Consuming Architecture - Coursework Example

Consuming Architecture Consuming Architecture It is common to see a bogus building going up and the council does nothing about it. The council supports such ordinary designs and at the end of the day they turn out ugliest. Property developers are also in a hurry to see their buildings going up and their aim is to make quick money. Such property developers are less concerned about the beauty aspects of the building. Property developers need to ask themselves questions such as whether or not the building will improve its surroundings. After the building has been developed it should look great one to two decades later. A good building should also attract many people and be viewed as a landmark. Everyone should also yearn to purchase a good building or reside in it. City councils and property creators should understand that it is their sole responsibility to make sure that the city space is well utilized and managed (Gieryn, 2000). This does not only apply to residential buildings but public properties such as offices and restaurants as well. City councils and property developers should be perceived as organizations that appreciate and comprehend design. The aesthetic value of a building ought to be prioritized. It is pointless to build interiors that are extremely beautiful while the exterior looks ugly. The entire building should reflect a unanimous tale. Most developers fail to think about the beautiful aspects of buildings such as garages or stores. There is no pain in adding graphics or color on buildings. Enhancing building does not cost as much as neglecting them. The uniqueness and beauty of a building will definitely attract customers. Many building have been created with minimum commitment of design and aesthetics. There are others that try to make a few things right but not all of them. A lot needs to be done and minimum has never been enough. Most consumers are extremely conscious about design especially in the modern times. Technological advancements have opened people’s eyes and revealed that there are a lot of possibilities out there. Individuals are browsing throughout the globe and they are taking part in the concept of design. Design is not limited to specific individuals or groups any more. It is not surprising to find out that even young children understand what design is all about. Children also value design in everything they purchase for instance clothes, cars and even where they live. Getting it right the very first time will surely save city councils and consumers a great deal. According to Brand, buildings have forever been wholly studied in space rather than time (1995). Architects are majorly concerned about the original goals of a building. These individuals are later surprised with the outcome at the end of the day. A building somehow adapts its own existence and responds to it. Brand examines that which makes a building attractive. This author analyzes the period between the dazzling experience of a freshly built property and it final collapse. Brand’s study revealed that all buildings are somehow forced to adapt though only a few become accustomed elegantly. Buildings are known to adapt well when they are frequently renovated by those who live or use them (Ballantyne, 2002). Architects also have the capability of transforming their perspective of space to time in building. Buildings have the ability of looking better with time but only if they are given the opportunity. Building should be conducted in support of time but not against it (Brand, 1995). There is a big gap that has been identified by analysts regarding the expected performance of a building and its real ability. Reports have indicated for instance that buildings consume between two to three times more energy when they are occupied yet these estimates are different from the ones that were made by the designers at their initial development phase. It is undeniable that buildings that are not well developed can really turn out costly in terms of bills and extreme gas production. Occupants in turn become unsatisfied and uncomfortable. Property developers are in most cases concerned only about completing the project rather than considering its effectiveness and whether the occupants will be satisfied. Some of the factors that cause inefficient buildings include; lack of proper training, intricacies in building facilities and even services and late involvement of occupants in the project. It is important that all parts involved in the building process be examined. Stakeholders should then concentrate on their roles in order to come up with quality results. It is essential for property developers to have a close association with their consumers. Upon the completion of construction, it is wise to perform what if known as fine tuning. Fine tuning is intended to make sure that all building parts are operating efficiently. Minor faults should not be overlooked since they can lead to serious problems. It is important to understand that building occupants take a significant period of time before they can learn how their building operates. Building occupants therefore also need to be trained on how to maintain and operate their properties. It is also notable that many contactors end their association with buildings the minute the defects liability time frame runs out. The fault liability time frame should be long enough to ensure that the building is intact. There is need for contactors to keep on inspecting the buildings and examining whether the users are utilizing their properties effectively. Till examines the subject rogue objects. This author refers to Sigmund Fraud who acknowledges the fact that order, cleanliness and beauty occupy a significant position amid the necessities of civilization. According to Till, cleanliness symbolizes purity and the elimination of dirt (2009). Cleanliness is a symbol of whiteness. Till argues that present architectural aesthetics is usually connected to pure figures. Decoration is not considered as pure hence only white walls carry the day in modern architectural aesthetics. The modern architect somehow creates some moral order through creating clean objects (Hill,1998). Plato argues that artists have the responsibility of cleaning the human society then the outline of the social structure can be drawn. Loving and appreciating purity is a moral act. The concepts of order, cleanliness and aesthetics form some kind of triangle which destroys any aspects that might interfere with its rightful form. Unwanted objects such as dirt are done away with in the quest for whiteness or cleanliness. This kind of triangle only endures classical forms or body. This is the sign of elevated order and it is more than just a beauty principle. The classical body mirrors the ideas of philosophy, theology and law. It symbolizes knowledge and order (Dorrian, 2007). This body must also be healthy. Political philosophy was concerned with order in ancient times. Some philosophers believe that any symptom of illnesses is a hazard to orderliness and that cancer is the worst disease. Cancer has been used as an example of an illness that signifies dissatisfaction in the society. Political perceptions however are not clear about this notion. Israel for instance, has been termed as “a cancer” centered in the Arab realm. Those suffering from such an illness are viewed as outcasts. The metaphor concerning cancer in the society necessitates aggressive treatment so as to get rid of it. This illness must be stripped out of the human body in order for health to be restored and in turn reconstructing order. Till refers to Le Corbusier who asserts that creating architecture is the same as placing things in order. This means that the city is probably being equated to an ill organism. It is again not surprising that this philosopher is referring to the illness of the city as cancer metaphorically. Therefore, if the city experiences a cancer infection in its biological life, order can only be restored through drastic surgical treatment. Medicine will not be enough to bring back order. A new beginning can only be achieved if the cancerous cells are extracted out. Ordered faultlessness can thus be commenced after getting rid of the illness. A law can only be “a law” if it prohibits and eliminates. All human interactions have been changed into shopping according to Kolhaas (1994). The personalization of organizations that once maintained a position of sovereignty from the market has transformed institutions such as hospitals, churches, art museums and schools into business premises. In order to attract customers, marketing and an environment that resembles a mall are being used (Gifford, 2002). As individuals shop for knowledge, God, health and many other factors, they change into learners, citizens and patients of worldwide brand images. The form and composition of shopping makes architecture delicate. Architecture has not been able to acknowledge the extreme unstructured shopping nature. Kolhaas argues that marketplace economy and numerical scrutiny have shaped the human environment (1994). The city has been planned into a shopping point. There is an entanglement between the life cycle of the city and mall. Consumerism in the current times is mostly involved with the sensation of longing. Various reasons have been put forward to explain why individuals consume. Some consume in order to achieve pleasure while in others consumption is defined by professional or social class (Thorpe, 2002). People want to display or obtain goods since they feel that this will gratify them. Desire has been known to be an engine that impels the market. Desire compels the mind and it can drive it into motivated behaviors. Desire can result into a behavior that lacks restrain and the mind gets filled with thoughts of desiring. Desire makes the mind neglect reality for a while in order to get into the agitation disturbing state. Consumers enter into a state of unconscious where they discard their normal pattern of thoughts and replace it with consumerist feelings (Bingaman-Burt, 2010). Alsayyad explores the aspect of “tradition” by trying to find out whether modern globalization will end completely or be renewed after getting terminated. Alsayyad tries to find out the meaning of the concept of “tradition”. Tradition has been aimed at creating environments and citizens. Through tradition, Architecture has been consumed with the aim of making it an economic project. There is a geopolitical connection amid “modern” and “tradition” (Alsayyad, 2004). Architects have the responsibility of considering the lives of their buildings. Individuals need good places to live in, work from, shop and do many other things. It does not matter whether these places are indoors or out closed but their designs are made by architects. Architects are expected to be trained and their work is to come up with concepts and transform those concepts into images. Apart from the aesthetic values that architects concern themselves with, there are also other things that should be accounted for in a building. Designing a building is not just all about beauty alone. The people using these buildings must be able to obtain what they are looking for economically. The buildings also need to have security and function accordingly. Such aspects must be placed into consideration when designing a building. Architects should take part in the whole building process from the initial stages where discussions with the consumer occur to the time the building begins functioning. Architects thus require knowledge in particular areas such as engineering, supervision, designing and communication. The discussions between consumers and architects at the initial building stages are comprehensive and should take a considerable amount of time to ensure that nothing has been left out. The unique mission and vision of competent architects should be passed across in a precise and persuasive manner. The essentials, budget and goals of the project should be discussed with consumers. If need be, processes such as field analysis, environmental effects and design specifics must be discussed between the architect and consumer. Matters concerning space might be discusses for instance in relation to the number of potent building occupants. The ideas should be presented in a drawing and given to the consumer to evaluate before making the final decision. After the final decision has been made by the consumer and architect, the construction plans should then be created. These plans provide details of how the building will look like and be constructed. The details include aspects such as ventilation and communication systems, air conditioning and several others. The building materials are also specified in the plan details. There are cases where the interior furnishings are also included in the plan. Normally, architects consider the codes of the buildings, their laws and other factors. Technological advancements in the modern times have substituted traditional means and ways of coming up with a design. Drawings are nowadays being constructed using digital devices such as computers. There is a need for architects to continue evaluating the plans and the budget accordingly. Architects can also be of help to their customers when it comes to the selection and negotiation of contractors. Architects are also expected to visit the building site frequently and supervise if everything is in order. They should make sure that design and schedule is being followed and the right materials are being used. The function of an architect is completed if all the construction accomplished and the building begins operating. In case of post construction services, it is essential that architects provide the necessary services as agreed with their clients. Proficient architects should be able to provide guidance to their clients on matters such as energy effectiveness and the necessary enhancements that should be made if need be. Architects should spend considerable time coordinating building activities to avoid future problems. Competent architects should also be in a position to design various types of buildings from residential houses to churches to business premises and many others. The general community is designed by architects. There are however cases of specialization where some specialize in specific kinds of buildings. There is no problem with specialization as long as the building is designed appropriately and can meet the long term needs and desires of consumers. Architects can secure that they produce quality work if they begin by conducting consultations withy their clients and even their counterparts or collogues. There is need for the state to ensure that property developers hold the necessary qualifications which should be verified by bodies such as the National Architectural body. The state should work hand in hand with accretion boards to ensure that only qualified architects design buildings. There have been many cases where buildings have been designed only to realize that they were not well crafted after construction. Some of these buildings even collapse after lasting for a very short period of time. In such a case, the blame should not just be left upon contractors but architects as well. Only qualified and accredited architects should be granted licenses. It is also important for future learners to consider the options in the architectural field before deciding to pursue a particular course in this area. Architecture is a field that requires maximum concentration and attention. Students looking forward to pursue programs in architecture should be ready to commit themselves wholly if they wish to produce quality results. Once students begin architectural courses they should commit themselves to completing it since it is normally hard to transfer to another field. The sate and all other accrediting boards have the responsibility of ensuring that architects have completed all the necessary training before they are issued with a license. Each and every step of architectural training is very fundamental. The training is also comprehensive and should be conducted under supervision. After completing the architectural course, students should thus work as interns first before they are fully absorbed in to the field. This gives them the necessary experience and training that is needed in order to perfect their skills. Interns can also work alongside professionals so as to make sure that they are doing the right thing. Interns might participate in duties such as assisting in the preparation of architectural models. They may also help in researching building specifications such as code and zone laws (Lasker, 2002). States and accreditation boards should ensure that no one calls himself or herself an architect without the required qualification and license. The licensing boards and states should take responsibility of the interns during the training period. Training is completed at varied periods. In addition, obtaining an architectural license does not mean that training has been completed. Many states and accreditation boards recommend that architects continue seeking further education in the same filed so as to polish their skills. Similarly, different states have their own standards which they use to rate and define competent architects. Architects should also be efficient when it comes to communication skills. They should be in a position to communicate their concepts and ideas in a visual way to their customers. Despite the fact that architects might have comprehensive drawing skills, these capabilities are not significant when it comes to communication. It is essential that clients understand in simple terms what the designs mean and how they are going to be executed. Concepts such as spatial associations and visuals should be well explained to clients. Architects should also be creative and able to execute work in teams or on their own. Scholars have realized that architecture controls the life of human beings in significant ways. It is a form of regulation. Architecture can regulate behavior according to scholars. It is though not clear the manner in which architecture regulates people’s lives though it has a major influence in it. First and foremost, architecture performs a regulative function where it expresses cultural denotations. This is why expressions such as buildings and architecture are used to explore the material nature of the world. The built environment also expresses meaning (Gieryn, 2002). Choices in color and material for instance, communicate certain meanings to the world. Buildings such as banks for instance are designed in a way that communicates safety, confidence and dependability. The use of grand spaces in bank buildings for instance, provides some kind of feeling that the property will not vanish. The communicative role of architecture has been acknowledged by the law as well (Katyal, 2002). This is done through the regulation of the way buildings appear. It is common to see the see they state regulating the amount of pictures or bill boards that can be posted on buildings (Rosen, 2001). This has everything to do with aesthetics. The regulation might vary from warning signs to bans. The law also protects historical buildings and evaluates the designs over and over to ensure that the needs of the society have been met. Regardless of the fact that there may be various reasons behind the regulation, the most common motive is the manner in which buildings pass across messages (Goodman, 2001). As mentioned earlier, some philosophers believe that the function of art is to enforce purity and that is why they prefer white building with no decorations on them. It is the responsibility of architects to ensure that the society is beautiful, vigorous, clean and full of space. There is an increasing need of creative and informative architecture in the modern world. A welcoming environment for instance is associated with warm colors (Maxwell, 2000). A clean building on the other hand is also associated with welcoming surroundings. The physical appearance of a building therefore has a lot to do with establishing social surroundings. In terms of culture, buildings also create some form of individual or communal identity. The courtrooms in the United States for instance are designed in a way that communicates cultural identity. The designs are in line with the social ideas put across by the American constitution. The exteriors of these courtrooms however were developed in classical fashions like the Greek resurgence (Putnam, 2000). Nonetheless, most of these courtrooms have been designed suing modern fashions. The architectural designs are aimed at generating a different perspective of the legal structure in America. The exterior design of these courtrooms communicates the message that law is effective, conventional and firm. It is however important to understand that the communicative characteristics of buildings do not at all times pass across their real connotation. Designers sometimes manipulate the figurative and cultural worth of these buildings for other personal reasons. References Dorrian et al., 2007. Site–Writing: Enigma and Embellishment, (eds) Critical Architecture, London: Routledge, Hill, Jonathan., 1998. Occupying Architecture: Between the Architect and the User. New York; Routledge Till, Jeremy., 2009. Architecture Depends, Volume 55 Architecture Depends, Jeremy Till. New York: MIT Press Koolhaas, Rem., 1994. Delirious New York: a retroactive manifesto for Manhattan. New York; Monacelli Press AlSayyad, Nezar., 2004. The end of Tradition? New York; Routledge, Brand, Stewart., 1995. How buildings learn: what happens after theyre built. New York: Penguin Books Ballantyne, Andrew., 2002. Architecture: A Very Short Introduction Volume 72 of Very Short Introductions . New York: Oxford University Press, Abu-Ghazzeh, T. M.,2001. The Art of Architectural Decoration in the Traditional Houses of Al-Alkhalaf, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 18(2), 156- 177. Gieryn, T. F.,2000. A Space for Place in Sociology. Annual Review of Sociology, 26, 463-496. Gieryn, T. F.,2002. What Buildings Do. Theory & Society, 31, 35-74. Gifford, R., 2002. Making a Difference: Some Ways Environmental Psychology Has Improved the World. In R. B. Bechtel & A. Churchman (Eds.), Handbook of Environmental Psychology (pp. 323-346). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Goodman, R.,2001. Beyond the Enforcement Principle: Sodomy Laws, Social Norms, andSocial Panoptics. California Law Review, 89, 643-740. Katyal, N. K., 2002. Architecture as Crime Control. Yale Law Journal, 111, 1039-1139. Lasker, S., 2002. Sex and the City: Zoning "Pornography Peddlers and Live Nude Shows". UCLA Law Review, 49(1139-1185). Maxwell, L. E., 2000. A Safe and Welcoming School: What Students, Teachers, and Parents Think. Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 17(4), 271-282. Putnam, R. D., 2000. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster. Rosen, J., 2001. Being Watched: A Cautionary Tale for a New Age of Surveillance. New York Times Magazine. Thorpe, Ann.,2002. Architecture & Design Versus Consumerism: How Design Activism Confronts Growth. New York: Taylor & Francis Bingaman-Burt, kate., 2010. Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today? New York: Princeton Architectural Press Read More