Eco Architecture and Culture - Dissertation Example

The effects of eco-architecture on culture are discussed in this study. Emphasis is given on a particular aspect of eco-architecture: underground living. This is because underground homes have become popular, offering an effective alternative for those who are interested in promoting sustainability.

It is proved that eco-architecture can interact with culture but under certain terms. Moreover, the relationship between eco-architecture and culture is not standardized; it can be strong or weak, depending on the level at which eco-architects are free to promote architectural projects which can highly affect the cultural characteristics of a particular region. 1. Overview 1.1 Research Objectives The objectives of this study could be described as follows: a) to identify the key characteristics of eco-architecture, b) to check whether eco-architecture is able to interact with culture and at which level; C) to identify the reasons for which people had initially chosen to live underground but also the reasons for which they decided to move to buildings above the ground; d) to compare the quality of underground homes, as compared to conventional homes; e) to check whether modern thinking can affect the views of people in regard to eco-architecture and living underground and f) to estimate, as possible, the expansion of underground homes, as a trend, in the future. 1.2 Value of the topic Living underground has been a common practice in the early years of human history.

Still, the rapid development of technology and the changes in the structure and the principles of societies have led to the need for different forms of living. Moving above ground has been a critical point for the history of humans. It seems that the above transition has been highly promoted by culture. For similar reasons, a different trend has recently appeared: living underground recently appeared: living underground has become popular, again, but for different reasons. The need for saving energy has been set as the priority of those supporting the idea of living underground.

It should be also noted that living underground has many perspectives: it does not necessarily mean that humans have to return to caves; it can be also related to the efforts made for developing buildings that are closely connected to the earth. Earth sheltering is such a case. This study focuses on a particular aspect of underground space: the use of these spaces in eco-architecture and the level at which these spaces have influenced the relationship between eco-architecture and cultural development. From this point of view, the topic of this study can be characterized as unique, emphasizing a critical issue: the interaction between eco-architecture and culture, as the above relationship is reflected in the modern trend for reviving underground living.