The quality of lives we lead is heavily influenced by the design of the spaces we work, live, learn and play. Architecture is the primary player in civilisation and has a hand in every aspect of our lives, from housing, transport, education, health and culture, and history. Good architecture is a need, not a luxury. Everyone deserves a dignifying design.
Many organisations have programs that seek to demystify architecture to the general public. For instance, the Je, Una Mjengo? The campaign by the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) whose objective is to inform the public of the importance of using professionals and following the right channel when building and create clarity and awareness of the processes the built environment. This is a positive progression as the field is often seen as elitist by the general for the longest time despite its reach in everyone’s daily life.
USERS
We spend 80-90% of our lives indoors; at home, at work, in school, shopping, and even recreational activities. With the global pandemic, we spend even more time indoors surrounded by artificial lights, colours, sounds, and furniture. How does the built environment affect our psychological wellbeing?
Architecture and interior design may affect a person’s health, behaviour, mood, decisions, and interactions with others.
Spaces determine the behaviour of users on a subconscious level(Deinsberger-Deinsweger,2013).
Well-designed spaces are more than just aesthetics and taste; they shape our perception of self and self-worth. This is the essence of dignity. Dignifying architecture is both an opportunity and responsibility of design. The balance of aesthetics and function is key in creating architecture that brings dignity.
To achieve dignity in design, one must be conscious of age, gender, culture and location, accessibility, and housing situation.
21% of the global population lacks adequate housing. There is nothing less dignifying than people sleeping on the streets exposed to the elements, especially with the added cruelty of anti-homeless architecture.
Beyond providing basic functionality that meets the needs of the user, good architecture enhances through the right balance of aesthetics, design technology and materials and construction method.
Cases of vandalism and improper use can often be directly linked to structural causes.
It is important for architecture to promote a strong sense of space and encourage positive user interaction. Doing so creates a sense of belonging and responsibility among the users.
Design determines how users perceive space. Perception of space, in turn, determines how people behave in space and interactions with each other and the space.
ENVIRONMENT
Architecture is hugely complicated in global warming, architecture is hugely complicated, with buildings contributing 40% of global energy use. Present-day materials commonly used are stones, steel, and concrete. These materials absorb heat easily during hot days, making cities very hot. They also lose heat easily during cold seasons, increasing the energy needed to keep our spaces warm. Glass facades presently characterise modernist city architecture. Not only does glass reflect light onto adjacent streets, affecting peoples’ vision, it also traps heat in the buildings. Office buildings are littered with air conditioners to keep them cool during hot weather. The air conditioners add to the ambient noise while also warming the air around them.
Buildings are designed for comfort, and climatic conditions are the basis on which thermal comfort for buildings is determined. Climate is changing rapidly, with record high temperatures being recorded steadily. Architecture need also change in order to cope.
With the continued population growth, the cities keep expanding as well, leading to an increase in urban heat islands. Therefore, it is imperative that architects and engineers look into eco-friendly structures and methods to mitigate the impact on the environment.
Sustainable architecture seeks to create a positive relationship between architecture and the environment. Integration of buildings and nature to minimise the disruption on nature can be achieved through biophilic design, green walls and green roofs. Vegetation cover is one of the most important players in mitigating the climate crisis.
At its core, architecture aims to provide shelter from the elements. However, it has come to shape our identity, culture, and expression of self. Architecture is responsible for creating an identifiable face for cities and even entire countries. Many cities have unique skylines created over the years. The skylines give the cities their identities, and the people relate and associate with these facades. For this reason, many city governments tend to preserve older architectural masterpieces to preserve history and perpetuate a culture.
MEASURING IMPACT
Traditionally designers have very limited interaction with their projects after the occupation by clients and users. How then can we measure the impact of a building, and by what standards?
Architects can undertake a post-occupancy evaluation to assess the impact of architect the users. In this case, a rigorous study asks users about their actual experiences of buildings paired with the observation of users’ behaviours. A third party best conducts it.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a certification program based on an array of factors, including energy efficiency, water usage, and proximity to transit, among many others. It is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership.
MEASURING
It is imperative that designers and developers look beyond form and function when designing. The psychological and physiological effects that architecture has on users should be taken to account. Mitigation of climate crisis is everyone’s responsibility, and designers must do their part; through the use of eco-friendly materials and restoring vegetation.
REFERENCES
Cary, J., 2017. Design for good: A new era of architecture for everyone. Island Press.
Icon & Ikon- How architecture affects the environment. https://www.iconarc.com/single-post/2017/09/06/how-architecture-affects-the-environment
Deinsberger-Deinsweger, D.H. and Wohnspektrum-Housing, C.E.O., 2013. Human Sustainability. SB, 13, pp.1159-1170.
