Architecture has played a functional role since the inception of mankind. It is something we have known for centuries of living as a community. The construction and building methods were practised long before it became a discipline. Although the way we look at the art of building things then and now is very different, the basics of shelter remain intact, allowing one to adapt to the wilderness of nature, all the climatic conditions, and become a global species. The impact of architecture can be comprehended as blurred lines of disparity between architecture as a speciality and as a survival necessity.
There has been a constant back and forth influence between the built environment and the society resided within. The measure of impact can only be understood when we look at the history and the need for shelter. Primitive men used naturally found materials for their survival. Those shelters were simple and temporary. After discovering agriculture and cattle raring, humans started to settle, and hence, they influenced architecture majorly by building more durable homes using stone and wood. This style then again impacted the communities, and from survival, the shift in need happened to be comfort and privacy. Initially, a single hall with a roof became a house with multiple rooms serving different purposes.
The greater impact was noted when colonies started coming up, villages were formed, and an era of kingship came into existence. Historic cities and forts were built, and various empires were set up around the world. The great social and political impact was reflected in its built environment. Water and sewage systems were constructed, and the buildings started reflecting hierarchy in the social structure. Great monuments were built with their identical unique styles and became symbolic entities for the empires. However, these developments, in turn, affected the social structure and led to economic advancements in particular regions. These massive architectural structures, unique to their region and climate, attracted a lot of traders, tourists, and migrators for economic growth, and cultural benefits, in search of newness or simply for the desire to experience the place.
A completely different approach in architecture can be noticed after the different styles of the medieval era followed by the pre-modern architecture style; during industrialization and between wars, the purpose of building and the system of construction changed heaps and bounds. A major shift in the use of materials like clear glass, steel, and concrete was observed, along with the sleek, functional, minimal style construction in modern architecture. Especially after World War II, the mass housing and cheaper, faster construction ameliorated the construction of apartments and high-rise buildings. This resulted in the loss of individualism or regionalism in architecture. It only became a functional matter all over again. With glass façade buildings and grid structure systems, there was barely a change in the spatial experience of places.
Through all those eras of architectural style and constantly evolving social, cultural, economic, and political structures, when we look at contemporary architecture and its impact on present lifestyle, the volume of space, the availability of natural light and ventilation, the aesthetics and connection to nature and others cannot be overlooked. After all, the elements of design are what make a built environment. A commoner would not recognize these impacts directly but would rather feel detached or form a dislike of certain spaces. A city is a concrete environment where one has to live, work and commute and has an impact on people regardless of their awareness. A person with no architectural education would blame the climate for excruciating heat; an architect knows that the wide tar roads and no shaded public places with no trees along the footpath are the reason. The size and position of openings, the materials the walls are made of, the roof structure, and the visibility and circulation of spaces – The elements that decide the experience of a space, the feeling of a person in the space, and everything that envelopes not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Architecture can change our lifestyle in oblivious ways.
Now, when we think about the impact of architecture in our lives, there has to be a thought process that answers the question -how do we want to live? and what changes in present building conditions can be made to make the living environment better? To have an inclusive approach to living and a system of construction that is sensitive towards nature. Architecture can influence the overall physical and mental health if we allow it does so. This, however, has to be well studied and experimented with, as architecture, even if started as a mere function of shelter from the wilderness of nature, it is now much more than just that, it is the surroundings, the stage as well as backstage in the drama of mankind.
Architecture is supposed to be comfortable, functional, aesthetical, regional, cultural, inclusive, sustainable, existential, and everything else that we human desires it to be. It is to make one feel motivated, nostalgic, safe, happy, and everything else that human emotions can accumulate. One only has to build it that way to make an impact in our lives.
List of Image
Image 1: A replica of prehistoric settlement_https://newsela.com/
Image 2: Early human settlements_ https://www.atlasobscura.com/
Image 3: Evolution of architecture with time_https://hotdocs.ca/
Image 4: Experiencing architecture. Natural light, space, elements and nature_https://rmjm.com/
References
https://www.britannica.com/technology/construction
https://hmcarchitects.com/news/how-does-architecture-impact-society-a-high-level-look-2019-10-18/#:~:text=Everything%20from%20the%20layout%20of,contribute%20more%20to%20their%20company.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVsCHMj5_Bo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgvbffkN90E
