Zeitgeist and architecture - Essay Example

? Zeitgeist and architecture Theoretical ideas analysis Zeitgeist is the German word that stands for architectural concept. It portrays architecture as a syntactical language that tries to transmit the spirit of the time in the history of the world and the series of changes in socioeconomic and political (Bussler, 2003). In respect of the building of choice in this paper, Le unite de Habitation du Marseille form Le Corbusier, It is important to underscore the fact that architectonic space is a syntactic language that attempts to transmit concepts through our most basic instincts. Architecture incorporates the reaction in philosophy and the beliefs of a particular time. Such architectural designs have a direct impact on space which also goes in line with time. From time immemorial art has been part of everyday life of people in various cultural settings. This has been the case with the various aspects of the society ranging from structures, interior design of houses, food arrangement patterns and designing of clothes. Various theoretical concepts have been advanced in respect of the philosophical factors that are taken into consideration when designing various buildings. Architecture is one of the oldest sciences that require in-depth understanding of various factors in respect of the desired structure. A number of modern towns are experiencing increasing demand for housing with a blend of diverse architectural designs (Mitias, 1999). There are various theoretical concepts that are spoken by the structure itself once it is constructed. Architecture captures the space factor which is increasingly becoming scarce in most residential sites. There have been many cases of setting up buildings in a way that they blend with the topography of the site and the cultural affiliation with the immediate society. Various architecture scientists attest to the fact that the contemporary society strives to spare any little space and maximize the allocated site with an expansive interior and relatively slim exterior. It is common to come across a number of features in many cities which still represent the ancient architecture and are mainly taken through renovation with the building technique kept intact. The cultural affiliation of the people is an important factor in designing various architectural pieces of art. The ancient time is a reflection of the origin of various concepts and socioeconomic and political concepts that dictated a given way of life amongst the members of the community. This explains the diverse architectural features that are found around the world and the cultural association they have with the given community. It is worth to note that the contemporary architecture considers the serenity of the surroundings and the complexity of the social characteristics of the society. This has been brought about by the increasing sensitivity of people towards colors and their blending (Gargiani, Le Corbusier, Rossellini & Piccolo, 2011). It is important to note that any sensitive architectural creation must incorporate the important influence of image to the public when designing a house. Design of a building says more than words about the prevailing culture, and it explains why some of the ancient buildings have kept under the UN conventions on preservation of cultural heritage. The contemporary emergence of globalization is driving urban centers towards over population and a beehive of commercial activities. This requires redefinition of planning the town in terms of structures. Space is becoming a great issue and this explains the research on how the architectures and town planners can come up with beautiful and space saving designs. The increasing competition for space is a matter of great concern among various competing demands of an urban center. There is a need for a revised polychromy of architecture. Ultra-modern art has seen most of the houses designed with vibrant colors and attractive interior design with paints that are water resistant for durability (Mitias, 1999). The adoption of loggias’ vibrant polychromy has been found to be standing in stark contrast to the desirable facades’ which are constituted of crude concrete. The architect conventions ensure that geometric concepts are put into the optimal use to realize a desirable house within the provided space. It is a matter of blending geometry with the available resources and the prevailing cultural environment. It is common to find a multicultural architectural work dotting various parts of an urban center across the world due to the diverse cultural dispersion and the in-depth attachment of this with the tradition of man. Building of Discussion It is important to note that most of the contemporary architecture in the cities around the world are just a development of the ancient technology and the design of Le unite de Habitation du Marseille form Le Corbusier is not an exception. This building which is located in Paris, France is an example of the anesthetic power of architecture if philosophically designed (Laan, 2013). The history of the construction of this piece of art dates back to the years between 1945 and 1952. This great artistic feature represents the prototype for a city’s vertical garden and radical ideas which are proposed for urbanization of modern cities and modular standardization. This building actually acts as the springboard of testing the polychrome revised architecture in the modern society. It was built during World War II but is designed with a post-war polychromy and this is not limited to color palette that characterize its new look. It is a good example of the great inner geometric application and the new syntax. This is accompanied by the variations in a number of its structures that were built after the war which gives it a multifaceted cultural background with great space utilization techniques. In terms of the scope and complexity, Le Corbusier architects initiated creation of a color blend that would give it the present look and anaesthetic sight. This was achieved through collaboration with the paint manufacturer Peintures Berger de La Courneuve from where the post war polychromy and paints originated. This asserts the idea that ancient art forms the basis of the contemporary beauty seen in buildings. Deeper scrutiny of the building exposes a combination of a variety of colors with patterns that are in line with the organization of different apartments that constitute it (Gargiani, Le Corbusier, Rossellini & Piccolo, 2011). In contrast to other similar buildings where color is merely a tool for articulating and modifying space, Le unite de Habitation du Marseille form Le Corbusier marks the paradigm shift in use of color from form to independence and revelation of a new social dimension of color. Development of the argument It is important to discuss various theoretical concepts and relate this to the chosen feature. Architecture as developed over time to fit into the emerging demands of the society. It is important to underscore the exponential rate at which the society is changing its preference on various issues. This includes what to consume, where to live and the type of features to admire. The unprecedented influence of globalization has placed most of the people on the brink of social-cultural adventure as far as the architectural diversity is concerned. It is therefore imperative that the designers work in line with the changes expected in the society in terms of the use of different concepts traditionally applied in the construction and furnishing buildings. Take the example of color which was simply used for beauty. With time this has generated into a completely new meaning in terms of use. Behind the beauty there is need for durability and variation that will be trendy and attached to some cultural values. This includes the various uses to which the building will be put. In respect of the great Le unite de Habitation du Marseille by Le Corbusier, it is worth to note that various apartments in it have varied colors that create a blend of appearance tone. The architects of this building incorporated the ancient period into the modern modifications to create a fusion of the transition from ancient society to the modern world. Color is important in the modification of a virtual space which has a significant role in influencing the perception of people over a given place and this is a concept well taken care of in the designing of the magnificent the Unite d’habitation in Marseille building. Geometry works best in economizing space and exploiting beauty in any architectural endeavor. It is always common to come across many modern houses having a multiple application of geometry in consideration to space and cost hence improving the overall benefits of the project (Pile, 2005). Unite d’habitation in Marseille has 336 apartments with different roles and activities and is therefore not standardized but designed to suit the diverse use to which the building was meant. Color variation is important in modifying the appearance of any of the apartments or partitions in any structure like in the case of Le unite de Habitation du Marseille form Le Corbusier. It is also important for any person interested in realizing a good architectural design to emphasize the distinguishing applicability of color when it comes to buildings (Winters, 2005). Various partitions or apartments need to be assigned different blends of paints and colors to customize them for various uses. This is one of the tools that have been applied in the Marseille form Le Corbusier building which currently house the UN cultural heritage agency of Unite d’Habitation in Marseille. Bibliography Bussler, C. 2003. B2B integration: concepts and architecture : with 4 tables. Berlin [u.a.], Springer. Gargiani, R., Le Corbusier, Rosellini, A., & Piccolo, S. 2011. Le Corbusier: be?ton brut and ineffable space, 1940-1965 : surface materials and psychophysiology of vision. Lausanne, Switzerland, EFPL Press. Laan, S. 2013. It infrastructure architecture - infrastructure building blocks and concepts. [S.l.], Lulu Com. Mitias, M. H. 1999. Architecture and civilization. Amsterdam [u.a.], Rodopi. Pile, J. 2005. A history of interior design. London, Laurence King Publishing. Winters, N. B. 2005. Architecture is elementary: visual thinking through architectural concepts. Salt Lake City, G. Smith. Read More