Modern Architectural World - Essay Example

Since we live in the modern world, and have been exposed to many recent architectural developments made, then I cannot help but to be more engrossed to the beauty of the contemporary architectural designs. For one, I have observed that most buildings or even houses that we see nowadays have incorporated in their designs various elements and styles that are more advantageous both to men and to nature. To cite an example, the development of green architecture is indeed a sure answer to the call of times which is environmental preservation and protection. If I am to summarize contemporary architectural design, it would be conservation. I have noticed that from Rebecca’s lecture, that there is a measure adopted slashing off various devises and replacing them with anything natural and as much as possible without using any energy. Since I was a kid, I have been attracted to the concept of space and angles in architecture. Space because it gives you the idea that you are not living in an urban environment. I think this is the reason why, most condominiums and residential complexes in the city, aside from saving space are leaning towards vertical expansion - there is a need to as much as possible make it appear that they are away from the hassle and pester of the city life. Space on the other hand, gives the illusion of movement. I have become conscious of how several buildings at the present time, that tend to mimic the natural environment. In cities, what is meant by “comfort” is being able to move freely inside your homes and it is often depicted in many advertisements on estates. For example, my dream house should be designed in such a way that light enters every corner naturally, and that furniture are placed in strategic areas of the house that make sure that I can move without restraint. I also have this fascination with glasses, especially huge sliding glass doors and windows that invites natural light into the home. Equally important to me are angles. Angles tend to be more masculine and for me, it symbolizes discipline. However, the perspective it provides is bizarre in a sense that it may appear random but at the same time precise. II. In their dimension, intricacy, and prolonged existence, the foremost civilizations to build up in South Asia and China contest and in some respects exceed the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt. One thing that caught my attention and has led me to some important conclusion on how several civilizations that developed in different parts of the world interacted is the development in vast river systems. Mesopotamia and China (specifically those that developed in the Yangtze River), are two separate cultures with different patterns of development and much of these disparities can be ascribed from their distinct lifestyles and ways of life. For example, the Western skills in community planning, sewage control, and engineering were meaningless exceptional and if you compare it to those that did not evolved from rivers. Also, I have noticed that in the Western world, is that there is a proclivity for consistency, discipline, and state control was intensely challenged by the brawling, independent-minded soldiers, therefore, the idea of forming smaller kingdoms that fight each other are more common in the Western world – the concept of territorial expansion happened in such a short period of time in the West than in the East. In contrast, the founders and leaders of two of the most prominent dynasties in China, the Shang and Zhou dynasty have been respected by scholars and peasants similarly as philosopher-kings who ought to be imitated by leaders at all levels. I would say that the Eastern civilization as laid on a different kind of philosophy which has a deep religious foundation. The Shang and Zhou revered Heaven and their ancestral worship have been fundamental to Chinese religious practice for many centuries. Their idea of the “Mandate of Heaven” has been very important in Chinese political thinking and organization. I can conclude that writing and political organization were two areas in Chinese civilization that have significantly affected other cultures and these have transpired in later periods through art, architecture, and specific customs that have also strongly influenced the growth of civilized life. III. Transportation is a pivotal concept in life and we have seen that though the development of times that have catered to the many aspects of living and one of those is urban transportation. It may not only be because of practicality purposes, but a great bulk of the development of contemporary transportation is saving space but at the same time, comfort – very much the same as architecture. But in how I will discuss the kind of transportation around Denver will depend on two things – expediency and safety – two concepts in architecture that are given much attention presently. As we have noticed, there are two kinds of life in Denver and allow me to call them the highly urbanized and the semi-urban. I believe that the kind of transportation revolved mainly on the kind of place they should be in and on the kind of people using them. For those highly urbanized places, I still go for subways with modifications on the kinds of materials use for construction such as the use of anti-shock materials for earthquake prevention and at the same time, fire-proof. Also, when it comes to safety, subways are safer - this is what I have construed based from the form of security I have noticed in many subways and based from experience, I have heard less of accidents. In semi-urban areas, I go for the normal road systems. Since the people from these areas tend to go to the cities during the day, there is less congestion in the streets which is practically the reason why most subway trains exists – to cut off the number of vehicles in the streets. IV. Victorian balls speak of elegance and I have noticed the same in this case. The dominant colors have always been the pastel if not the classic red, black and white. A masquerade ball would have best emulate the Victorian era as we have seen in the movies. References December 14, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­releases/2008/02/080228150402.htm Read More