Architecture

To See and Feel Architecture

Architecture is the process of designing environments, structures and landscapes. The ability to blend art with technical knowledge is a key element in architecture. When you look at a building, you are often drawn to dominant lines and curves that are present. These lines are often placed purposely to draw your eye to other features on the building. All of this is done to create a personal reaction to what you see. When all of the lines, shapes and features come together, a strong reaction speaks highly of the architect.

Putting lines on paper in strict geometry is a straight forward process. In architecture this is the basic starting point for the project to be refined. The initial space for the project will set the boundary. Once the boundary is established, it is time to let the creativity begin.

When beginning to form your thoughts and ideas, you will start to consider many aspects. How does the shape of the building coincide with the landscape? What materials will complement one another? Is the natural exposure adequate or excessive? Lighting and color are also major considerations. As your pallet and medium come together, and your canvas (boundary) is prepared, you can now create your work of art.

"The only way you can build, the only way you can get the building into being, is through the measurable. You must follow the laws of nature and use quantities of brick, methods of construction, and engineering. But in the end, when the building becomes part of the living, it evokes unmeasurable qualities, and the spirit of its existence takes over." Louis Kahn (Ching, 1995, p. 8) The blending of building materials and techniques in an artful manner will produce the desired result. Everything has to come together in the end.

After the sketches and the preliminary design drawings have been created, it is time to move into the technical realm of architecture. When it comes to the artistic side of architecture, it requires your own unique creativity. When it is time to create working drawings, (drawings used to build the project) the techniques are solid, uniform and excepted on an international level. Beauty may have structural limitations. This is when you begin to address these issues.

Engineering is one of the most important parts of architecture. The building may look beautiful, but if it can't hold up its own weight, it's not a good design. Engineering will help to solve these problems. Sometimes sacrifices must be made in regard to safety of the occupants over the overall appearance of the building. For instance; you have a large expanse of windows along on whole side of the building on the main floor. This same wall is required to hold the weight of an additional six floors. Without engineering, this would not be possible. The glass could not hold the weight on its own. With the help of engineers load carrying structures can be used to accommodate the load. Their placement may or may not be in such a manner that it does not hinder the appearance of the building. Nearly anything can be built to look like the original design, but the cost would be tremendous.

Now that the building is standing on its own, the next place to go is inside. Your creative juices can flow with nearly no limits on interior walls. Curves, angles and any other shape you can think of can be used to create the feeling you want this building to have. One of the major considerations when working on the interior floor plans