Architecture and the Human Body - Term Paper Example

Architecture and the human body Introduction Architecture is a work of creative thought and geometrical skill. Mathematical principles have been the basis on which architectural principles have rested since time recorded. The great roman architect of ancient times Marcus Vitruvius recommended that precise ratio should be the key concept in any construction .According to craven “For without symmetry and proportion no temple can have a regular plan, Vitruvius wrote in his famous treatise De Architectura. Vitruvius idea of proportion was in line with the structure of human body. In later year’s scientist and philosophers discovered that virtuvian’s concept of ratio is the corner stone of every part of nature. This concept forms the idea of sacred geometry or spiritual geometry which develops structures that give peace to soul. Thus, questions arise in considering the connection of the human body to architecture and the complexities of corporeality. Architecture is not just about construction of building but the totality of the thought process involved in conceptualizing the architectural design. When it comes to the subject of construction, human body and nature can be an appropriate source of inspiration. Designing with an understanding of the human body allows the architect to bring about a structure with complete physical balance and tranquility .Unfortunately, the architects of the current age, seldom utilize the design of divine when practicing their profession. Every human creation can reflect harmony and balance once it is performed in compliance with anatomy of nature. The entire universe rests on a certain geometrical pattern and if anything constructed with human intelligence does not balance with it, can bring forth chaos. The art of architecture Architecture is an immense artistic work which requires thinking unlike any form of art. It demands thinking of an individual at higher proportion and deal more with utilization of space in a creative way. In this art, an architect’s responsibility not just concern with the clients, but to the people using the building and the public as a whole. But the saddening fact is that, an architect hardly has the freedom which an artist own in relation to his creation. An artist can flow with his thoughts, but an architect has to keep in mind the practicability and usability of his creation. The primary objective of any building is to provide a sound shelter and this when done with little creative thought can make wonders. Architecture is a task which creatively collaborate mass, volume, space, light, shadow, texture, materials and pragmatic elements like construction, cost and technology. This very aspect gives distinction to architecture from engineering that which mainly works on the use of materials and forms on accordance with mathematical and scientifical principles. The architectural works often depicts the cultural and political aspect of a nation. It portrays the artistic and creative skill of a particular culture and depicts their ideas and concepts in a nutshell. The great civilizations of the history have astounded many with their outstanding architectural achievements. The monuments like Egyptians pyramid.Taj Mahal and the Roman Colosseum are the great examples of architectural wonders which can find no match on earth. It is a very surprising fact that the architectural work created by Egyptians and Greek civilization which stood out in the history was an inspiration from the human body design. They were so impressed by the human body that they incorporated the human body pattern in to their architectural work. The symmetrical harmony existing between various parts of body is indeed a think to ponder on and applied on to the constructional art. A building can be more humanized and made accessible to people by designing it with a divine equation. Human body and its paradigm In the process of symbolic transference from human body to architecture, the natural harmony and perfection shared by the man and nature is re-established. Nesbitt states in his book that “Man is presented as having the attribute of perfect natural proportions. Thus the analogical relationship between architecture and the human body appears to ensure that the natural laws of beauty and nature are transferred into architecture”(1996, 544).Nevertheless, continuous examination of human body design leaves people with lot of uncertainties and complexities. Human body is definitely not perfect so are the other things in the universe. But the idea is to construct buildings and structures more parallel with other elements existing in the nature. The main concept of human body structure is to create a balanced proportion which synchronizes with the space. The pattern in which the various parts of the body are cemented together implies a remarkable harmony and balance. There exists a symmetrical harmony between head, foot, arm leg and other parts of human body which is very subtle and divine. Human interaction at universal level is entirely restricted to their physical dimensions, mental capability and boundaries. When it comes to human measurements there exists lot of unpredictability and uncertainty .When an architect attempts to design a building with the human body as inspiration he should be ready to accept the irregularities of the human body. It should be remembered that there is an intricate correlation between the space and the human body which is very delicate and profound. According to the great architect Vitruvius, a building should be strong, convenient and beautiful. He emphasized on the fact that architecture is basically the blueprint of nature. Vitruvius theory on architecture Vitruvius theory of architecture discusses proportion and symmetry with regard to the construction of buildings.. His ideas and principles bring together the human anatomy, art and symmetry to form a balanced monument or building. The great artist Leonardo da Vinci has encompassed the concept of Vitruvius in his famous masterpiece vitruvian man.Vitruvian man portrays the classic thought of the ancient roman times. In this work of art Leonardo da Vinci fits a man in to a circle and square proving that human body is indeed a geometrical mystery. As per Oosterhuis, “Leonardo’s Vitruvian man, is a universal graphic icon of metaphysical principles: the stable truth and the objective rightness of architecture in perfect harmony with the universe”(2006,pg 3).Using the space available for a building in the right way is very crucial to amplify the benefit and productivity of a given structure. Virtuvian theory is often described as the classic principle of good design. A main objective of constructing a building is to enable human occupancy and maximum utility and serenity. Architecture is not only an activity of art and planning but also involves feasibility, cost effectiveness and technology. Vitruvius asserts that an architect when designing a building should concentrate on three aspects namely: durability, utility and beauty. A piece of architecture should not only accommodate human but also raise their spirit to heights. However in this modern era, the architects are influenced by certain approach to building designs like structuralism, rationalism, empiricism, phenomenology and poststructuralist. Architectural principles and its evolution. The innovation and developments in the scientifical field along with the emergence of various materials, architecture and engineering moved on to be separated from each other. This induced architects to work on humanist aspects and aesthetics, keeping more in mind the technical element of a building plan. In ancient times beautiful drawing were made by giving less importance to the feasibility of the structure. But with changing times, the limitation in space and availability of material led to the concentration on factors like feasibility, cost effectiveness, maximum space utility etc. Hooker claims that “As architecture developed, however, designers began to rebel against the strictures of Vitruvian theory. In the 1530s, particularly in the work of Michelangelo, architects began to go crazy with dissymmetry and wildly incongruous mixtures of architectural elements. This rebellious style of architecture is called mannerist architecture after a similar phenomenon in Renaissance painting”. Mannerist architecture discarded principles of vitruvius to a major level which resulted in the construction of buildings and structures with less order and functionality. The element which lacked in this style of architecture is the serenity and symmetry. Vitruvius observed the anatomy of human body and studied the aspect of symmetry and proportion in it to from basic principles for constructing a building. Discarding completely his principles can undoubtedly result in buildings which are less convenient, beautiful and harmonious. Modern architecture is indeed affected lot by the scarcity in raw materials and energy. If we look at the new buildings, we can feel the absence of natural element and serenity in them .Since most of the architects aims at minimizing raw materials and increasing efficiency, there stays an aspect of artificiality in the buildings and structures. Recently, the architects are investigating on the evolutionary instincts of plants and animals in order to understand the working process of the natural system. This will help architects in truly following the method of nature in building their own shelter. Incorporation of vitruvian principles in conventional architecture Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, is a roman architect and engineer, who flourished in the ancient roman times with his outstanding architectural principles and theory. Major buildings constructed throughout the history marked his presence by following his instructions and recommendation. According to Pavlos,“Vitruvian unfolds the theory of architecture and distinguish it from random building practice through a set of principles: Order, Arrangement, Eurythmy, Symmetry, Propriety and Economy” (2000, 179-197) On the contrary his counterpart Le Corbusier explained architecture in different terms and gave emphasis on the effect of light and shade on sculpture.However, modern architecture asserts more importance on culture and educate students on this discourse as a result more emphasis is given on philosophy and cultural studies. It is needed to be understood that even if building designs are formed with culture in mind the adherence to the principles of Vitruvius can bring about measurable difference in the outlook and utility of the building. Vitruvius principles gives due importance to every element which go into the process of constructing a building. Few principles of his can be seen as follows: When it comes to ground plan, make an effort to use compasses and rules to get the appropriate outline of the building’s plane surface. Make use of brilliance and versatility in order to design a distinctive plan. Bring about a balance in the length and breadth of the building to create harmony. Create symmetry by allowing needed agreement between various members and parts involved in the work. Involving the concept of eurythmy in design so as to reflect beauty and elegance. Bring about perfection in style of building by following approved principles. Be economical with the proper management of material, site and energy. Finally, the symmetry which exists between different parts of the human body should be reflected in the structure of a perfect building. Conclusion Human body even with it complexities represent to be a perfect geometrical form which has aspired many philosophers and artists to formulate exquisite piece of art work. It can be very well said that the reciprocity between architecture and the human body can be realized abstractly, if the proper effort is made. While understanding that the connection between the human body and architecture may never be fully accomplished in history, still the aspiration may lead to useful cultural productions. Foe this, there should be a well planned approach towards the human body anatomy which is mysterious and comprehensive. The architects continue to study and integrate the algorithms present in the human organism to create systematic and functional structural designs. The extraction of the real essence of human body anatomy is a challenging activity that is still under the research process. It is a surprising fact that the pyramids in Egypt to the Empire state building follow the same essential architectural principle as the anatomy of our body and entire living things. The human anatomy according to Vitruvius is uniform and precise and is modeled with a certain ratio. A monument or a building with a soul satisfying element can be constructed only if the architect adheres to the basic structural design of the divine. Even though nature is mysterious with its divine quality, effort can be made to create idealistic architectural designs pulling the natural forces together. Bibliography Craven, Jackie. "Geometry and Architecture." www.about.com. Available from http://architecture.about.com/od/ideasapproaches/a/geometry.htm. Internet; accessed 14 January 2011. Hooker, Richard. "Architecture And Public Space." www.wsu.edu. Available from http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/REN/ARCHI.HTM. Internet; accessed 14 January 2011. Lefas, Pavlos. "ON THE FUNDAMENTAL TERMS OF VITRUVIUSS ARCHITECTURAL THEORY." Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies 44 no. 1 (2000): 179-197. Nesbitt, Kate. Theorizing a new agenda for architecture. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996. Oosterhuis, Kas . The architecture co-laboratory: GameSetandMatch II . Rotterdam: episode publishers, 2006. Read More