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Architecture
and its relationship with the Humanities
By Christopher Smith
Humanities 121, Edison Community College
November 15, 2011
About this article… see editor’s note below
Architecture is the planning and construction of buildings attempting
to incorporate some form of aesthetic design. It offers a form of art
in motion helping to shape and drive a culture in a particular
direction.
Space is one of the key elements in the designing process of
architecture. A church uses its height not only to rise above its
surroundings but to point to the heavens. This use of space is designed
to provoke and inspire the viewer. The Piazza in Rome uses its space in
a different manner. It uses the concept of centered space. This design
concept draws the eye towards a predetermined context bringing that
object to the forefront and setting a certain feel to the overall
design. The rounded shape of the structure allows for thousands of
viewers to see the pope while maintaining a wide view of other audience
members. This along with the massive structure provides a sense of
power and awe to the spectator.
Another key element in Architecture is living space. This is the
merging of artistic design and usefulness of a structure. Large stained
windows may offer a more inspiring artistic view but the utility of
this is limiting. This is where practical design will be incorporated
and conventional windows may be used to allow natural light to fill the
structure. This would provide the structure a more habitual and useful
purpose. This ebb and flow must constantly be weighted and
analyzed to achieve a balance between artistic design and practical
purpose. This is just one of the challenges of an architect. There are
numerous other aspects within these two elements present in the design
of architecture from technical requirements that ensure a building will
pass the test of time to function requirements allowing it to flow
gently into the landscape.
“No building is an island” is the mantra successful urban planners must
adapt to bring true value to an area. An exquisite structure
constructed in a poorly planned landscape will diminish the qualities
of a building devaluing any artistic thought placed in it. Architects
must work closely with urban development to understand and create an
interrelationship of building to grow an area into an efficient
utilized manner. With that a building must not only be aesthetically
pleasing structure but must follow economic and demographic trends
already in place along with fore-thought to the future. This provides
beauty that is not only appeasing to the eye but provides a beauty
though functionality by complementing the area it inhabits.
Does architecture influence our values is a positive manner is the
question to be asked? This cannot be given in a definitive in a yes/no
statement. It offers many grey areas that must be taken into account.
It has currently taken America in the general direction towards
devaluing a society through overvalued ostentatious structures offering
areas little to no true quality other than phony social stature. Much
of our retail and housing sectors can be summed up in this. Mass
production of cookie cutter designs from shopping malls to residential
housing allowing no true artistic talent to thrive and in return helps
squash any opportunity for real architecture to be established because
of in ability to compete economically. These buildings cheapen
areas using superficial aesthetic qualities in an attempt to hide the
designers true motivates, greed. This appears to be the path our
society has currently chosen and has paid dearly for it.
A pessimistic view is for the defeated. We have lost a naivety in
choosing the latter route but now stand to gain wisdom and hopefully
take another path. We’re currently at a cross roads and hold in our
hands the opportunity to bring about a stronger society through rapidly
developing “green” technology in addition to realizing the
interconnectedness of cities via a blend of proper transportation
systems, sound business practices (i.e. localization) and architecture
that not only offers beauty but brings value beyond a bottom line. If
that is what we ultimately choose a definitive yes must be given to the
question.
This is where the humanities lie in architecture. Seeing beyond the
surface of gilded structures and joining together as communities. Bears
Mill could fall into an example of this. The timber frame structure
offers beauty but that alone doesn’t make it art, helping to unite a
community does. Through these values we can narrow the gap between
nature and man, rich and poor and in this is where I see the humanities
in architecture.
Editor’s note: Last
fall I taught “Art in the Humanities,” an introductory level course at
the Edison Darke County Campus. Among the many projects the students
addressed were different forms of art, from painting and television, to
visits to DCCA events, Bears Mill, Garst Museum and Shawnee Prairie.
The purpose was to discuss their evaluation of how the assignments
related to “art” and/or the “humanities.” Students were challenged to
“think outside the box” in taking the concepts provided in the course
and relating them to their own research and experience. Some of the
best reports will be presented, with the student’s permission, on
County News Online. The opinions expressed in these reports have not
been altered in any manner.
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