Week 1: What is Architecture?

Basic Concepts of Architecture

We were presented with 4 views of how architecture is perceived: 
1. Vitruvius - Architecture is a science
2. Alberti - Architecture requires both logic and creativity
3. Etienne Boulle - Architecture is born from the soul, pure creativity, untainted by functionality
4. Aldo Rossi - Architecture is a fact of life

So what is Architecture?

Architecture is a process of design, planning and construction of buildings, they usually become a product of this process. Architecture is sometimes perceived as the design of open spaces, landscapes, urban environments, interiors etc. Most architecture is born from creative thinking, it is natural and free form as is all art. However, it can be influenced very easily by exemplar works, and sometimes people just like repeating the same structures over and over again. Successful architecture, is when the building can relate to the context of the environment that it is in. 

Week 1: 3 Picture Observation

3 Picture Observation

In our first lecture, we were told to observe the following pictures and write our own opinions on what we had observed. Nothing was told to us about what we had to reflect on, so the observations were based on what the unit aimed to teach us. 

 Image 1 - Aerial View

 Image 2 - Perspective View (front)

  Image 3 - Perspective View (side)

 Image 4 - Perspective View (isometric)

3 Observations: 

1. The city makes use of the river as starting point for all the buildings. 

2. All the houses are angled towards the river to provide optimal view. 

3. The city has built around what the environment has provided instead of artificially created the land.

The city has a variety of different style of houses and this can be clearly seen through all the perspective images. The Large building that is placed in the centre, seems to be the very core of the city and has a very unique design. The dominating aura that the core building provides allows us to understand the importance of the building, and by making use of the waterfront, it imposes are greater importance than if it was further inland.