The idea of ‘my place’ is a very personal and inward subject for everyone. It is a human perspective and also etiquette to be particular with the type of space you choose to surround yourself with. This quality of individuality defines the person’s personality and a lot about the person too. And while this space can be anything from your workspace to your very own bedroom, it is the sense of familiarity and belonging that acts like a strong attractive force, making one come back to it.
To an ordinary eye, there is a nominal perspective for their surroundings but to a professional eye, with a thorough understanding of the field, will have a knack for details, the thought process went behind, and might even wonder about the inspiration that drove the architect, the structural integrity, the texture of materials, etc. that went behind the designing the space which only comprises a little of that place. Analyzing and critiquing a place is a keen part of architectural studies that becomes a subconscious instinct to observe the space around you. Think of it this way, you are walking along a space and looking around, you take it in, grow to like the aesthetics and eventually also feel comfortable. And yet you are impervious to what went behind it, but with the knowledge of architecture, you are aware of the ‘what’ and ‘how’ prospects of that space, distilling the perspective and making logic and liking homogeneous.
It is also important to note that architecture is a combined study of ideologies, science, arts, and nature which makes it so considerate toward building space. To understand this culmination better, let’s take a look at some of the typologies to understand how the perspectives towards them have changed over time.
Urban Areas/ Public spaces
Public spaces are like a vast blank sheet of canvas, brimming with fresh perspectives and the capacity to bring change, to bring the city together. It is the mindful design of these spaces that shapes people’s perspective towards a social, economic, and environmentally friendly direction. These spaces are not only a medium for a better living but also to express confidence, promote human interactions and altogether make the people feel close to their city and generate a feeling of comfort. (Bond, 2017)
Over time, the need and usage of public spaces or recreational spaces have been diverted from searching for a new piece of land and developing it to identifying depleting areas and blank patches and regenerating them to be of public use. Urban development has become a typology with no bounds be it playful landscapes or public installations.
“Nothing in the world is more simple and cheap than making cities that provide better for people,” said Jan Gehl, a well-known name in the Urban design fraternity. In recent years, the role of public spaces, like many other sectors, has been redefined especially after the pandemic. The overall perspective towards the purpose, design, and functionality have evolved as well as modified. Urban areas aim to unravel the various layers of all that a city and its members demand. It adheres to the perspective of its masses and the perception of its architect.
Community Housing
From what started as a form of affordable housing for the working class of society, is now a typology thriving in the experimentation of sound living. Following the reason for the formation of this typology, social housing is usually designed to accommodate the lower-income groups of society through government services or NGO groups. And thus the purpose was to provide shelter to more people, along with good quality spaces with amenities.
These dwellings include diverse perceptions of sustainable, social, ecological, economic, and cultural paradigms. Altogether, the main idea of community housing is to keep the values and skills of a community intact. Well-articulated housing plans can help outcomes in terms of employment, education, mental health, and social isolation. From an outsider’s perspective, this might go unnoticed and not be acknowledged as much as it should. (Happycities.com, 2022)
Adaptive Reuse
Irrespective of whether one hails from the profession of architecture or not, one knows the ongoing land wars and their prices in the market. Situations like these, along with environmental concerns, make it vital to reconsider the usage of existing abandoned structures. Reviving the places for renewal adds more value to a building’s life. Preserving the cultural and elemental heritage of a building is a sustainable approach for its surroundings too. (Schmidt Associates, 2018)
Adaptive reuse, when carried out mindfully, can oversee that resources are not abused or used more than needed. This method of progress in sustainability ensures that the essence of the past fits well with the planning of the future. With embedded knowledge of architecture, the process of structure, materials, aesthetics, and functional directions of an adaptive volume becomes simpler to navigate.
Taking an example, the Alembic Art district in the city of Vadodara is a place generated on the grounds of the Alembic Industrial area. What was a unit of functioning factories has now been transformed into a haven for artists by including studios, exhibition galleries, an amphitheater, and spaces dedicated to leisure and collecting revenues like cafes, restaurants, etc. It is an ode to the city’s history of the art revolution and the emerging population indulged in performing arts.
Perspective, like change, will be always in a state of the constant switch. The more one gains knowledge about architecture, the better will their understanding and their way of functioning towards their spaces. Peter Zumthor in his book, ‘Thinking Architecture’, writes that, “In order to design a building with a sensuous connection to life, one must think in a way that goes beyond form and construction”. The sentence aptly describes the many directions one must experience to fully acquaint with the space they are in.
References:
(2022, April 05). Retrieved from Happycities.com: https://happycities.com/blog/learning-from-community-housing-movements-six-principles-for-happy-homes
Bond, M. (2017, June 06). The hidden ways that architecture affects how you feel. Retrieved from BBC.com: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170605-the-psychology-behind-your-citys-design
Schmidt Associates. (2018, September 11). Retrieved from schmit-arch.com: https://schmidt-arch.com/why- adaptive-reuse-important-todays-world/
