What is architecture? Who is an architect?

There has been a lot of misconception about the profession of architecture. This post will throw some light on what is architecture and who are architects.

The dictionary defines ARCHITECTURE as the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. A person who practices architecture is called an ARCHITECT. According to me, architecture is a profession of designing spaces for living beings. Art is a meaningful expression or application of the creative skill and imagination of humans. Hence, architecture is also considered to be an art form. But we often neglect the various aspects of this profession. Architecture is actually a combination of the following fields –

1. Science

2. Art

3. Management

4. Economics

5. Mental and physical health

In India, there is a lot of misconception about the architecture profession. People think that architecture is same as civil engineering, interior designing or even Vastu. Many people neglect the importance of an architect and try to design buildings on their own. This is a very risky thing to do because architecture has direct link with our lives. If a building collapses due to any structural fault, it can cost somebody’s life. If there is improper provision of fire fighting system in a building it can cause casualties during a fire accident. If there is incorrect planning of ventilation or sunlight in a building it can have long term effects on the health of the users. Hence, to save a little money one loses a lot of health and wealth indirectly.

The first and foremost requirement of any building design is the proper planning and utilization of space. An architect has to fulfill the functional as well as aesthetic requirements of a building that too constrained within a certain budget. He/ she also have to prepare the estimate of construction (Bill of quantities), manage work execution on site, and coordinate with workers and different consultants all at the same time. Architects help in financial generation. For example, the planning of any commercial building or areas is done to increase their economic viability. The architecture of a place can increase the commercial value of an urban neighborhood as well.

The design and planning of spaces has direct relationship with psychology and mental well being of its users. Be it space planning, lighting conditions or simply color combination of spaces, everything has a psychological impact on the users. The architect has to study the psychology of the client to provide best possible design to him/ her. An architect is accountable for the mental well being of the public.

Any opening like a door/window or ventilator in the building might seem to be a very simple element of design but it is not so. An architect has to study the climatic conditions of the site and design each opening to provide comfortable living conditions in the spaces. Climatology is the part of architecture curriculum where in we are taught how to design buildings for different climates. Each door and window and their chajjas (projections above openings) have a role to play in the proper functioning of a building. A person’s health depends on the amount of daylight and ventilation he/ she receives. The planning of cities and buildings has a direct relationship to the physical health of people.

Any building is designed to provide a safe shelter for performing the desired activity. The first shelters which the early men used were the caves. They were safe natural structures where early men sought refuge from wild animals, harsh climate or even for some privacy. These caves were considered safe because they did not fall over men sleeping inside them. But when man began constructing his own shelters he evolved it through thousands of years of experience to build it good enough to withstand any natural/ manmade mishaps. Today architects design every building with its structure. Of course there are structural engineers and civil engineers who design the structure of a building but they coordinate with the architect of the building because he/ she is accountable for it. Every building today has many services like electrical, plumbing, sanitation, HVAC, fire fighting etc. All this has to be incorporated in the building design.

There are specialized MEP, HVAC and fire fighting systems consultants who have their respective roles in the design of a building but it is the architect who brings them together and ensures their smooth coordination. The architect has to oversee the correct implementation and proper coordination of all the services installed on site. A lot of management is required for the correct preparation of drawings, their correct execution on site and the coordination of the entire team involved in construction work.

Eventually the purpose of architecture has been to create beauty for everyone to behold. Art generates an emotion in the viewer and we have iconic buildings like the Taj Mahal considered as the finest tribute to love. We have the great pyramids which are the iconic symbols of grandeur and time. We have the modern day marvels like the Lotus temple or the Sydney opera house. All these buildings are the product of creative imagination of an architect. Each aspect of architecture can be elaborated in a different blog. This was just a brief introduction to our profession. So the next time you are building something, do consider to hire an architect.

Lotus Temple

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