Architecture is an integral part of our lives; it has been and will always be. But is it just the structures or spaces around us or is it more?
As we progress in life, we discover new things, learn about new things, and cherish what we have, architecture is one such thing. The spaces that we occupy make us appreciate the essence of a place. Spaces like the living room of our house, the chowk around the corner, the courtyard, and the canteen where we eat are the places that we interact with regularly, still, neglect its presence.
Coming across these spaces daily, it happens naturally to get used to them and eventually we stop appreciating these spaces. Each of these places have different functions and are different from each other and are used at different times of the day, still are equally important. As a user, we need to understand that a space speaks for itself and has an impact on our lives.
Over the years humans have become machines, so much so that we work on the tick of the clock. Being at a place does not mean being just physically present but also emotionally and mentally. And being at a place helps us create memories and we then start to connect with them.
The quality is generally defined by the elements it possesses. These public spaces are examples that we have all visited at least once in our lives. The attempt is to understand these spaces and the impact that these spaces have on us.
Spaces around us – The Markets
One of the most common public spaces one visits is the market. Varying from open, semi-open, and closed, a market is everyone’s favorite. In the hustle-bustle of this space, we often forget that the space is communicating with us and that is what helps us create memories. It is because of these memories that we visit a place over and over.
Taking the example of two contrasting market spaces that everyone is aware of, Ambience Mall and Sarojini Nagar, both in Delhi-NCR region. This contrast leads to a change of essence and the way a person interacts with a place. Both these markets are popular but for different reasons. It is this difference that changes the impact these spaces have on individuals.
The Parks
Over the centuries, parks as a typology have evolved immensely. These natural spaces can be called one of the earliest forms of art known to humans. They are majorly used for recreational purposes by age groups varying from children to old people and are a protected green space. Gardens and parks have been and remain to be dedicated for plants, both open and semi-open.
The gardens and parks that we visit today, in contrast to the historic gardens, such as the Mughal Gardens, Rajput Gardens, and the British Gardens, are very different. The purpose remains the same but what lacks today is the integration of green with blue and that of humans with nature.
The Places of Worship
India, as a country, is secular and supports all the religions to live peacefully in it. As a daughter of this nation, I have been to religious places– not just to temples but mosques, not just churches but gurudwaras – each giving me a different experience. Despite all being spaces of worship, each of these has a different story to tell and therefore influences us differently. It is a place where we laugh, cry, talk, and ask for help, hoping the almighty to help. The walls of these religious structures have more stories to tell than any other structure, thus these spaces talk to us in ways no other place could.
The Impact of Spaces around us
These spaces are the spaces that one comes across regularly and still does not understand the impact that these spaces have on us, both physically and mentally. We all relate to architecture as structures to inhabit but not places that we connect to. A market or a park or religious spaces might be used for recreational or worship purposes respectively, but these spaces have an emotional essence that connects them to people.
References:
- Avis-Riordan, K., 2017. House Beautiful. [Online]
Available at: https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/garden/news/a1864/average-british-garden-features/
[Accessed 05 02 2022]. - RTF, unknown. Rethinking the future. [Online]
Available at: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/mughal-gardens-brief-introduction/
[Accessed 05 02 2022]. - Unknown, 2011. History Of Landscape Gardening In India. [Online]
Available at: http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=121702#:~:text=During%20the%20era%20of%20Rajput,three%20terraces%20and%20a%20lake.&text=The%20garden%20palace%20at%20Deeg,water%20courses%2C%20and%20other%20features.
[Accessed 05 02 2022].
