Palace of Westminster and Big Ben - Essay Example

?“HISTORY ARRESTED IN STONE” PALACE OF WESTMINSTER AND BIG BEN Introduction Buildings can be used as a reference to interpret how societies have lived and evolved over a period of time. Their construction can be interpreted as the physical personification of social values of their times, and structures as well as ideas prevalent at that period. We come across several types of architectural structures which are constructed for the purposes of recreation, commercial building, industries, religious activities, welfare of the needy or providing education. The moot question is what role do the architects play in the construction of these types of buildings? How are they influenced by the society and how do they respond to social upheavals? The types of architecture reflect the concrete expression of changes in social, cultural, political and economic context over time. As new types are put in place and the existing types are modified, we see a pattern which proves that this is being done to accommodate changing social practices, technologies, political or cultural values. When we emphasize the contextual influence on the architecture of the buildings, we tend to ignore the role played by architect and the style he has adopted in designing the structure. What is important here is to consider the role of individual architect and his broader stylistic movements and also examine the contextual issues that he has taken into consideration for designing a particular structure. These contextual issues have a great impact on the form and meaning of architecture. There is a definite relationship between an architect and the society or the period of history in which they live, design and construct the buildings. The user of the architecture also has a definite role to play in the architecture because buildings are not always used for the purpose for which they are designed. For example a building might have been designed for educational purposes but ultimately may end up being used for recreation activities. The architect who has designed the structure may feel hurt with the findings. Text In this context the Palace of Westminster as a building shall be examined by carrying out study of its form, function, its aesthetic features and uses. We shall also examine the importance of the Big Ben and its location Vis a Vis the Palace of Westminster. Construction of the Palace of Westminster was one of the major accomplishments of the mid- western Victorian period. The palace of Westminster houses the British parliament. It was built as per the design of the architect Charles Barry. The job was entrusted to some of the prominent contractors of the time (middle of the nineteenth century).They used the latest techniques and machinery available at that point of time. Services of skilled craftsmen and several hundred laborers were utilized for construction in a record time (Morton, 2002). The building became a benchmark of excellent construction and is considered a symbol of pride for Britain. The Gothic style used in the design, gives a feeling of the past. It does not have a futuristic look but still it is a symbol of power and glory. As a token of appreciation, the Queen bestowed knighthood to Barry. During the construction of the Palace of Westminster its architect and builder had to face a lot of problems. The cost of the building, which was initially estimated to be 700000 Pounds Sterling, went up to 2 million Pound Sterling! It took close to 30 years to complete the building instead of the original estimated time of 6 years. There were several areas of dispute which came up much before the actual construction took place. These were related to initial design, fees of the architects, estimates, problems with supply of raw material etc. The workers also went on a strike which halted the work for almost thirty weeks. No wonder, the entire project was fraught with problems and difficulties, right from the start to completion of the project. However, the end result was so beautiful that it was admired by all, its users and casual visitors, who dropped by to have a look at the spectacle of construction. While the Westminster is a classic example of quality work, the housing of very abysmal quality was being witnessed in other places, in almost all the industrial cities. These were cramped, heartless, dingy, cold, airless, and so on. In fact the conditions were really pathetic at that point of time. In common parlance, the term “jerry builder “was used for such type of constructions. While on one hand there were individuals and business enterprises which were constructing work of excellent quality, on the other hand, there were examples of very shabby constructions. The net result was that the environment was getting spoiled. With the construction of Jubilee Line Extensions station at Westminster, some noteworthy movements were expected in Big Ben Clock Tower and the adjoining palace of Westminster. This was due to the fact that two big tunnels were to be excavated followed by deep station escalator box. (Burland et al 2001). These actions had an impact on the movement of the foundation of the Big Ben. Sufficient protective measures were taken and the tilt of the structure was kept to bare minimum. The construction of big Ben tower started in the year 1858 and included a load – bearing brick work as well as stone cladding of sufficient height. This in turn, acted as a support to the cast iron spire rising to a height of 61 m. The magnitude of the construction can be understood by the fact that estimated mass of The Clock Tower was in the range of 8450 ton. The shape of Clock Tower is designed in such a way that it is easily accessible to the Palace of Westminster. The building is designed in such a way that a proper and easy connection is made between the two wings of the building assigned to the Ministers of HM Government and the Members of HM Opposition. The Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) is an important attraction in London and deserves a special mention in its history. It is one of greatest marvels of British engineering of the 20th century and one of the first new underground lines built after 60s. It clearly reflects the achievement and amalgamation of architecture and design. (Powell 2000) The palace of Westminster show cases the architectural trends of its period. It is kind of compliment to the synthetic powers of the Victorian architecture. In fact, the clock tower, which is most popularly known as Big Ben (because of the bell it contains), became the symbol of London city itself. (Adams et al 2004) The architecture is an example of easy stylistic categorization. The creations are hybrid in nature, and the buildings are put next to strongly contrasting rudiments. However they do not loose their identity and are a true reflection of the materials and the honesty of expression for which they have been designed. The architecture research shows that the building constructed illustrate that the notion that “form follows material.” In fact the materials which are used in construction have much deeper meanings than the literal ones. These are expressed in a language and form that show the combination of the architecture and modern building. (Donati et al 2006) Architecture has a big influence on themselves and their designs. A classic example is of architecture of buildings in Paris. The authorities carried out redesigning and reorganization of the older constructions extensively some time at the start of nineteenth century. With the redesigning the law makers could easily scrutinize the roads for any unlawful activities. Some self appointed communities also carry out similar task of social monitoring. However these are scattered over a large area. It is a known fact that a good architectural design makes a positive impression and is also helpful in bonding and generating an identity. There are stories (the authenticity of which can be verified only by word of mouth!), where people see pictures of their buildings on the web and they get so inspired that they have it tattooed on their bodies. !! Both architectural and socio- cultural activities produce effects on people and sometimes, it is next to impossible to find out the difference between the two. The reason is there is absolutely no uniformity at all. Moreover, it becomes difficult to find a uniform psychological effect of the aesthetic place. In the absence of the findings of cause and effect, one can only conclude that architects are simply carrying out exploitation of volume and material for their creations. These are simply manifestations of the personal attitudes of the architects towards the society. There's another concept which looks into the architect’s attitude towards his bond with society. There is a talk of “cultural regeneration” and” informal” or” Roman settlement. The focus is only on culture and not on the environment, health, or psychological behavior. It raises another question in the minds of people which is difficult to answer. How do we define culture? Culture can be defined only with reference influencing factors, which are prevalent and also taking into consideration the past. Informal settlement and civil settlement are two different perspectives which remind us of the Brazilians or other regions which are full of squatters. By considering the gypsies of Europe, you get a totally different picture altogether. It reminds one of the architecture styles of the gypsies. It makes one think of an aberration where in reality people on the move need some sort of architecture say a mobile housing complex. Immediately, one starts thinking about walking cities and other futurist ideas. However the life of gypsies, who are constantly on the move, is definitely unique in nature. Surprisingly, the Romanian architecture is different from what we are made to believe or have even heard about. Romanians do not reside in caravans, as is popularly believed. They have a proper place of residence of their own and are fond of constructing buildings of detailed artistic design. When we consider this aspect of Romanians, our description of nomads changes completely. We get an impression that Romanians are settled in one place because they want to and not because there is some restrictions on their movement by some authorities. A study of artificial structures and their probable impact on human beings throws up interesting possibilities and explanations. This results from the basic question whether humans possess some kind of instinctive capability to discern patterns in the architectural forms. Are they conditioned to recognize the subtleness of the intricate designs and samples in architecture or art? If it is assumed that they do react to the subtleness of structure, this would clearly explain why they get affected emotionally when they enter into Medieval Chartres Cathedral, France or the Church of England. It is due to this reason that people like or dislike the modern museums in Bilbao Spain. (W. Bro. 2000). This gives rise to the conclusion that human beings do recognize the design, patterns and architectural structures either intentionally or instinctively. When we start working in an urban dwelling, a number of factors influence our behavior of admiring or hating a particular structure. On closer examination of the field of environmental psychology, the physical and emotional behavior of people, when they work or play in a physical environment, starts making sense. However, the complexity arises when we take into consideration light, color, texture and acoustical characteristics. Shades of different color give a feeling of warmth or coldness. Similarly, the noise present in they physical environment and the texture, in terms of material and outer surface also give rise to different feelings in the minds of human beings. In the final analysis, it is the light element of the environment, which creates a sense of secrecy and fear. From our own practical experience, we all have observed that it is the exploitation of light which acts as the primary factor in creating the feelings of calmness and soothing of nerves in the shrines and other religious buildings. Some practical studies have shown that color sensitivities are gender specific. For examples women tend to be more conscious of color in their surroundings. They have very diverse and flexible tastes in the choice of the color they chose for themselves for decoration or dressing. An exposure to red color has a remarkable effect on people. The tell tale signs are that of release of adrenalin or increased heart beat an increase in gastric motion. This is the primary reason, why red color is the preferred choice of restaurateurs. They make ample use of the same in napkins, table cloths, curtains etc. Both red and orange color are said to be warm colors and their use has a soothing effect on the people who are dining in a restaurant. Environmental psychologists are of the view that our emotions are affected by the surroundings we live and they also affect our scholarly development. The environment definitely plays a big role in making people behave in a particular way. For example they behave in awe at the sight of the awesome vertical tall interior of a medieval cathedral. They also get a surprised look of appreciation by looking at the multi colored stained glass windows of a church , and the variety of materials used in its construction and shades of tiles on the floors or walls as well ceilings or engravings on the stone used in a church. The physical structures surrounding the environment create a complex feeling in the mind of the observer. If the environment is dimly it or brightly lit would give different feelings. Environment also causes people to behave in a certain way, for example cold or hot (temperature of air in the building) would give rise to different feelings in the minds of people. The same is true of noise levels in the surroundings. Similarly, size of the building, height of a room, affects a person. A very large structure would leave a person dwarfed and vulnerable. On the other hand, a limited space would restrict his movement either individually or in a group. Hence one can confidently say that formation and conservation of a particular type of environment gives rise to feelings of extreme, of either well – being or sadness. Our body also responds to different forms and lines as well as shapes. The horizontal prairie residence “falling water” which was designed by the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright gives a symbolic feeling of a human body positioned comfortable at rest and suggest a feeling of calmness. On the other end of the spectrum is the presence of huge vertical structures which imply aspiration. Such type of constructions are used in a corporate headquarter of big business houses. They also give a feeling of equilibrium, like in the case of a Gothic cathedral, where large vertical structures are used Thus, when we study architecture and examine its effect on people we get to learn a whole lot of subjects. It is simple to conclude that a simple action of just experiencing an environment or gazing at a structure would give different feelings to people. It is presumed that architecture is a symbolic act and also an intentional attempt to reproduce the psychology of the architects and the designers. This is irrespective of time, culture or even existence of human beings. Architects deliberately incorporate space, form and light elements purposely or unconsciously from either a practical point of view or from aesthetic view point. The whole objective is to give human beings a purpose or sense and stability amongst the physical chaotic conditions prevalent in the nature. The above discussion and examples from across the world gives an impression that architects do move with times and their designs are influenced by the environment and social norms prevailing in the society. One can not move away from what society thinks and build accordingly to own whims and fancies. Conclusion Looking back one gets an impression that the constructions, when examined from today’s perspective are not good or not user friendly. But then if you see the conditions prevailing at that particular time and period, you get convinced that the decisions to build structures the way they were built were right. Moreover, they took into consideration the norms prevailing in society at that point of time. They were also constrained by the technology being used at that particular period. This is widely illustrated with the example of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. Similar examples are also cited with respect to gypsies on the move in Romania and also the reconstruction that took place in the Netherlands after World War II. The entire discussion aims to address questions about how we understand a building, taking into account the form, function, aesthetic and its ultimate use. With several relevant examples we have also tried to explore the importance of Context (both historical and contemporary) to the meaning and understanding of architecture. The assumption that “ soul “ of a building can be understood by how it relates to society around it and how its construction was affected by the events prevailing at that particular period are amply demonstrated with the examples of Dutch, Romanian and British period of constructions. References Adams, E.A, Pendergast T. Pendergast P. 2004. Encyclopedia of the Victorian Era, Volume 1. 1st ed. UK: Grolier Academic Reference Bro, W. & Victor G. Dec 2000 A Report on Psychology & Architecture version 1 Popow Burland, J.B., Standing. J.R., Finaly M.2001. Jardine Building response to tunnelling: case studies from construction of the Jubilee Line Extension, London. 1st ed. UK: Thomas Telford Donati, C, 2006. Michael Hopkins. 1st ed. UK: Skira. Ken, P, 2000. The Jubilee Line Extension. 1st ed. UK: Laurence King Morton, R, 2002. Construction UK: introduction to the industry. 1st ed. UK: Blackwell Publishing Roy, P, 1994. London: a social history. 1st ed. USA: Harvard University Press Read More