Architecture in Context 2: Investigating 20th Century Architecture

This essay delves into the multifaceted world of architecture, commencing with fundamental concepts and progressing to historical and theoretical underpinnings. The essay provides a comprehensive overview of architectural design, highlighting its evolution, diverse styles, and construction methods. It explores the roles of architects in shaping physical structures and the impact of historical periods, including ancient civilizations and the evolution of architecture through various eras. The essay addresses architectural theory, its significance in education and practice, and the interplay between design, functionality, and aesthetics. It emphasizes the importance of design methodology, cost estimation, and the architect's role in the design process. The essay aims to enhance the understanding of architectural history and contemporary debates, encouraging analytical thinking and reflection on the subject.

Running head: ARCHITECTURE
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ARCHITECTURE
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Architecture
Everything which doesn’t take place by accident starts from idea. A concept strikes the
mind and it is realized. After first, it is not known how to achieve it. However, achieving major
aim is prize for the effort. General aim for the activity is first idea. After the verbal formulation,
next step is taken that is specifying as well as detailing major aim of the actions. Everyone deals
to lesser or greater extent, by creating new reality within several aspects. However, only few
learn to create space in professional way as for the action with both developed consciousness for
creation as well as proper knowledge are required (Roth 2018). Hence, space is developed by the
professional designers which includes architects. Overall creative process to make decisions
aimed to satisfy human needs is called architecture. Architecture is art to design or create
physical structures. Architecture is not only to design houses, but also apartments, machines and
landscapes. Designing space could be known as architectural design.
Architecture is both product as well as process to plan, design and construct buildings or
all other structures. The architectural work in buildings’ material form are perceived often as the
cultural symbols along with art’s work. The historical civilizations often are identified by the
surviving achievements of architecture. Architecture could mean the general term for describing
buildings as well as other physical structures. The architecture is the science and art to design
buildings as well as non-building structures (McKellar 2017). Architecture is style for design as
well as method for construction of the buildings as well as other physical structures. Architecture
is coherent or unifying structure or form. Architecture is the knowledge of science, humanity, art
and science. Architecture means rendering or offering professional services with connection to
design as well as construction of the buildings or the built environments.

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Architecture’s history is vast subject, however is invaluable and indispensable key for
understanding architecture. Architecture is quite close to development of civilization.
Architecture could be seen as mirror, reflecting the changes of civilizations, hopes and
advancements throughout history. Same thing applies to all other forms of culture and art,
however architecture is art’s form as sell as catering to the fundamental needs of human, could
be deeper portrait sometimes of what is occurring in specific place at particular time. With
architecture’s history, knowledge of civilizations’ history could be gained (Whittick 1982). As
architecture is coherent chain for styles, tendencies, techniques, beliefs and events, direct
understanding could be gained about why and how architecture is done today as well as predicts
about how architecture could be in future.

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Traditionally, architecture’s history is based mainly on the western architecture as the
western civilizations have history influenced or conquered among every other territories.
Western architecture’ history is the part of every course of architecture’s history all over the
world as well as could be considered as world architecture’s classical trunk. First civilization to
emerge within Mediterranean regions was in Egypt (Martins 2018). With addition to written
language, dynastic ruling class and religion, this developed unique style for Egyptian
architecture, mainly consisting of huge burial chambers as the pyramids as well as underground
tombs. The design was monumental however not architecturally complicated and employed
lintels and posts, instead of arches. However, Egyptian expertise within stone had strong
influence over later architecture of Greece (Allen 2009). Egyptians constructed several palaces in
Karnak, the structures were furnished with artworks’ diverse range which includes murals,
metalwork, sculptures and panel paintings depicting several Gods, rulers, symbolic animals and
deities in unique art style of Egypt.
Meanwhile in Persia and Mesopotamia, civilization of Sumerian was developing
unique building of own, a stepped pyramid known as ziggurat. However in contrast with
pyramids of Egyptian pyramids, the ziggurat were not built as the tombs. Construction of
ziggurats were done from the clay fired bricks and finished often with the colored glazes. In
Stone Age’s end, the ceremonial megaliths such as Newgrange passage tomb and Knowth
megalithic tomb began to show up in the Northern Europe (Kuchiki 2019). Either buried as well
as roofed over for forming dolmen or arranged upright in open, the structures of heavy stone are
believed to have ritualistic or religious function. In few cases, the alignment of the stones reveals
astronomy’s sophisticated knowledge.

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Ancient Greece’s history of architecture is divided in three eras: Archaic period,
Hellenistic Period and Classical Period. Inspired by practice as well as theory of earlier builders
and stone mansions of Egypt, Greeks set to replace to their buildings’ wooden structure with the
stone structures, process called petrification. Marble and limestone were employed to walls and
columns, while there was use of terracotta for ornaments and roof tiles. Metal such as bronze was
used for decoration. Like the sculptors and painters, architects of Greece did not enjoy status
presented to the successors. The architectures were not treated as the artists, however as
tradesman (Harms 2011). Most common kinds of the public buildings of Greece were temples,
stadiums and theatres. Simple techniques of post-and-lintel were used by Greek architecture.
This was not until Roman era where arches were developed for spanning greater distance. As
result, architects of Greece were forces in employing several great stone columns for supporting
horizontal short beams. They were not able in constructing the buildings with big interior space,
having no rows for internal support. Greek architecture’s theory is most influential form for
classical art of Greece.
Unlike more intellectual and creative Greeks, people of Rome were practical people
having flair of engineering, military matters and construction. In Roman architecture, they

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heavily borrowed from both Greeks and Etruscans. Architecture of Rome serves needs of Roman
state that was keen for impressing as well as entertaining growing population within urban areas.
Architecture of Rome was assisted through major advances within both new materials and design
(Prak 2019). There was enhancement of design by architectural development within construction
of the arches as well as roof domes. The arches improved the capability as well as efficiency of
the aqueducts as well as bridges, while the doomed roofs permitted building of open areas as
well as lent exterior impressive appearance of majesty and grandeur.
Theory of architecture is act to think, discuss as well as write about the architecture.
Theory of architecture is taught within every architecture school as well as is practiced by
leading architects of the world. Few forms that the theory of architecture takes are dialogue or
lecture, book or treatise and competition entry or paper project. Theory of architecture is didactic
often, and the theorists tend in staying close to and work from in schools (Hershberger 1970).
Theory of architecture was differentiating intellectual from the practical knowledge within
architectural education, however this has come in signifying total basis to judge merits of the
building projects or buildings. These judgements are crucial part of creative process of
architecture. A building could be only designed by the continuous intellectual, creative dialectic
among reason and imagination in mind of every creator.

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Variety of the interpretations are given to theory of architecture. Before 1750 all
published lectures and comprehensive treatises on architecture might be described approximately
as textbook over theory of architecture. However, after changes associated to Industrial
Revolution, architectural knowledge’s amount which might be acquired by the academic study
only increased to the point where the complete synthesis is virtually impossible within single
volume (Eisenman 2014). Architectural theory’s historical evolution is mainly assessable from
the published treatises as well as manuscripts form the critical commentaries and essays and
from ever epoch’s surviving buildings. Few treatises of architecture were intended for
publicizing the novel concepts instead of stating broadly excepted ideals. Most idiosyncratic
theories might exert as well as beneficial influence however value of such influences isn’t related
to acceptance’s extent. Analysis to survive buildings gives guidance that needs great caution. As

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apart from the impossibility to determine if or not any specific group for buildings constitutes
reliable sample of era.
Distinction between theory and history of architecture didn’t emerge till mid of 18th
century. Establishment of the two different academic disciplines wasn’t even nominal till 1818.
Architectural history’s modern concept was part of bigger trend that was stimulated by French
Enlightenment’s leading writers, intellectual movement of 18th century which developed from the
interrelated conceptions of nature, man and reason (Erzen 1991). This is assumed that
architecture’s complete theory is concerned always in few ways with the three interrelated terms
structural stability, attractive appearance and proper spatial accommodation.
Architecture’s main objective is designing functional as well as aesthetic alteration of
certain space. The idea with complexity’s high degree could not be realized without prepared
plan. The architectural design includes precisely to prepare such plan. For executing the plan,
architecture’s adequate knowledge is required as well as at least disciplines’ basic knowledge
related with architecture, about every engineering as well as branches about what knowledge is
needed in specific cases (Van Etteger, Thompson and Vicenzotti 2016). The branches are
represented also by own specialists. The architects cooperate to the specialists from several
engineering branches. Aim of this plan is preparing the architectural design. With use of
appropriate design methodology, this could be achieved. Result of the process id architectural
design, while result of whole process of investigation is ne building, building’s renovation or
landscape’s development. By knowing more methods of design, the range of the possibilities to
create activity plan increases and hence better architectural designs could be prepared.

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Architectural design’s preparation is completed when result of completed design already
is basis for commencement of new construction of building landscape or interior (Schmidt III
and Austin 2016). Visible as well as recognized generally as design process’s symbolic
completion is end of the preparation of whole documentation of design which includes the
architectural design, every engineering design, legal arrangements and necessary opinions called
building permit design. Hence, architectural design is part of building permit design.
As design process’s final point, getting the design’s official legal acceptance, is
recognized also. It is crucial in establishing before design work what real starting as well as final
points of design processes are. Rules should be established for starting as well as final points of
design process for the client. Through passing on information, any ambiguity is avoided which
might lead in misunderstanding (Eisenman 1995). One of architectural design’s aim might be
research also if it is possible to locate new building over specific land, this is called analysis of

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architectural activity on land capacity. The Evaluation of building’s proper functioning on plot
with respect to surroundings is called analysis of functional site.
Architectural design’s another objective is performing estimation of cost of renovation or
construction of buildings and that off adaptation or modernization to all other functions of
existing objects. It is essential on basis of conceptual drawings, the general costing could be
developed and this is possible in checking price of investment (Foorthuis et al. 2016). Due to
general costing, client as well as with help of architect, decision could be taken to start the
process of architectural design.
Real foundation of design activity of architecture is thinking. Hence, thinking process
should be considered in conscious way. Starting point for thinking about certain design occurs
usually when client provides clear information for making design process. I means client already
has made decision to commence whole complex and long investment process where major role is
played by architectural design (Verdun and Zeitlin 2018). Sometimes, architects commencing
design process within specific architectural tasks have some solutions in minds. Regardless of
earlier realization, the solutions are quite useful to work on the new architectural designs. It must
be emphasized that with more enhanced architect, there are more solutions for architectural
problems.

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Design thinking within architecture starts usually from generally imagining about new
building as wanted by client. At same time, this should be remembered to keep emotional
distance from first image of space created. It must be underlined that first image of space created
in quire essential from psychological view. This allows architects in getting accustomed with
buildings or other types of design objects (Pearce 2018). Approach for design thinking is really
crucial for architecture. One of main advantage of professions of architecture is independence.
Independence is considerable range of choice in this profession, also it is needed for making
reasonable decisions.
Architecture and structure might be related to broad variety of the ways which ranges
between extremes of total domination of the architecture by the structure to overall disregard of
the structural requirement within determination of form of both building as well as of the
aesthetic treatment. In case of relationship between architecture and structure, relationship

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among structural engineers and architects might take several forms (Sweller, van Merriënboer
and Paas 2019). It might rand from a situation where building’s form is solely determined by
architect with the engineer concerned with making this stand up as well as engineer who is acting
as an architect along with determining building’s form and other architectural factors of design.
The midway among such extremes is situation where engineer and architect fully collaborate
over building’s form and evolve design jointly. Kind of relationship that is adopted has a
significant effect upon resulting agriculture’s nature. There are several periods in Western
architecture’s history where structural system’s formal logic is allowed for influence (Tsiambaos
2017). In periods where the mood is prevailed, forms which are adopted are logical
consequences for buildings’ structural armatures. Ornamentation of the structure is a category
where building includes more than structural visible armature which is adjusted in the minor
ways of visual reasons, is one version for this.
Relationship between architecture and structure in category of structure as the ornament
consists of structural elements’ manipulation by criteria that are visual principally as well as this
is relationship that is largely phenomenon of twentieth-century. Structure is provided visual
prominence, however visual drive design process instead of technical considerations (Foroudi et
al. 2020). As consequence, performance of the structures is less than appropriate when is judged
by the technical criteria. It is feature that distinguished the structure as the ornament from the
ornamentation of the structure. Three versions for structure as the ornaments might be
distinguished, where first structure is symbolically used, in second structure, spectacular exposed
by the structure might be devised with respect to circumstances that are artificially created and
third version of structure involves adoption of approach where structure is expressed for
producing readable building where there is celebration of technology (Hazen et al. 2017). Where