of the program that have been affected by gearing up to distanced learning. We cannot neglect the realities that spring forth from this sudden turn of events. The downsides arising from the inadequacy of the current online education are visible to us. Nonetheless, we can still commend efforts and teaching innovations forging together to continue with learning even in the confines of our homes. As the end of this remains unknown, distanced learning is likely to keep shaping architecture education. We must leverage this means of education to maintain the meaningful impacts of architecture on the society progressing.
In the Personal Level
Architecture speaks timeless and invaluable impacts on different personal and societal levels. From its invigorating forms that go together with functions to its expression of cultures and narratives, built environments continually invite its users to sense exceptional experience of spaces and make the community anticipate what it has to offer for their spatial needs. The call for us who are in the profession is to be more fuelled with an unwavering commitment to deliver valuable architectural impacts to the surrounding society—one that is primarily initiated by our excitement and delight in the works of architecture.
